pslplz | Futureverse

The first rule of being a public figure is knowing that appearance matters. It's shallow, but it's a fact of life. Fortunately, their band was a collective of fashion- and beauty-conscious people. Nami doesn't kid herself, though: she and Hokuto are the real experts, and quite happy to make use of their talents to see that the group is at the head of any industry trend.

Today's first costume is a sleeveless bodysuit with a strategically placed lightning bolt design across the front, crossing from the right hip to the left shoulder. One of the zigs forms the top of a diamond-shaped hole for the navel, while sheer fabric creates the illusion of a bare back. It's paired with elbow-length lace-up gloves and heeled boots.

Once she's properly fitted out, she steps out from behind the curtain and tips her head at Akaya with a grin.

"Texting again?"

He's so busy texting back that he doesn't look up for a minute after she steps out. No offense to Nami or anything. He sees her all the time anyway, unlike the recipient of the text.

"Hm? Oh."

He glances up, surreptitiously closing out of the text without looking at the phone.

"Not bad. I dunno about the cut-out there." He points. "Looks a little tacky. I like the back, though."

"Of course it is! That's the point, don't you know?" Nami answers excitedly. "K.M. featured cut-outs like this in her runway set this week. They're going to be huge this season."

Nami then holds up her hands in a shrug as though the opinion can't be helped. "But if it's not your thing, we've got a few alternatives, too. Are you sure about vetoing this one though?"

"Show me the alternatives," he says.

The runway is nice and all, but he thinks it's all about how it looks on you. Granted, Nami has the kind of body where almost anything looks pretty good. Attitude is what makes up for the rest.

"How about something from that guy Mizuki? You abandoned me to go to his opening, remember? Better be worth it."

"How audacious! You say that like it hasn't already been worth it to you." Don't think she's unaware of where that meeting with the repair boy went! Hokuto spilled all the beans, honey.

But she ducks back under the curtain to change into the next option, as shameless of her hypocrisy as she is aware of it. Hey, audacity was almost a must for a life like theirs. It was perhaps only natural for it to be teasing ammunition.

He only smirks in response to that. Hey, he doesn't kiss and tell. Clearly though, secrets are rarely kept in this little group of theirs. It's not like he was trying very hard anyway.

"It's not fair, you know. You and her, ganging up on me."

"Ganging up!" Nami half-cries from the other side of the curtain. "This is your band, isn't it? Show a little leadership and deal with the legwork. Really, we're just here to play. And help you look great."

She talks like she's scandalized, but it's playful banter to her.

"Oi, being a leader means I get to tell other people to do the legwork! You're just lucky I'm such a nice guy," he says shamelessly. He might even mean it. He definitely believes the next thing he says:

"Anyway, I don't need help looking good."

He smirks.

"Oh, we won the lottery," she bats back with a smile and roll of her eyes. She says it flippantly, but there's a reason they've stuck with him, and it is nice that Akaya knows that without needing to be told. Nami has never been much of a vocally affectionate sort towards guys. This is far more her style when it comes to expressing fondness towards them.

"So since you don't need help looking good, I suppose you already know what you're going to be wearing on tour?"

"You'll find out."

Akaya doesn't keep many secrets, but sometimes you have to have an element of surprise, right?

"So what's going on with you and Hokuto?"

Nosy as always.

"What a good policy-- I think we girls should do the same! You can be surprised with what we show up in. And hope it doesn't make you stick out in the bad way."

She peeks her head out from behind the curtain to address the question.

"As far as what we're up to, that's quite a question when even so much as whether you've found your outfit for tour is too much to divulge!"

He smirks. Akaya won't ever stick out in a bad way, of this he is certain. And though he might not say so now, he's equally certain that his bandmates are capable of looking almost as good.

"Hey, my outfit is a benign subject. But you and Hokuto...of course that's my concern. Wouldn't wanna read about your mad drama in the gossip columns. I'd rather hear about it from you."

He's only half serious, mostly because he's pretty sure they get along well enough.

"Do you even read the gossip columns?" Nami asked incredulously with a flip of the curtain back closed to finish changing. "Maybe one day we'll have a massive teary break-up between sets in Nagasaki and smash our instruments in a fit of rage."

He scoffs.

"Yeah, right."

Akaya doesn't believe that for a second. Nami might be dramatical if she feels like it, but destroy her own thousand dollar instrument out of spite? Not a chance.

Akaya is perfectly right, of course. Nami never intended the threat to be believed.

"Wasn't that a thing a few centuries ago? Early metal bands destroying their instruments on stage as part of the show?" What a waste!

"How would I know?" Seriously. Akaya doesn't look backward. Of course, he knows his musical history, but only the kind that suits him. Idiots who smash their instruments for show clearly don't care about the craft.

(Though getting angry enough to destroy shit is something he could probably relate to ........)

"Use your drama to write songs about each other. It's more productive," he says with a smirk.

"Really? So if I write a passionate love song you'll sing it?" Most of the 'drama' between her and Hokuto was facetious, after all. They weren't a perfect couple (who was?) but Nami felt their relationship was solid. She was comfortable in it, a feeling she might not have guessed herself capable of ten years ago.

Frankly, if Akaya was looking for songs about love drama he'd find better inspiration in his own history, but Nami kept mum on that point. There were some subjects you just didn't broach even while teasing. Maybe especially while teasing.

"Sure," he says, grinning widely. Passion he knows a thing or two about, after all. It's okay if the lyrics are meant for someone else. He can make it his own. He's not all that picky.

And it's true, he's got quite a history of messy relationships to draw inspiration from. He might have written a song or two about Yuki. Some of them he keeps locked up in his notebook, though.

"What's the latest drama? I want the inside scoop."

Nami doesn't say it, but she'd rather write a song about Akaya finding a happy relationship. She already has what she needs.

"The latest drama is that DiMaggio and Armani are having a feud over an interview in Fashion Beat where DiMaggio dissed Armani's latest line of suits as making the men look girdled."

The sounds of zippers and buckles being fastened come from Nami's side of the curtain. After another minute or two, she steps back out in a midriff top and tight black pants. The top was made of a ribbed armor-like material, almost black but with a metallic purple glint under the light and studded around the hems. The same material formed the belt, a couple of criss-crossing hoops sewn to the thighs, and a headband-like ornament atop her head.

"Hokuto's would have cerise as the undercolor, and Zatanna's got blue. We could get you something matching in green to go with your eyes," she offers with a grin. Hey, he might say he's got his outfit, but that doesn't mean no mind-changing is possible.

"Pfft! Who cares about that kinda thing?" Seriously. Even musician drama is quite stupid in Akaya's opinion. Just make the kind of music (or clothes, whatever) that you want.

He leans back and takes a scrutinizing look at Nami's outfit. She's got a nice body and knows how to make it look good.

"Not bad. I like this whole armor thing you have going on right there." He gestures.

"I'm gonna stick to my own thing, though. You know me. Gotta be the center of attention."

Nami can only shrug to Akaya's question. She keeps up, enjoys gabbing about it with Hokuto, but can't call it a serious investment of her emotional energy.

At Akaya's remark on his taste for attention, Nami grins and sets a hand on her hip. "Just don't do it in a bad way. We still have to complement each other. I'm gonna put in the order for Z's and Hokuto's of this."

"Hn."

Akaya, do it in a bad way? Oh hell no. He rises to his feet, sliding his phone into his back pocket.

"When have I ever did anything in a bad way?" He grins.

"You shouldn't be standing up if you really want an answer," Nami quips back with a wink. Hey, you set yourself up that blatantly, you shouldn't be surprised to get a rib!

Oh hey, now.

"I can take it."

You wanna dish on him? Go for it. Challenge accepted.

Nami sticks her tongue out, pokes his forehead with her forefinger, and goes back behind the curtain to change back into her street clothes without elaboration.

Futureverse

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