caffeihated said: His thumbs brush across the leather, manipulated and painted to resemble the face of a fox while covering enough skin to maintain anonymity. From his curiosity of holding it against his face, Gavin already knows it allows him to see clearly, and the muzzle is long enough to hide his scar but is hollow on the underside so he can still dine if needed. It’s padded with soft felt as well, especially around the temples where the silken ribbon will pull tight and rub with each movement. Xander was thoughtful as always, frighteningly so. But still, the colours are dull: mud brown and greys mixing together for the illusion of fur, and blending into the black highlights. It’s nothing like the striking display of monotone feathers he’s seen for Xander’s own. He’s /boring/: meant to blend in while on the arm of a guy who never fails to catch people’s attention. It makes his teeth grind together. “Why bother with all this? ‘S not like anyone knows either of us.” Excuses, and an anxious need for answers fuels the question, and Gavin has more of it to come.
──── ⌈ ∞ ⌋ ───── Nimble fingers fixed the last of the buttons of his ornate jacket. It was black in color, etched in silver like the rest of his outfit, the sparse jewelry he wore. This evening the two of them were to socialize at a party being held at a venue within the city; a masquerade. It had been many years since the night creature had participated in such a thing, not since the days in which their family home was lively & the halls echoed with the cheerful voices of his kin. But this evening was not to be a stroll down the road of nostalgia. His was a darker purpose, but one of necessity. His pet had a lesson to learn, one of the consequences of naive wanting.
He regarded the human as he ventured towards the bed, gathered the cloak that lay draped across it. He took it in hand & in one motion & with a flutter of fabric he brought it over himself & tucked it neatly over his shoulders. ❝ That is rather the point: we are anonymous to the party-goers, ❞ Xander informed, hands knotting the chord of the cloak at his throat. ❝ We are to be phantoms, invisible in plain sight. ❞ Those hands smoothed down his slim, powerful form, straightening the thick layers of fine fabric there.
Tonight was to be a test as much as it was an evening of pleasures. Xander was not an especially social creature, but he was a clever one. He knew just how to seek out his prey, how to draw them into his waiting grasp effortlessly. An avid hunter who used any means available to him & this evening he would use Gavin as his bait. His beloved was an especially alluring creature, muscled & fiery with the loveliest eyes. Behind his mask their stunning grey hues would surely stand out, brightness piercing through the utterly unremarkable nature of the costume.
Gavin didn’t understand it yet, nor did his vampiric lover expect him to. It mattered little, inconsequential. Monotony was key as he was a target meant to earn contempt, jealousy over the man who escorted him so proudly. Jealousy would fuel desire & thus he was sure to be approached. After that------------ Well, Gavin would soon see.
