Private Finished Under the Moonlight

Mukuchi had attended other formal events, some more or less formal than the others. Mukuchi assumed that the lilac dance was on the "less" side, but that was only because Mukuchi had attended a ball hosted by actual royalty. He had a feeling a school dance couldn't really be compared.
And yet, Mukuchi fretted for this occasion more than he had fretted for the ball hosted by actual royalty. This was all because Briar had asked him and was taking him to it. Briar, who had very clearly expressed interest in Mukuchi, and though they had agreed to be friends Mukuchi was quite certain that Briar wanted more. And to say that Mukuchi was void of any interest was false.
Mukuchi yet again remembered the conversation he and Briar had had about this topic a week or so ago and let his head sink into his hands, dark grey blush covering his currently bare face. When Mukuchi was in his own apartment, away from curious eyes, he rarely wore the mask.

It didn't take Mukuchi long to decide on a dark purple dress shirt, black vest, black khakis and black dress shoes. Mukuchi worried whether or not he was wearing too much black, but he had taken so long just to choose this outfit that he didn't have time to choose a new one. Mukuchi felt like a teenager in one of those movies with a getting ready montage, although he skipped putting on makeup all-together. Mukuchi knew how to use and apply it but he hadn't used makeup in years, if he put it on now it would definitely feel like he was trying too hard.
...Mukuchi put on just a little bit of mascara and eyeliner so his lashes and eye shape popped out more.

With his hair Mukuchi stayed simple; just a comb-over, a little bit of gel and he tied it to a small, tight man bun that wouldn't come loose no matter what they did. And as a mask Mukuchi chose one that was made of breathing silk, he used it for special occasions such as this. Although Briar probably wouldn't even notice, it wasn't like he was going to be touching Mukuchi's mask.
Suddenly a scenario where Briar did touch his mask popped to Mukuchi's mind and he blushed furiously while in the middle of his bathroom. Mukuchi needed to get his mind out of the gutter! Besides, the scenario in his mind wasn't even possible, Mukuchi didn't have a mouth...

Mukuchi, ready to go and just in time, exited his apartment and then his shop. And outside of it Briar was already waiting, and Mukuchi's heart and mind both soared and sank. It was a strange feeling.
"Hello."
Mukuchi signed with his hands, the only sign Mukuchi and Briar both knew. He took the flowers with a surprised blink, and then smiled at Briar with his eyes. He pulled out his phone, balancing the flowers in his other arm, and typed to his app
"You look nice as well. It's refreshing to see you in clothes that do not look soft."
Mukuchi joked a little, he had become braver at that with Briar lately. Mukuchi was determined to always be polite, but you could be polite and tease at the same time.

"I would like to put these flowers to a vase before we go. Could you please wait a moment inside the shop while I do that?"
Mukuchi asked, and then held the door open for Briar as they entered. Mukuchi didn't take long; he grabbed one of the antique vases he had in the store, filled the bottom half with water and put the flowers in it. He gazed at the flowers for a moment, appreciating their beauty. Then he turned towards Briar, phone out and ready to talk, but paused when he took the man in properly. Mukuchi didn't feel attracted to Briar's appearance in the "traditional" way, so to say. But Briar did look very nice, in the same way the flowers he had brought look very nice, and Mukuchi just took a few moments to appreciate that. When he realized that he was staring Mukuchi blushed and typed
"Well then, shall we go?"
And while the words repeated Mukuchi sprouted his wings. He had purposefully chosen clothes that had the special flap on the back, that allowed him to use his wings.

Briar's clothes didn't look soft at all, but his wings were a different story and seeing them now with the man's current outfit was amusing and...nice. It reminded Mukuchi that Briar's soft outfits were in perfect correlation with his relaxed personality, and although Briar looked nice now Mukuchi still preferred Briar's looks in his "natural state", so to say. As much as Mukuchi in general enjoyed the man's mind and personality.
But for tonight Mukuchi decided to enjoy this new state of Briar, for as long as it lasted.

Mukuchi and Briar stepped outside and Mukuchi followed Briar to the sky. He couldn't speak with Briar up here, but Mukuchi didn't mind that. He would probably be a quiet person even if he had a mouth. Instead he tried to be more expressive with his flying, letting the tips of their wings overlap and almost touch.
But Mukuchi had to admit, that he was excited for the day when Briar learned sign language more properly. Then they could have conversations even in the air.

They arrived soon, and Mukuchi saw a balcony below adjoined to the ballroom. It looked large enough for both of them to land, and it was empty. Mukuchi got Briar's attention and gestured at the balcony before starting his own descent.
Mukuchi landed smoothly and swiftly retracted his wings, stepping aside a bit so Briar could also land comfortably. When Briar did land Mukuchi headed over to the man, and carefully pulled out something from the pocket of his pants. It was a small pin, that one could put to the lapel of their jacket, and it had a small flower that was coloured gold and pink. With a blush Mukuchi handed it to Briar, and then quickly typed an explanation on his phone.
"My research revealed that it's common to exchange such decorations during these kinds of occasions. We are not romantic partners, but I imagined you might appreciate a memento of this evening. I hope I was right."

Seeing the expression on Briar's face when Mukuchi handed him the pin caused a strange sensation in Mukuchi's chest. He had heard of the saying "butterflies in one's stomach" before, but hadn't really understood it because he didn't have a stomach in the first place. But this strange tightness, or perhaps jittery sensation, in his chest brought that to mind. Perhaps it was the equivalent of that particular phenomena in Mukuchi's case. Whatever it was, however, it caused his cheeks to feel a tad warmer, and the tone of Briar's voice didn't help. He sounded almost...enchanted, or something similar. It confused Mukuchi, he didn't have that effect on people. He just didn't.
At least...not on most people. Maybe Briar was an exception to one more rule Mukuchi had thought to be absolute.

Mukuchi was going to type an answer, but Briar took his hands and Mukuchi's eyes widened slightly. He didn't pull away, of course he didn't, that would've been rude and...Mukuchi didn't have the urge to. Briar's compliments made Mukuchi feel embarrassed and he looked down, shaking his head a bit, trying to convey he was nothing of the sort. Rather, Briar would've deserved a date that was more willing to flirt, or feel attraction like people normally did, or even date. Instead he got Mukuchi, who could appreciate beauty but not in the "normal" way and was inept at both flirting and being in a romantic relationship.
But Mukuchi let himself feel happy that Briar promised to treasure the pin. The pin was innocent, and looked very nice on the collar of Briar's shirt. It matched his eyes, and made the man look even more beautiful.

Briar let go of Mukuchi's hands, and he lifted his eyes to see Briar attempting to sign. Whenever Mukuchi saw Briar sign, no matter how clumsily or simply, it made Mukuchi feel pleased and happy. The fact that Briar was willing to go through the trouble to learn was flattering and touching. So, although Mukuchi felt his cheeks get warm with just the thought of dancing with Briar, he nodded. In his eyes there was a small smile.

The hand Briar extended looked both menacing and tempting, the latter more so than the former, surprisingly. Which was why Mukuchi didn't hesitate for long to take said hand, the blush on his face dying down slightly now. He put his phone into his pocket, since he needed both his hands for dancing.
Mukuchi did have a glance around the ballroom, the space and the decorations were more impressive than he had imagined. But then again this school was wealthy, had a lot of magic at its disposal and all Mukuchi's images of school dances came from media. He didn't have a trustworthy comparison.
But Mukuchi's attention was soon returned to Briar, as the man settled them into a hold on the dance floor.

Mukuchi knew many upon many dances, both formal and recreational, and naturally waltz was included within them. Though, as Mukuchi remembered when he felt Briar's hand on his waist, he had never danced the ladies' part before. It also didn't help that despite the respectable distance Briar kept between them being even this close to the man was making Mukuchi blush slightly. Mukuchi stumbled at the beginning of their dance, but when Briar started talking and telling stories of his youth and life in his home dimension Mukuchi fell into the rhythm of the dance and music. Mukuchi stopped paying attention to other people, to whether or not his hand was sweaty, to his own feet. All he focused on was Briar's voice and words, that were filled with the whimsy of youth and the curiosity towards something you yet didn't understand. Mukuchi could understand very well, and as he imagined a younger Briar sneaking his way into a fancy party he quietly reminisced of his own youth, peeking through large double doors into a saloon, full of men and women in clothing so fine Mukuchi had never seen anything like it.

It was evident from the expression on Mukuchi's face, the way he didn't take his eyes off Briar's face as he spoke, that he was listening intently. Perhaps too intently, because before Mukuchi realized it they had danced for long enough that Mukuchi was starting to become short of breath. Mukuchi, starting to feel the mask restrict his heavy breathing a bit, gently patted Briar's shoulder and pointed towards the edge of the dance floor. Mukuchi detached himself from the hold and walked to the side, on the way pulling his mask down from in front of his nose so he could breathe more freely. Mukuchi breathed in and out loudly through his nose, carefully regulating his breathing so he didn't become light-headed. This wasn't his first rodeo, after all.
Mukuchi pulled out his phone and typed on the screen "Forgive me, the dancing was nice but unfortunately I lack stamina. One of my weaknesses, I'm afraid". Mukuchi showed it to Briar instead of letting the app speak it, since it was quite noisy around them and Mukuchi didn't want to bother the other dance guests by putting his volume up.

The silk mask was more fancy than Mukuchi's usual masks, but it had the inconvenience of not breathing as well. Mukuchi couldn't pull the mask back up for a while, otherwise he would've ended up heaving even worse.
Mukuchi leaned against the wall and took slow breaths, giving Briar a smile with his eyes as he said that he had had fun while dancing. Mukuchi lifted his hands and signed "Good", just like Briar had earlier, and let out few puffs of air in amusement.

When Briar asked the question about Mukuchi's mask he flinched a little, more from surprise than shock. Although he didn't know why he bothered being surprised, the question had been a long time coming. Rather, Mukuchi was surprised how Briar hadn't asked it before. Mukuchi had been quietly dreading for the moment, which was strange. Usually when Mukuchi explained his...condition he wasn't worried about others' reactions. But with Briar...Mukuchi just really didn't want the man to hate him or find him repulsive.

Mukuchi didn't answer immediately, rather he gently took a hold of Briar's sleeve (holding his hand would've been too embarrassing) and lead him over to the balcony on which they had landed. It was mostly empty. Mukuchi lead Briar to the side a bit, he didn't want to show off his condition to everyone. Yes, no one probably wouldn't care, not on this island, but Mukuchi cared and his feelings were most important. At least in this situation they were...
Once the two had more or less privacy Mukuchi, slowly, took off his mask and revealed...skin. Just a smooth area of skin where mouth usually is. Mukuchi observed Briar's reaction, slightly afraid to see it.