Gem nodded as Zef pinched the excess fabric above his hip and pinned it. “Yeah, I wanted something chic, you know?”
“You usually like flashier colors,” Willow said as she counted her stitches, “but you’ve been wearing white a lot lately.”
“White looks good with my skin tone,” he said evasively, and Willow hummed but didn’t look up from her blanket. “What are you making, Wil?”
“A baby blanket,” she said.
“Ew, you’re pregnant?” he said before he shook his head and added, “Wait, Dryads don’t get pregnant, never mind.”
Willow chuckled. “It’s for a friend.”
“Gross,” Gem mumbled as Zef knelt at his feet and pinned the hem of the skirt.
“You will be wearing heels, yes?” Zef double-checked, and Gem nodded. “Then I will leave it slightly longer to accommodate.”
Clearly not paying attention to his textbook, Bryce scooted forward in his seat. “What’s the dress for?”
“My hatchday drag performance. Zef and I perform together sometimes, but we always do a special one when it’s my hatchday.”
Bryce’s attention jumped to Zef. “You do drag?”
“Yes, once a month in Lust,” they said.
“They’re hella good. They don’t even lip-sync. I have to, though; I can’t carry a tune in a bucket,” Gem admitted as he straightened his four lower arms so Zef could check the sleeve lengths. “You should totally come watch us perform next weekend.”
“I’d love to come. If that’s okay with Zef, of course.” He sent Zef a weighted look, like he was asking for permission.
“Of course. You are more than welcome,” they said, and Bryce grinned widely.
“Cool.”
To ensure Bryce was not left out, they all chatted in English as Zef finished the final adjustments to Gem’s dress. When Tad successfully attachedthe masked hood to her camouflage jumpsuit, she crawled onto the couch beside Willow and pulled a baggy of snacks from her pocket. She munched on nuts as Gem tested his movement in the dress.
“How does it feel?” Zef asked as Gem spun in a circle.
“Feels great. Maybe a bit tighter under the arms on this side compared to the other side.” Gem gestured to the pins under their middle right arm. “Other than that, feels perfect.”
After adjusting the right sleeves, Zef checked the straps on Gem’s shoulders. “And the neckline and straps?”
“Well, my tits fit last time, so it should be fine,” Gem said as he held the loose fabric at his chest out. “I was going to bring them today too, but I forgot them by the door.”
“I hate when I leave the house without my boobs,” Willow teased, and Tad cackled.
“If real boobs were detachable, I would probably be on board with having some,” Gem said, doubling down when Bryce and Willow cocked their heads. “No, for real. Some outfits look way better with titties, but I wouldn’t want to have them attached all the time. They’re too heavy and cumberbun.”
“I think you mean cumbersome,” Bryce said.
Gem blinked at him. “That’s what I said.”
“Mine have never bothered me, but they’re also quite small,” Willow said with a shrug.
“I only get tits if I spawn, and you know that ain’t ever happening,” Tad said through her mouthful of food.
“Girl, preach!” Gem said, raising his top hands as if in worship.
“If you are happy with the fit, you can take it off, and I will make the final changes,” Zef said.
Pilfering through the pockets of his trenchcoat, Gem withdrew his phone and unlocked the screen. “Okay, I wanna show Rus, first.”
