#56 Close Your Eyes

[starwatcher_fic]

 

Title: Close Your Eyes
Fandom: The Old Guard
Summary: Nile helps the team get ready for a night out.
Style: Gen
Size: 2,880 words, about 5 pages
Warnings: None
Notes: Inspired by Gryzdolnik’s lovely art; the muse insisted.
Email: If you prefer not to post a comment that everybody can see, you can reach me at starwatcher -at- dreamwidth.org

---

“Not when we’ll be at the club tonight!” The grin was poorly hidden under the feigned protest.

“Too bad, so sad; you lost the bet, Joe!” Nile caroled with a singsong lilt. “You chose the terms, so you’ll flaunt it proudly. Hang on, I’ll go get my kit.”

“You did lose the bet, Joe,” Nicky confirmed quietly. “And I will like it, I think. It is too long since I have seen your beautiful eyes enhanced with cosmetics.”

Joe winked. “And it’s a good excuse to shine while we’re dancing.”

Nicky cocked his head. “Yusuf! Did you --”

“Throw the bet? Of course I did, habibi. Nile will need to do a lot more studying to learn all the history we’ve lived through.”

“I heard that!” Nile announced as she entered the room. “If you wanted to wear makeup for the shindig tonight, you could’ve just said that, you know.”

Joe gave her a sly grin. “But what would be the fun of that? This way, we both enjoyed the mental challenge, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just wait; next time I’ll win honestly. After all, you can’t know everything about history.” She glanced at the ditty bag in her hand, which she used to store and carry her makeup. “Do you really want me to put it on for you? I don’t mind letting you use my stuff if you prefer to do it yourself.”

Joe shrugged. “I haven’t used cosmetics since...” he glanced at Nicky, “...was it the late seventeen-hundreds?”

“A little later; into the early eighteen-hundreds.” Nicky turned to Nile. “Cosmetics fell out of favor because Victoria considered it vulgar, but its use has varied over the centuries.”

“And we actually never used them very often; only when we needed to infiltrate some Lord’s or Lady’s fancy party -- which is basically what we’re doing tonight. What little skill I had is long gone,” Joe finished with a shrug.

“Okay.” Nile scanned the furniture in the room. “I think we should move to the dining area; those big windows will give better light, and I can move around you easier when you’re not on the sofa.”

She led the way into the other room and spread her makeup out on the table while Joe pulled a chair far enough from the table that she’d be able to move around him. Nicky moved his chair out of the way, but well-positioned to watch the procedure.

Nile turned toward Joe and studied his face with -- he recognized the look -- an artist’s eye. “So, what do you want? Heavy glam, or just subtle highlights?”

“You won the bet, sorellina, so you decide. Just... not like a clown, I hope. I don’t want to shame Nicky while we’re dancing.”

“You could never shame me, Yusuf,” Nicky insisted softly. “But maybe...” he glanced at Nile, “is the cat-eye still fashionable? He always looks good in that. With a bit of silver highlight to match his rings?”

“Hmm...” Nile pulled out her phone, typed in a search, and started scrolling through images. Finally she stopped on one, enlarged it, and showed it to Nicky. “Something like this?”

Nicky smiled gently. “Yes, that would be very nice.”

Nile nodded as she checked her supplies. “Okay. Concealer? Foundation?” She glanced at Joe, who merely shrugged. But a slight headshake caught her eye, and she turned to Nicky. “No?”

“If you think it best,” he said carefully. “It is just... when we kiss, the taste is not so good.”

Joe chuckled. “Definitely a valid point. Just the eyes, then, if you would.”

“Yeah; TMI, but it makes sense. Beautiful glam-eyes only, coming up.” With an eyeliner pencil in hand, Nile moved to stand at Joe’s right side. She extended the pencil toward his eye, then hesitated. “Um...”

“No ‘um’. You’re the artist, Nile, and I’m the canvas. Do as you will.”

“It’s just... I’ve only ever put makeup on myself, and I don’t think I can do this from the side. To get the right angle, I’d have to stand directly in front of you -- and pretty close -- but...” She bit her lip. None of her new teammates seemed to have any hangups about levels of physical closeness that she’d seldom encountered, but the suggestion felt like it was... skirting the edges of ‘okay’.

Joe lifted an eyebrow. “Should I declare that I never mind a beautiful woman in such a position, or that I’m sure my virtue is safe with you?” He grinned wickedly at her confusion.

“It’s unkind to tease her, Joe.” Nicky’s protest was gentle, but firm. “Nile is providing a great service so that you will shine even more brightly this evening. She cannot do her best work if you cause her to feel... agitata?”

“Nervous, unsettled,” Joe translated absently. “And he’s right, Nile. My apologies; I’ll be good.” He spread his legs a little more so that Nile could move close, tilted his head back and closed his eyes, obviously ready to submit to her artistry.

“Thanks, Nicky. I think the word you’re looking for is ‘flustered’... which has become a fairly significant part of my life now that I have to deal with you guys. I’ll manage; just pretend he’s my little sister.”

“I thought your younger sibling is a brother,” Joe commented without opening his eyes. “Do you have another you haven’t mentioned?”

“That’s part of the pretend.” Nile stepped to the front edge of his chair, braced her legs against it for support, and rested the heel of her hand on Joe’s cheek for stability. “Don’t move now; here it comes.”

With Nicky watching, Nile started on Joe’s left eye, carefully outlining his lower and upper eyelids and drawing the lines outward to meet in a dramatic upward ‘swoop’. But when she tried to duplicate it on his right eye, she faltered. The angle was wrong even when Joe obligingly turned his head, she’d have to squash his nose to support the heel of her hand... it just didn’t work. After a few minutes of trying to find a workaround, Nile sighed deeply and stepped back.

“So, how broad is this brother-sister thing you guys claim we all have going on?”

Joe opened the outlined eye to focus on her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I need something to rest my elbow on so I can control my hand better.” Nile sternly refused to allow herself to wimp out. “I think the best way would be if you were lying on the bed and I kind of kneel across your chest, but...” She shrugged.

Joe chuckled. “You’re a product of your times, Nile. Hundreds of years ago, it was understood that physical closeness -- even on a bed -- doesn’t need to equate to sexual activity. Neither Nicky nor I will feel uncomfortable, if you won’t,” he assured her.

Nile turned toward Nicky; he wasn’t as likely to be pulling her leg.

“It is true,” he confirmed. “If that is the easiest way for you to color Joe’s eyes, it is acceptable, and there will be no bad thoughts among us.”

Nile began to shove all the makeup back into her ditty bag. “Okay. Go lie on the bed, with your head and shoulders propped up so your head is raised a bit.” She shook her head as she followed Joe and Nicky out of the kitchen; sooner or later she’d get used to this new -- or rather, old -- mental outlook.

As she entered their bedroom she saw Joe already lying comfortably, head and shoulders propped on a fat pillow, hands resting loosely on his chest; he looked like he could doze off at any moment. Nicky was sitting on the footstool that matched the chair in the corner; he’d pulled it next to the head of the bed, patiently watchful, as always.

Nile snickered as she climbed onto the bed, settling one knee on either side of Joe’s chest. “I can’t decide if my mother would be scandalized to see me like this, or laughing her head off at the things I get into.”

“Is it so ‘scandalous’ to help out a friend?” Nicky asked.

“A ‘friend’, no. A hunky guy who’d have dozens of women throwing themselves at him if he wasn’t already married to you,” she flashed him a quick grin, “would likely cause at least a twinge of concern. She’s pretty open-minded, but still...” Nile supported her elbow on Joe’s shoulder as she wielded the eyeliner pencil on his right eye. Yes, this was much easier.

“But in this case, the two are the same, so perhaps your mother would not say anything,” Nicky suggested.

Nile upended her bag onto the bed and scanned the jumble for her case of eyeshadows. “Oh, she’d say a lot of things, but she wouldn’t mean anything by it. Like I said, pretty open-minded... shit!” For the third time, Nile hooked her braids behind her ears; her bent-over position allowed them to keep falling around her face and getting in her way.

Nicky stretched out his arm to grab Joe’s red ball-cap from the bedpost and offered it to her. “Perhaps this will help.”

“Thanks.” Nile gathered most of her braids into a loose bunch and pulled the cap over them. Yes, the cap would keep them contained, but not like this; the brim might bonk Joe in the face as she bent over him. It took just a second to turn it so the brim faced backwards, then she flipped open the eyeshadow case and picked up a brush. “Okay, Joe, keep your eyes closed. I’m going with green; I have a nice shimmery shade that’ll really make your eyes pop.”

Now that she had the direct, easy access to her ‘working area’ that she needed -- however inelegant it might look to an outside view -- it took just a few minutes for Nile to brush on the shadow, blend it out to the edge of the eyeliner, add a highlight of shimmering silver under his brows, and apply some mascara to his lashes. She climbed off Joe’s chest and handed him a mirror. “What do you think?”

Joe sat up to look at his reflection, giving her work the careful consideration due from one artist to another. “I like it very much; thank you, Nile.” He turned to grin at his husband, and received a radiant smile in return.

“You are beautiful, Joe.”

“I know.” Joe gave him a wink, then turned back to Nile. “Now, can you work such magic on my darling Nicolò? He should shine, too.”

“Sure,” Nile agreed easily. “The more the merrier. Nicky, trade places with Joe.”

Nicky’s expression became slightly alarmed. “I... do not need such... it is too much.”

Joe’s bright smile grew tender. “My Nicky is very shy,” he murmured to Nile, as if imparting a great secret. “Perhaps you could provide him with more subtle colors?”

“Easy-peasy,” Nile declared. “No eyeliner, just little golden-brown shadow -- matte instead of shimmery -- to bring out his eye-color, and a teeny bit of brown mascara, not black. That okay with you, Nicky?”

Nicky nodded. “If Joe wishes it. But you will make sure... just a little?”

“I promise; just a little.” Nile waved toward the pillows. “So, lie down.”

Joe watched as Nile applied the color, then, just as she finished, cleared his throat. “My Nicky has such beautiful lips. Do you have something for them...? But not too much,” he added with a fond glance at his husband.

Nile shrugged. “What do you think, Nicky? I have a very light lip-gloss, hardly any color -- just enough to make your lips shimmer -- and strawberry-flavored, so it doesn’t taste bad.”

“I like strawberries; it would be no hardship to kiss you if you choose to wear it,” Joe assured him.

Nicky turned his head to stare at Joe for a moment, then back to Nile. “Yes, please.”

“Still TMI, guys, but you got it.” She opened the lip-gloss. “Hold still.”

“We’re back! Where is everyone?” Booker’s voice called from the living room.

“In here!” Joe called back.

Andy, Quynh, and Booker crowded into the room; their arms were full of the elegant clothing they’d all chosen earlier, carefully protected by plastic bags.

“Did you get it all?” Joe asked as Nile climbed off Nicky and handed him the mirror.

“Everything.” Andy cast a dark look at her partner as she laid her armful over the back of a chair. “Quynh even made me get that red ruffled blouse she was so excited about.”

“It will look very good on you, and complement my red skirt,” Quynh replied serenely. “You can still wear black trousers and boots, so don’t complain.”

“The pant-legs are so wide they might as well be a skirt, and they’re covered with sequins! And the boots are flimsy fashion!” Andy’s voice dripped disgust.

Quynh was unmoved. “You are fortunate to not wear a dress like Nile and me.”

“Joe? What’s with...?” Booker waved at the scattered makeup on the bed, then at Joe’s face.

“Ah, yes; by the time you joined us, cosmetics for men was falling out of fashion. But in some eras before that, men of wealth often shone as brightly at the balls and parties as the ladies did. I think the gala tonight is a good excuse to add a little extra flair. Nile was kind enough to lend us her expertise. She did well, don’t you think?”

“If you’re trying to emulate a peacock,” Andy muttered.

Joe grinned widely. “But of course I am! The peacock dances for his mate, as I will dance with Nicky tonight, so I must look my finest.” He fluttered his eyelashes at Nicky, who chuckled softly at the display.

Booker cocked his head as he glanced from Joe to Nicky and back again. He nodded decisively as he turned to Nile. “Well, it seems like I should join in if I don’t want to be outshone. Would you be so kind? Maybe something between what you’ve done for Nicky and Joe.”

“I can do that.” Nile waved at the bed. “Assume the position.” As Booker settled onto the pillow, she added, “Although if we do much of this, I’ll have to give you all lessons.”

“Of course you will. I would enjoy learning at your hands.”

“Save the flirting for later and close your eyes,” Nile groused without heat. She made short work of applying a shimmery golden-brown eyeshadow above the eyeliner, added a thin highlight of gold under his brows, and finished with medium-brown mascara. She winked as she handed him the mirror. “Now you can flirt much more effectively.”

“I would not have thought something so small could make such a difference,” Booker said slowly. He looked up and smiled at her. “Thank you; it’s beautiful.”

Nile shrugged. “It’s no secret; why else would women continue to use it through thousands of years? Speaking of...” she turned to Andy and Quynh, “would you like some help, or do you prefer to do your own?”

Andy shrugged. “Why bother?”

“I will apply mine and Andromache’s.” Quynh calmly overruled Andy. “But perhaps you could advise me on modern styles in our room?”

“Happy to.” Nile shoved everything into her ditty bag and followed them.

---

“I feel like a princess,” Nile admitted as they all gathered in the living room. The front desk would call when the limo Copley had ordered arrived. “I’ve never even dreamed of wearing anything this elegant.”

“The feeling is valid, Votre Altesse,” Booker assured her with a soft smile. “You look like a princess.”

In truth, they all looked like royalty -- or at least Hollywood celebrities; they’d selected their outfits specifically so they’d blend in with the wealthy ‘movers and shakers’ they’d be infiltrating. As she smoothed her hands over the lace-covered gold fabric, Nile hoped their evening of gathering intel wouldn’t devolve into anything more strenuous than dancing; none of their clothing would survive the team’s usual type of action.

Joe answered when the phone rang. “Thank you; we’ll be right down.” Andy and Quynh moved toward the door, with Nicky and Joe following them.

Booker bowed slightly as he offered Nile his arm. “May I have the honor of escorting you this evening, Mademoiselle Freeman?”

Nile felt like curtsying, but doubted she could pull it off. She simply smiled as she rested her hand on his arm. “You are too kind, Monsieur le Livre; merci!” They followed their friends out the door.

They had just joined the others waiting for the elevator when they heard a shout from around the corner. “You can’t catch me!” A pint-sized figure appeared, looking over his shoulder as he ran, and narrowly avoided crashing into the group. Joe reached out to steady him as he swerved and stumbled. “Careful, little man! You don’t want to hurt anybody -- or yourself!”

“Thanks, mister,” the boy replied automatically. Then he actually focused on Joe, seemingly awestruck, as the elevator doors slid open beside them. “Wow! You look real pretty, mister.”

Nicky smiled down at the boy as he clasped Joe’s hand. “Yes. He always does.” His smile grew broader as he turned his gaze to Joe, then he tugged Joe’s hand gently as they followed the others into the elevator.

---

~The End~

---

sorellina - little sister
Votre Altesse - Your Highness



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