A Dress to Impress

by Doctor_Citrus (Warden_Shinigami)

Summary:

The Kingdom of Bauer is many wonderful things, but accepting is not one of them.

That is why Rae Taylor, a tailor in training, hides the fact that she's gay, going to underground bars that caters to people like her.

In those meetings she met someone she would fall in love with, only to have their arrangement broken off with her lover's engagement to someone else.

How will Rae escape from the depression of such a turn of events? How will she recover when she is tasked with making the wedding dress for the woman she loves?

Chapter 1: Kiss me Through my Tears

The Kingdom of Bauer, it held many a great experience for those who lived within it, many advancements in the city helped with industrial development throughout the land. Many throughout the countryside would come to the capital to seek opportunity to improve themselves and their works. 

 

Such as one Rae Taylor of Euclid, who came to expand on her skills as a tailor.

 

But tonight, she walked in the night, a hooded cloak over her person to conceal her identity. Walking a path to a place she had visited several times before.

 

Walking down some stairs by the side of some shops, Rae put on a mask to cover her eyes and knocked on the door of the basement, an eye slot opening for the guard behind it to examine her.

 

“What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful.” The guard asked, their voice growing hoarse from repeating it again and again.

 

“Someone, I tell you, in another time will remember us.” Rae responded, the phrase burned into her mind like a prayer.

 

The slot closed and the door unlocked for Rae to enter. Hanging up her cloak amongst a row of others, she took in the room around her.

 

It was a bar, one of several hidden around the city, one with a purpose that could be guessed as the masked individuals around drank and flirted with each other.

 

Men with men, women with women.

 

Because the Kingdom of Bauer was many things, but it wasn't accepting of everyone.

 

Rae knew this, all of the masked patrons and employees of these places knew this.

 

And so did the girl Rae so regularly came to visit at this particular bar, her curled blonde hair framing her masked face, as analyzing eyes of blue met Rae's hopeful red eyes. The woman stared at her from the bar, tapping the wood to have another drink made as Rae made her way over.

 

“Hey, there, pretty lady. Come here often?” Rae joked with a smile.

 

“Hmph, insufferable flirt.” The blonde beauty said, her lips upturned into a smirk. “It has been some time since we saw each other, though.”

 

Rae watched as her hand slowly crossed the bar, lightly touching her forearm. She shuddered slightly under her touch.

 

“We're both lucky I came to check here tonight.” Rae said, lying through her teeth. She had come to check every night for the past three weeks to try and see her again. “I hope we have better luck for our next meeting.”

 

The woman's smile faded slightly before she downed her drink, smile returning. “I think we should get through tonight before we talk about next time.”

 

Rae felt the woman pull her along by the arm, quickly downing her drink before following her along to one of the private rooms in the back.

 

As soon as the door opened, Rae was pulled into a heated kiss, the door shutting behind them and being locked with Rae's fumbling hands as she kissed back, welcoming the woman's dominating tongue against her own.

 

Rae fumbled with untying the back of her lover's dress while the woman undid the buttons of her shirt, the two of them stumbling closer and closer to the bed, falling back onto it as the woman's legs hit it, pulling Rae on top of her.

 

Rae pulled away from the kiss, panting slightly to catch her breath. The woman looked up at her, but not at her face, at her exposed skin under the unbuttoned shirt, hand gently tracing against the flesh as if reverently searching for the faded marks she had left against her skin the last time they had been together.

 

“It has been a while.” The woman muttered almost mournfully.

 

She was soon brought out of her search by Rae pulling her hand up to her face by the wrist and kissing her palm.

 

“It just means you can mark me as much as you like, my lo- my lady.” Rae corrected herself at the last moment.

 

The woman's hand drifted to her chest, squeezing Rae through her bra and earning a slight gasp from her. Her hand slipped under the bra to directly touch her, fingers moving around the nipple and squeezing. Rae leaned in and kissed the woman's neck, being careful to avoid any marks, one of the rules they set for each other. A sudden push left Rae with her back to the bed, watching as her goddess stood up and let her dress begin to slip down her shoulders and exposing her back.

 

No matter how many times Rae had seen this view or how much she didn't care for religion, Rae still felt the need to get down on her knees and thank the God Spirit for allowing such a work of art to exist.

 

Rae snapped herself out of her stupor and began to take off the rest of her clothes, her shirt and bra were quick to come off, but she was stopped at her belt. The woman's hands stayed on the belt for a moment, her thumb tracing the buckle.

 

“This will be the last night I'm ever going to be able to visit you.” She said, every word breaking Rae's heart.

 

“You're serious.” Rae said, sitting up to meet her halfway. “I- wh- why come here at all then?”

 

“To see you, to make sure you're not chasing after the phantom of a girl.” The woman said. “It feels wrong to leave you getting your hopes up.”

 

“I… I see.” Rae said, her hands moving up to remove her mask, only to be stopped by her soon-to-be lost lover. “I know what the rules are here, but I want to be honest with you since it's the last time you'll be here with me. I don't expect anything in return, I just… want to make this special for you too.”

 

The woman looked at Rae for a moment, considering her offer. “The mask stays on, at least let me know your first name.”

 

“It's Rae.” She said without hesitation. “Why just my first name?”

 

“So you at least have the memory of me moaning it.” The woman said, leaning into Rae's ear to whisper. “You can call me Claire, Rae.”

 

Rae shuddered as her name left Claire's lips for the first time. Claire gently pushed Rae back down onto the bed as she moved down to her knees, undoing her belt so that she could pull her pants down the legs she had marked so many times before. Legs she would never touch again.

 

Rae tried to cover her face as she felt Claire's lips kissing their way up her thighs, trying to stay brave and avoid the tears from spilling from her eyes, only to gasp as she felt a sharp bite on her inner thigh, followed by Claire sucking a mark onto the flesh.

 

“C-Claire, please don't tease me.” Rae whined, her voice pitching as Claire started making another mark.

 

Claire pulled herself away from Rae's thigh and rubbed against it with her cheek, looking up to meet her eyes as Rae leaned up to get a better look at her. “But I thought you liked it when I marked you up?”

 

If Rae wasn't wet before, she'd be drenched now. She loved hearing Claire's little taunts.

 

Claire slowly pulled Rae’s unsalvageable underwear down her legs, leaving them at her ankles before she leaned in.

 

Rae gasped as she felt the lightest of licks against her outer lips, gripping the sheets under her as Claire's hot breath rolled against her most sensitive of spots.

 

“A-Ah~!” Rae almost screamed as Claire dug into her pussy, her tongue taking long licks, making sure to drag against her clit with every stroke.

 

Claire's fingers dug into Rae's thighs, pulling herself closer in as Rae felt herself growing closer and closer to her climax.

 

Rae pulled a pillow over her face and screamed into it as she came all over Claire's face. Panting into the fabric for a moment, Rae tried to come down from her pleasure, only for the pillow to be ripped away, Claire hovering her pussy above Rae's face and practically glistening as she looked down into her eyes.

 

“We're not done yet.” Claire said, a devilish smile on her lips. “I hope you know we have all night for this.”

 

Rae's breath hitched as some of Claire's arousal dripped down against her cheek.

 

“Of course, Miss Claire. As long as you'll have me.”

 

---

 

Three days later, Rae was drifting through her life as she tried to ignore the absence remaining in her heart.

 

She went to work at the tailor shop she was doing her apprenticeship learning at, she went home and ate dinner, and she tried to ignore the blonde curls in her dreams.

 

That seemed to be how her life was going to be from now on, only being roused out of her thoughts by her best friend at the boarding house she was staying at.

 

“You need to be ready, Rae. It's not every day someone gets summoned to the castle.” Misha, Rae's best friend, said.

 

“I mean, you go there every week.” Rae pointed out as she put the finishing touches on her outfit. “But I guess being Princess Yu's personal doctor helps.”

 

“That's only because we knew each other as children and I'm the only one she trusts for it.” Misha said, barely hiding the light blush on her cheeks. “This is more important though, you have an audience with the king and queen.”

 

“Why do they need me, though? I'm not really anything special.” Rae said, grabbing some fabric samples and packing them away. “You… didn't mention me to the princess, did you?”

 

“I mentioned that you were a talented tailor because she liked my outfit one day.” Misha said. “I doubt that would be enough for an audience with the king, however.”

 

“I swear, if I have to design outfits for the entire royal family or something, I'm gonna complain to you the entire time.” Rae threatened playfully.

 

“And I'll pour hot tea on you in your sleep.” Misha fired back. “Now, let's get you going.”

 

Rae was led to a carriage outside that would take her to the palace. One that she would be thankful for as she tried her best to bring a brave face to herself. Despite playing with Misha about the meeting, Rae knew that seeing King L'Ausseil was one of the highest honors in the kingdom for a commoner like her.

 

Part of her hoped that the king would forgive her for wearing a pantsuit instead of a dress, despite designing quite a few, Rae personally hated the hassle of wearing them.

 

The carriage bumped against some of the roads, reminding Rae how she'd be able to tell how close she would be getting to the castle as it gets closer. Looking out of the window, Rae caught a glimpse of the shops near her old rendezvous point, her heart aching again at the memory of Claire leaving her that night. Shaking her head, Rae tried to force herself back into serious mode.

 

Looking over the fabric samples, Rae tried to guess what she was being requested to do. Perhaps the Queen needed a new summer wardrobe? If she was dealing with one of the heirs, she hoped it was Prince Thane, she did not wanna deal with the notorious flirt Rod. She might be able to get some juicy gossip about Misha from Princess Yu if she was doing a dress for her.

 

Humming happily to herself, Rae noticed how the castle was coming into view. She silently hoped her outfit hadn't wrinkled during the journey, one of the many issues of the fashion world, unfortunately.

 

Mentally bracing herself for the decorum of a royal audience, hoping desperately not to embarrass herself as the carriage came to a halt. Gathering her courage with her supplies, Rae was led through the grand and opulent castle of Bauer, built up over generations of the kingdom's existence. It was all so… boring to Rae as she made her way to the throne room.

 

King L'Ausseil sat upon his throne with a determined look upon his face, as if he was standing tall instead of being seated on his throne. Next to him was his current wife, Queen Riche, seemingly disinterested and displeased in her throne.

 

“Your majesty.” Rae said, kneeling in respect for the king. “Thank you for inviting me on this fine day.”

 

“It was a summoning.” Rae heard Riche say under her breath. She would have said more but L'Ausseil stood from his throne.

 

“I have heard quite a bit about you, Miss Taylor. Apparently my daughter claims you are a recommended talent.” The king said, causing Rae's eyebrow to twitch as she realized she was gonna have to hurt Misha later. “You also seem about the right age to be a good fit for this task.”

 

“Does your majesty want me to make a dress for Princess Yu?” Rae asked, barely noticing Riche turned her head away in some level of disgust.

 

“No, no, we have more than enough dressmakers on staff for this.” King L'Ausseil said with a hearty laugh. “Instead, I asked you here for a matter that requires the utmost confidence and secrecy. Can I trust you?”

 

“I promise to use the utmost discretion for whatever purpose you'll have for me.” Rae said, bowing her head a little. “But I'm curious as to what use an apprentice tailor would be for the royal family?”

 

King L'Ausseil chuckled a little to himself, clearly amused by her more casual demeanor. Queen Riche continued to seem displeased by the situation.

 

“The reason I called for you was because of something we have yet to announce to the kingdom.” King L'Ausseil said, waving to one of his guards who left as soon as he saw. “My son, Prince Thane, is to be married. His future bride will require a fine dress, and so I ask if you will be willing to make one for her.”

 

Rae's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened at the prospect, doing so would make her career, it would make her parents proud, she'd actually be something more than just a gay girl in hiding during her apprenticeship. “I would be more than happy to take on this task for you. Your highness.”

 

“Very good. I trust that you won't disappoint.” King L'Ausseil said, sitting back down on his throne, turning as he heard one of the side doors open. “Ah, here is my son's fiancée now.”

 

Rae turned to meet her new client, only to feel her heart skip a beat before it sank deep into her chest.

 

Stepping out with the guard who had been sent away, Rae saw an angel with the same curled blonde hair that haunted her dreams and memories, the same piercing blue eyes that flashed with slight recognition as she saw her, and while Rae had never seen her face fully, she remembered the girl she had fallen in love with over many nights together.

 

“Rae Taylor, this is Claire Francois, daughter to the Minister of Finance to this kingdom and future member of the royal family.” King L'Ausseil introduced the two who already knew each other. “I place her in your capable hands to make an ever beautiful bride.”

 

Every nerve in Rae's body told her to run, but instead, she bowed her head to Claire in respect.

 

“I'll do everything in my power to make your wedding day perfect.” Rae promised, hiding how her heart broke for the same woman once again.

Chapter 2: Be Still my Screaming Heart

From the private residence of Claire Francois, separate from the Francois Estate outside of the city, she found many conveniences of living within the capital. Fine dining and desserts at any number of restaurants, plays and shows for her to see with friends, and fine dresses were available for court, including meetings with her arranged husband to be.

 

What she didn't ever expect to find was one of her little conveniences to be setting out fabric samples to help make her wedding dress with.

 

Rae Taylor, the same girl she had met at a secret club almost a year ago now, the same girl who had helped her when she didn't notice someone slip something into her drink her first night at the club, the same girl who helped talk her through her first time with a woman.

 

Claire sat with her arms crossed, examining the woman as she was deep in thought, taking out different samples and putting ones she didn't find suitable back into her bag.

 

She would be rather dashing if she wasn't also a threat.

 

“Is there anything I can get for you, Miss Rae?” Lene, Claire's loyal maid and childhood friend, asked as she stood to the side.

 

“I should be fine, just wanna get some initial impressions and a primary material before I can start getting some designs in order.” Rae said, briefly glancing at Claire before turning back to her samples.

 

“I would like some tea, Lene.” Claire said, a little quietly.

 

Lene, thankfully, was able to determine that Claire needed some time with the other girl.

 

“I'll also make sure to bring some snacks.” Lene said, giving a quick bow of her head before leaving.

 

Claire noticed how Rae visibly relaxed with a calm sigh as soon as Lene left. This was it, the moment Claire dreaded for so long since she first wrapped her legs around that girl’s head.

 

“So, Claire Francois.” Rae began. “That's a really pretty name.”

 

“Thank you, my parents chose it.” Claire said, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “If you plan to blackmail me about certain events-”

 

“Wha- blackmail?” Rae asked, genuinely confused for a moment. “I thought it was a stretch to hope that there were two beautiful ladies with blonde hair in my life.”

 

“And I had hoped it was simple deja vu to think you were the same girl I had met.” Claire said, her stern look staying solid. “If you utter a single word of-”

 

“Miss Claire, I guarantee that I would probably lose a lot more than you expect if anyone found out I was gay.” Rae said, a sarcastic tone carrying on her voice. “I like not being thrown out on the street due to my “deviancy,” thank you very much.”

 

“I… apologize. There's just a lot for me to consider when it comes to a situation like this.” Claire said, looking away. “I certainly didn't expect to see you again, especially so soon.”

 

“And I didn't think I'd be putting clothes on you the next time we saw each other, but here we are.” Rae joked, something Claire couldn't help but laugh at. “I guess even nobles get curious every now and then.”

 

For some reason, hearing her say that about the time they spent together hurt more than she expected it to. This girl… she really doubted why Claire had spent so many nights sneaking out to see her. She doubted every time she kissed her lips and marked her skin.

 

That genuinely angered Claire more than the absurdity of their situation.

 

“It wasn't just curiosity.” Claire said, anxiety spiking even through her resolve. “I… I genuinely enjoyed your company, and my attraction to women is not some form of question. I simply have an attraction to men as well, my future husband included.”

 

Rae finally looked at Claire with something she recognized as the genuine compassion Rae had given her during their first night together.

 

“I… didn’t want to doubt that, it was just hard to believe that anyone would want me for something that wasn’t just easy for them.” Rae said, trying not to let her own hurt leak into her words. “I think I’ll just say… thank you for caring about me enough to let me know things were over. In return, I’ll make you the best dress I've ever designed. Even your stoic husband-to-be will have his jaw dropping at your beauty.”

 

Claire couldn't help but blush at her comment, her body was used to her praise in different situations and was thus trying to betray her.

 

“Good girl, I'll hold you to it.” Claire said, standing from her seat without realizing what she said.

 

Rae was visibly blushing over Claire's words, and it took her a moment to remember how Rae had a praise kink. She was going to need every ounce of willpower to survive until her wedding if these memories kept flooding in.

 

“You know I didn't mean it like that.” Claire said, walking up to Rae with a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. “Now, show me what you have here.”

 

“Well, I chose some fabrics that would look good as part of a wedding dress, but would also be comfortable to wear for a prolonged period of time.” Rae said, gesturing to the samples on the table. “I'll make sure to order in bulk for whatever alterations need to be made before the wedding. Do you have any design ideas that you would like?”

 

Claire picked up one of the samples, rubbing a finger along it. “In truth, I would have loved to wear my mother's dress for my wedding, but it was damaged in a fire at my family's old estate.”

 

Rae was silent for a moment, an idea creeping into her mind. “Do you have any pictures of it? I could attempt to recreate it. I might even be able to look up the original designer for advice.”

 

“That's a lot more effort that you need to-” Claire was cut off as Rae took her hand in her own.

 

“I want to make sure you're happy, I can at least do that much for you, Miss Claire.” Rae declared, a determination in her eyes that made Claire's heart skip a beat.

 

This… was becoming a difficult situation.

 

---

 

“This whole situation is insufferable.” Claire said, her eyes squeezed shut in annoyance. “Just being around her is enough to flood my memories and test my self control. The worst part is that she isn't affected by any of this like I am. She's being so polite about it!”

 

“Is she cute?” Manaria, Princess of the neighboring Sousse kingdom, said. Claire was beginning to regret venting to her distant cousin. 

 

“That is not funny. This is a serious issue that could jeopardize my standing as a noble.” Claire said, eyebrow twitching in annoyance. “And then there's my engagement.”

 

“And now you're making that sound like an afterthought.” Lene said, pouring some more tea for the princess. “From what I could tell, Miss Taylor is doing everything she can to be respectful.”

 

Manaria jokingly booed after hearing that, and Claire continued to regret her confidants in her struggles. The Sousse Kingdom was a bit more progressive with their handling of subjects like this, no doubt due to Manaria's open homosexuality, and Lene was more than happy to support Claire, even letting her know of the club she met Rae in the first place. Unfortunately, an unbiased opinion would require letting someone else know of her tastes, so Claire was stuck with these two.

 

“In all seriousness, this whole situation is stacked against you if you can't keep your head on straight.” Manaria said, leaning forward in her seat. “This engagement is important if myself and members of other royal families were given invites for the public announcement.”

 

“I know, I could be ousted from the nobility, if not the kingdom itself, if this were to become knowledge to anyone else.” Claire said. “I must not let my wild thoughts tempt me.”

 

“If you weren't engaged, I'd say go for it.” Lene said, giving a thumbs up. “It would have been the perfect excuse to have some alone time with her if she were just making a dress for any other occasion. I doubt you'll get lucky a second time like you did when we were engaged.”

 

It was a recurring joke between the two girls that the Francois house and Aurousseau family had tried to have a standing engagement between both houses at a young age. Instead, Claire was overjoyed to learn her betrothed instead enjoyed dresses over suits, and she would have a best friend instead of a husband. Unfortunately, the Aurousseaus did not take the news well that they had a daughter, and left Lene behind in the care of the Francois family when they were forced to move to the Alpes country after losing their title of nobility.

 

The engagement was broken off, and Lene stayed as Claire's personal maid and best friend since then.

 

“If only it were that easy.” Claire thought for a moment, a light blush on her cheeks rising. “Although, Prince Thane might look rather… good in a dress.”

 

“Oh my God, we've created a monster.” Manaria joked dryly. “I say go for it. One last hoorah before settling into boring comphet. Or, maybe princey and your little tailor are okay with sharing you.”

 

“Miss Manaria.” Lene started, cutting off Claire with a tone that bordered on troubling. “Do I need to talk to you about teasing our dear Claire about her problems again?”

 

“N-no, you don't, Miss Lene.” Manaria said, blushing as she practically shrank in her seat. “Fuck, I almost wish you were at least bi like Claire sometimes.”

 

“I bet you would enjoy that.” Lene said with a smirk, almost as if she knew something she didn't.

 

Claire looked between her cousin and her maid with mild concern. This was the first time today they had gotten like this, which wasn’t uncommon, Claire just knew they’d get a little distracted with their back and forth and forget about giving her actually good advice.

 

“Honestly, I should just lock you both in a room together.” Claire muttered to herself. “Getting back on topic, I can't imagine going behind my fiancé's back to fool around with a girl who already understands that we can't be anything more than this transaction.”

 

“And what are your feelings on this?” Lene asked.

 

“It's… certainly not how I imagined her and a wedding dress. Even if that was a dream one time after some wine.” Claire said, ignoring her burning cheeks. “And… also may have included a cottage and two daughters.”

 

“Aw, that's sweet.” Lene said while Manaria gave a knowing smile.

 

“The only “aw” about this is how awful it is!” Claire shouted. “This is one dream from when we were wearing masks and not using our names, I was hardly gentle when she finally let me take control and now I have to face her in person until my wedding. At this point I'm going to start having dreams of her crashing the wedding and declaring some kind of undying love towards me.”

 

“Claire, I think you're underestimating yourself. Or, you're overestimating your imagination, I think.” Manaria said, sipping her tea. “You've been able to keep it a secret for as long as you have because of the personal air you create around you, no one would ever expect you to fall for a girl that, to public knowledge, you only recently met.”

 

“And if what you told me is true, it sounds like Miss Rae has been holding her secrets about everything for much longer.” Lene pointed out. “If anything, she might just wind up being someone you can rely on for whatever stress you have about the wedding that you can't share with anyone else.”

 

Claire let the idea sink in a bit, Manaria would be leaving after the announcement and Lene didn't need the added stress from her venting. In a way, Rae seemed to know more about her than anyone else despite the two of them only learning each other's names recently.

 

“I will… count her as a confidant, for now.” Claire said, crossing her arms. “If she proves trustworthy, I may keep her on as my personal tailor so I don't have to give her up yet.”

 

“And if that doesn't go well, send her my way.” Manaria said, raising a hand carelessly. “From all the letters singing praises about this mysterious girl of your's, I kinda wanna see what she can do.”

 

“I refuse to share what's mine like that.” Claire said, giving a glare that could set a forest aflame before she realized what she said. “I- that- S-she can make her own choices and I doubt she'd be another girl for you to discard.”

 

Claire could feel her burning rage turn to burning embarrassment as Manaria laughed at her slip up and Lene cooed over how cute she was like that.

 

This was only the first day of her new disaster, and a part of her dreaded the first time she'd get her measurements taken.

 

Oh dear God.

 

Rae was going to measure her.

 

Claire soon fainted as her embarrassment reached overwhelming levels, Lene and Manaria quickly running to her side to make sure she was okay as her sapphic soul left her body.

 

Chapter 3: To Love Every Inch of You

Rae screamed into her pillow, kicking her legs against her bed over how unfair her life was being.

 

The entire time she was going over fabrics and being shown a portrait of the wedding dress that she was going to try and recreate, Rae was thinking about how badly she wanted to lean over and kiss Miss Claire, to profess her love clearly to the woman she was going to make a wedding dress for.

 

She was going to see her again as well for measurements, and for fittings, and for adjustments.

 

She felt like there were nails digging into her ribs from the moment she started laying out fabrics, and it didn't stop until Claire had left for a moment while she was sketching a copy of the dress’ design from the portrait to be remade by her hands.

 

Hands that were once slick from pleasure she had given-

 

“NOPE! Not thinking about that right now. No way.” Rae said, sitting up and shaking her head. “She's getting married to someone else, that's that.”

 

Rae held her pillow close to her chest, trying to ignore the yearning in her heart, trying desperately to make sure she could face her again.

 

A knock on her door barely registered to her until Misha's voice carried through.

 

“Are you alright, Rae? Can I come in?”

 

Rae thought for a moment, before realizing that being alone wouldn't help anything here. “Yeah, come on in.”

 

It took a moment for Misha to decipher Rae's mood after she closed the door behind her. Given their youth together, Misha had been there enough to realize when Rae was struggling with something she couldn't talk about.

 

“I'm sorry about telling Yu about your talents. But I don't think this is about that, is it?” Misha asked, sitting down next to her friend and watching her shake her head.

 

Rae thought for a moment, and realized that she needed someone to hear what her heart was screaming. “Misha… There's something I need to tell you. I'm-”

 

“Gay, I know.” Misha said softly, cutting her off. “You weren't exactly subtle back in Euclid, especially around those three.”

 

“I- Yeah… I guess it makes sense you'd know.” Rae said, trying to plan out her words. “There was this girl, here in Baeur, that I was meeting, like a lot. She ended things a few days ago.”

 

“Oh, Rae. I'm so sorry.” Misha said, wrapping her friend in a hug.

 

“That's… that's not everything.” Rae said, pulling away from the hug. “But I need you to keep a secret that you can't tell anyone else.”

 

“Yu already told me that her brother is getting married.” Misha said. “Some kind of arrangement. I assume that's what you got called for? If so, I'm sorry if this is rubbing salt in the wound.”

 

Rae nodded slightly, bracing herself for whatever reaction she might get next. “I'm designing the wedding dress for the girl I was seeing.”

 

Shock was an understatement for the emotion written on Misha's face. “Rae, are you going to be okay?”

 

“We have an understanding. Neither of us are gonna talk about what happened between us, I'm going to design her dress, and I'm taking this job with the utmost care and respect.” Rae said, her voice sounding shallow and void of emotion. “That's how it has to be, and that's how it's going to be.”

 

Rae didn't need to look at Misha to know the girl could see through it. Just like she didn't need to wait for her to wrap her in another hug, causing the floodgates to break and for her to cry into her best friend's arms.

 

“It's not fair.” Rae cried, burying her face into Misha's shoulder. “Why did I even- I wish it didn't feel like this.”

 

Misha continued to stroke Rae's back and whisper apologies and words of comfort as she cried. After a good hour, Rae finally calmed down enough that Misha was able to let go of her.

 

“Rae… are you going to be okay with this job?” Misha asked.

 

“Y-yeah, I will… eventually.” Rae said, looking away. “This… it's a good opportunity for me, so I have to be fine.”

 

“You don't have to be fine. It's okay to not be fine with this.” Misha said. “I know you're too stubborn to walk away from this, but you don't have to bottle it up around me. You're allowed to break if you need to.”

 

Rae sniffed a little, the last of her tears rolling down her cheeks. “I-it should make taking her measurements a bit easier.”

 

“If you make a joke about memorizing her cup size, I will hit you.” Misha deadpanned, earning a small laugh from her friend.

 

“I'm not that good.” Rae said, rolling her eyes. “I was just gonna say, I've seen it all before, so I shouldn't be distracted.”

 

Misha continued to stare at her with reserved judgement, and Rae could swear the room felt a little colder under her gaze.

 

“Can I go back to being in the closet so you don't judge me?” Rae asked.

 

“Too late, I've seen too much.” Misha said.

 

The two girls shared a laugh at their little banter, Rae's laughter dying quickly as Misha put a hand on her shoulder.

 

“Thank you for telling me. I know it couldn't have been easy.” Misha said.

 

“I'm just sorry I didn't have a better reason to tell you.” Rae said, placing a hand on top of her friend's.

 

“Well, maybe I'll have a thing or two to tell you one day.” Misha said, offering a small smile.

 

“Boo, don't be all mysterious on me again.” Rae whined. “We're having a heart to heart.”

 

“About your problems, not mine.” Misha said. “Now, how about we get something to eat, I know that can help you feel better.”

 

Having her best friend at her side was a greater help to Rae than she would admit. The pressure of everything was going to get to her one day, but having a shoulder to lean on would help her get through it.

 

---

 

Rae stood before the home of Claire Francois once again, her bag of supplies in her hand as she waited to be let in. All she needed was some measuring tape and her notebook, but she wanted to be prepared in case she could actually start some work. Claire had told her not to worry about the fabrics, that she had ordered some to get started based on what she liked. She tried to push down her beating heart as she thought of how considerate she was.

 

Rae was shaken from her thoughts by some noise behind the door, with voices arguing over something she couldn't tell.

 

The door opened up to a maid, the same one she recognized as Lene who looked behind herself with some annoyance. “You'll have to forgive the noise, Miss Taylor, Miss Claire has another guest unfortunately.”

 

“Is everything alright?” Rae asked, stepping into the foyer.

 

“Yes, just… I'm just going to apologize for her before you meet her.” Lene said.

 

Rae was more outwardly confused before the commotion could be heard again, and a frazzled Claire walked out behind another woman, keeping the noblewoman at arm's length with a hand against her face. It took Rae a lot of willpower not to react to how cute Claire looked with her cheek squished up like that. It took even more willpower to ignore how Claire was dressed in a robe, most likely to make it easier to take her measurements.

 

“So this is the tailor taking care of my little cousin, you didn't tell me she was this cute, Claire.” The woman teased.

 

Oh, Rae did not like her already. 

 

“It's nice to meet you, Miss Taylor.” The woman said, letting Claire go and letting her crash against a sitting chair in the foyer. “My name is Princess Manaria Sousse, and despite what I've heard, I must say I was ill-informed about your beauty.”

 

Rae grimaced slightly as Manaria took her hand and kissed it. She really did not like her now.

 

Claire surprised Rae next, however, by taking her hand and putting herself between the princess and the tailor.

 

“Manaria, I swear. If you were not an honored guest of the kingdom and my family, I would have you thrown out for such shameless flirting!” Claire said, her hand feeling hot around Rae's.

 

“I agree with Miss Claire.” Lene said, walking up to Manaria and grabbing her by the ear. “I think I'll help her remember that so you two can have some privacy.”

 

Rae watched as Lene dragged Manaria away, the princess pleading with the maid to be gentle with some earnest emotion. Claire breathed a sigh of relief, and Rae tried to ignore how she was still holding her hand the entire time. There wasn't room for pleasantries either as Claire began to lead her away, the two eventually stopping in a bedroom upstairs.

 

Rae was quick to try and stomp out her invading thoughts as she noticed the bed.

 

“I hope you can forgive me for my cousin's shameless flirting.” Claire said, finally letting go of her hand.

 

“I should probably thank you, honestly.” Rae said, trying not to obviously look at her hand as if Claire's would somehow spawn back into it. “I'm… not big on the overly shameless flirting when I'm not wearing a mask.”

 

“Duly noted.” Claire said, still facing away from her. “... I'm going to have to strip down for this, aren't I?”

 

“I… yes, I'm sorry.” Rae said, turning away as if that would help hide the slight blush creeping up her face. “Just need to write down the measurements on my notepad and that's it for today.”

 

Claire seemed apprehensive, reaching for the belt of her robe slowly.

 

“We can take our time.” Rae said, quickly stopping her. “I don't… I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable while we're doing this.”

 

Claire nodded, letting out a breath she had been holding back. The princess-to-be crossed the room, sitting upon the foot of her bed.

 

“Why-… why is this so much harder than it used to be?” Claire asked to no one.

 

“... probably because we're both people instead of just… masks.” Rae said, unsure of her place and instead opting to kneel before her. “I can ask your maid to help, if that would be-”

 

“You're always trying to be the gentle one.” Claire said, cupping Rae's cheek with her hand. “Just… you don't deserve to deal with this.”

 

“I mean… if we're talking about what I deserve… you could spank me again?” Rae suggested, hoping it would lighten the mood.

 

While Claire seemed more surprised than amused for a moment, she quickly found herself holding back a laugh.

 

“If you don't behave yourself, I just might have to.” Claire said, only to pause for a moment after. “I'm sorry, you already told me you didn't like openly flirting.”

 

“We're not exactly in the open, Miss Claire.” Rae said with a grin. “And… we've both said worse than that.”

 

“I guess we're both done trying to pretend nothing happened.” Claire said.

 

With a steadying breath, Claire undid the belt of her robe and let it fall behind her, and Rae could feel her face warming up with Claire's as her underwear was exposed.

 

“... where do you want to start?” Claire asked, crossing her arms as she turned away to hide her blush.

 

“I, uh, I…” Rae was lost in a moment of lesbian panic before smacking herself in the face. “I should probably start with your feet and work my way up since I'm here.”

 

Rae went back to focusing on her job, pulling her bag to her side and taking out her measuring tape and notepad. This is what she was training for, this was the career she had chosen and the path she was on for her life. She could take her measurements without getting distracted with how nice and smooth her skin felt as her fingers would brush up against-

 

“Fuck, I have a problem.” Rae muttered under her breath as she began taking her measurements of Claire's feet.

 

As soon as she started her measurements, working her way up to the ankles and the calves, it started becoming easier to focus on her job, working into the flow of getting it all down and doing the math in her head to figure out the allowance of fabric she'd need to start with.

 

“Alright, next is gonna be the inseam. Could you please stand up?” Rae asked, regretting immediately as she looked up.

 

Claire was blushing hard, her face contorted into the same beautiful embarrassment she had under the mask when the two of them had their first time together, even keeping her mouth covered with the back of her hand.

 

“We… we can take a-”

 

“Let's get this over with!”

 

Rae almost stumbled back as Claire stood up. A moment slower and her face would have been buried in her crotch once again. Which would have been pleasant at any other point, but Rae was pleading with her heart to calm down so she could get things done.

 

Rae kept her eyes focused on the tape, not wanting to get distracted again. She could feel Claire's eyes burning in the top of her head as she knelt in front of her, but she wanted to make sure she got everything right. Rae blocked out the sounds of Claire's breathing picking up as she measured around her waist. Claire's sigh of relief as she moved to her arms was a weight off of Rae's back, even if she saw the girl shiver when she went back to measure her chest, she knew she had to stay focused on the task at hand instead.

 

Eventually, her notebook was full of measurements, and Rae was almost ready to put her tape away.

 

“There's just one more measurement I need to take.” Rae said.

 

“Any more and I might expire.” Claire muttered with her face a clear crimson. “It's nothing… intimate, is it?”

 

“Nope.” Rae said, popping her mouth. “Just need to measure the band for your veil.”

 

Rae remained focused as she wrapped the tape around Claire's head, her gaze narrowing as she made sure to get as accurate as she could.

 

“Alright, I think I have-” Rae paused as she looked, a grave mistake as she met Claire's gaze.

 

The second their eyes met, Rae became very aware of their situation. The woman she loved was in her underwear in front of her, the two of them knew each other very intimately, and the last thing either of them should be thinking about is kissing each other again. But Claire's eyes seemed to be searching for something in Rae's, and Rae couldn't even think about breathing as she stared into such beauty. The only sound that followed was Rae's measuring tape and notebook hitting the ground as they slipped between her fingers.

 

And like a shot from a gun, the floodgates unleashed.

 

Claire gripped Rae by the shirt and pulled her in, the tailor already placing her hands on the noblewoman's waist, kissing each other with fervent want. Their tongues clashed together like waves in a storm, hands roaming to each other's backs so that they were enveloped in each other's warmth.

 

Claire turned her body, and Rae soon found herself falling backwards against the bed. The impact caused Rae to break away from the kiss, now looking up at an equally flustered Claire who was pinning her to the bed.

 

Her heart was pounding in her throat, did she really just kiss an engaged woman? After everything she said to make sure she would trust her? How could she say that she was any better than a man, letting herself get lost in these… feelings?

 

“I-I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me.” Claire said, immediately getting up and grabbing her robe.

 

“W-what? No, I'm the one who should be sorry!” Rae said, getting off the bed but still unsure of what else to do. “You didn't do anything wrong, and nothing really happened anyways.”

 

Claire seemed to pause before she could start anxiously pacing, instead looking over at Rae with… conflict in her eyes before she buried it under an amused mask.

 

“Y-yes, nothing happened. And who knows, perhaps this is my last hurrah before I get married.” She tried to brush it all off with a fake laugh, one that Rae awkwardly joined in with.

 

“Right, I-... I should probably get out of your hair, I've got a lot of work ahead of me.” Rae tried making up any kind of excuse for herself to leave.

 

Turning to the bedroom door, Rae hoped she could make it outside before she combusted from this burning in her chest.

 

“Miss Taylor.” Claire said, putting on her most professional voice. “I would… I would like to see your sketches when you are finished, so that I may compare it with my bridesmaids.” Rae turned to see something else in Claire's eyes, almost pleading for her to return. “And… I would like to show off your talents if possible.”

 

Rae's heart was screaming in her chest to go back and kiss her, to hold her tight and act on her love. But she couldn't. She knew what she had to do to save herself and her love from those who wouldn't approve.

 

“As you wish, Miss Claire.” Rae said, politely bowing her head. “I'll have them done for you in a few days.”

 

“G-good, we'll be meeting up for tea on Saturday if that works for you, and if not… bring them over whenever you like.” Claire said, her voice straining to avoid cracking.

 

Rae bowed her head again once more and left the woman behind. She was thankful for the chance to see her again so soon, no matter how much her conscience told her she shouldn't be.

 

She was also thankful to Lene for not questioning the tears in her eyes on her way out.