The Book of Firsts

Thirty

"Your legs, Mika. So unfair."

I laughed at Lania, and posed briefly. True to my agreement with the Three Kings, I had not found an extra-long tunic, and was showing a nice length of dark blue thigh in my winter uniform.

"I have to admit to liking the way it looks," I said. "But I’m switching to trousers as soon as it gets properly cold."

"Helios doesn’t get too cold during the day," Lania said as we sat down. "There’s some wicked awful nights, though, particularly if it’s sleeting."

"I’ve good news about our Signus III co-op. My mother took the Québec job, which means I’ll spend the break in Canada. They’ve promised me they’ll find a place with the best internet on offer."

"Nice! Though I was liking the idea of you trying to play from Patagonia."

"I probably could, if we stuck to a city, but my parents really want to go hiking off in inaccessible places. They’re still going—have already left, in fact. Two weeks of backpacking in the Patagonian summer, and then Christmas in Québec City."

"Even with all the travelling they do already, they’re up for more?"

"Just the way they’re built," I said. "I’m still adjusting to the idea that I’ll be here next term. I’ve never been anywhere for a whole year before. And university will be an even bigger—"

"Oh. My. GOD."

I couldn’t hide my smile, but no-one was looking at me, everyone staring at the students whose desks were by the window. And then most of the class was there, and I joined them, using my height to look over the shoulders of some of the shorter girls, to enjoy the sight of Bran, Rin and Kyou sauntering along one of the school’s main pathways wearing, as promised, the unisex school uniform of blue tunic and tights, along with long-sleeved white undershirts.

"They make that look good," I commented, taking out my phone to snag a couple of pictures.

"Rin has his hair down," someone reported. "It’s longer than I ever realised."

"He completely looks like a model."

"Female model."

"That is the best I’ve ever seen Bran. He totally pulls it off."

"No-one should be able to smoulder that much while wearing a skirt."

"Who knew Kyou had such fabulous legs?"

"I’m pretty sure that tunic is shorter than school regulations."

I went back to my seat, and was the only person sitting down when our Home Room teacher came in and read everyone the Riot Act before taking attendance. I spent the rest of the day amusing myself with the school forums, and all the photographs of the sensation I’d commanded. My favourite picture was a posed one, with the Three Kings as Charlie’s Angels, and I really couldn’t decide which of them looked better. The best guesses for the purpose of the outfits were the trio were either involved in a photo shoot for the school uniform catalogue, or had lost a bet.

The forums also informed me that Bran kept the tunic the next day, although matched with trousers instead of tights, and so I was not surprised when I saw him dressed this way in the garden.

"Your legs really are your best feature, Cheshire," he said, gazing up at me appreciatively.

"Thanks," I said, dropping down lightly. "Yours are pretty good too. You should have kept the tights."

"Is that a run in yours?"

I looked down, found only a streak of cement dust, and shrugged. "Not designed for climbing walls. But tights hold up better than stockings, at least." I looked at the table and said: "More strip go bang?"

"I couldn’t resist. And Kyou bet me I couldn’t improve on his win/loss rate against you."

"Do you normally beat Kyou?"

"Maybe three out of five times."

"Hm. Well, I guess it’s win/win for me, either way." I smiled and sat down opposite him. "Do you three ever not compete against each other?"

"Only on important things. The rest is just fun, no score-keeping necessary."

Except on the app we shared.

I shrugged off the thought, then trounced Bran thoroughly in go bang. He didn’t speak the entire time, playing with a quiet concentration that completely didn’t match his usual temperamental and broody demeanour.

"Took one game longer to get you naked," I told him. "I think there were the same number of clothing articles involved."

He stretched lazily, not apparently upset by the loss. "Do you think anyone would notice if we wore each other’s tunics back to class?"

"I’d be astonished if mine fit you," I said.

I had again stripped off my upper clothing first, leaving myself in bra and tights. Reaching down I snagged my tunic and tossed it to him. He shrugged it partway on, then gave up and handed it back.

"We had to get ours tailored. Gave the staff at the outfitter some thrills."

"Any blow-back from the faculty?"

Bran snorted. "They called the school photographer and took promotional shots. The Principal is more progressive than people realise, and very adept at balancing the conservative elements of the school. He thought it an excellent demonstration that the uniform truly is unisex."

"Are you going to keep wearing it?"

"May as well. It’s comfortable enough. Rin and Kyou said they’d wear theirs if they get the tunics back."

"Back?"

"Confiscated as soon as they got home. Would you like to learn to foxtrot, Cheshire?"

"Is it harder than waltzing?"

"No, foxtrot’s fairly basic. First step is to get rid of excess clothing."

"Do you have a favourite dance?" I asked some time later, once I’d begun to be able to follow the basic footwork.

"Of these traditional ones? Lindy-hop, perhaps."

"You do more modern dance as well?"

"I was trained to perform," he said, with a faint shrug.

The harsh voice had been as mild as it was capable of sounding, but I looked up from my study of my feet to check his expression, and found him watching me with cynical amusement.

"Did you like any of it?"

"That’s hard to separate. I’ve never disliked music. I’ll play when I’m alone, particularly when we’re working on a new song."

After hesitating I asked: "Did you ever sing, just for the love of it?"

He didn’t answer, lifting a hand to use the control on his wireless earbud to flip through several songs. "Perhaps slow dance is my favourite."

I let him pull me close, and we stood in one spot, barely moving our feet, our bodies pressed together. Bran kept running his hands down my back, almost like he was stroking a cat, and we went through two slow songs before he started breathing into my ear, and I responded by kissing his throat. Then we kissed for several songs more, before Bran moved to stand behind me, hooking an arm around my lower stomach and the other across my chest, and gently guiding me to kneel.

Mood is a complex thing. Until this point, doggie style definitely didn’t fit how we were interacting. Long caresses, slow kisses, gentle nuzzles, all felt like they were leading up to something tender and heartfelt. The position couldn’t carry any of that feeling. Bran seemed to struggle with the shift, moving slowly and stopping and starting a couple of times, but settled into a steady rhythm before becoming increasingly forceful. It felt good, but I appreciated the return to kissing afterwards, and would have kept going if my phone alarm hadn’t warned me I was in danger of missing class.

"I’m beginning to see how Kyou got that ridiculous sunburn. It’s easy to forget the time." Bran sat up, frowning. "We’re still competing hard for the Tuesdays, but I have to admit the Fridays are the better day. Particularly when we’re coming up to a break like this. What are you doing after the exams, Cheshire?"

"Going to Canada."

He looked surprised. "For the skiing? We’re going to Banff."

I explained my arrangements for the next few weeks as we soaped ourselves with water that was far too cold, even on a relatively warm early winter day.

"We’re definitely going to find a better solution for cleaning up," Bran said, tossing me a towel. "Decembers aren’t too cold here, but February is a bitch." He stood watching me dry and dress myself, a provocative half-smile curling his lips. "Between study break, exams and the holiday, it’ll be a full month before you can enjoy any of us again. How will you sleep?"

"Much as I normally do—after a couple of hours of trying not to think. Well, over the break I’ll probably stay up until I crash and pass out, which is my other sleeping option. Are you going to play Signus? My ID’s the same on all services."

"You’re going to play something other than that dead game you dragged Rin and Kyou back into?"

"Just Signus III. Mostly the duo co-op with Lania, but I haven’t lined up anyone for the four-person campaign." I scrambled up the wall and paused to appreciate him, beautiful and still naked, looking up at me. I grinned. "Or we could duel, and see whether your win/loss rate is a little better online."

I dropped down the other side, and walked away to the sound of a croaky but surprisingly pleasant chuckle.