"It's a Date."

“. . . “ Ramses’ stared at the gold-gilded envelope, claws gently stroking the fine paper. Free hand rhythmically tapping his fingers against his chair’s armrest. Click click click. Click click click… 

Glancing at the office clock, Ramses noticed it was 6:56 pm. Now the timer begins, everything shall fall into place, “Mm.”

He reached for the phone on his desk, sliding the invitation into a drawer. With a slight adjustment, he dialed Detritus' personal number, mindful of his claws potentially damaging the buttons on the dialpad. He tucks the handset under his ear as the phone rings. 

~~~

Detritus sighed as his cell phone started ringing. Very few buns had his personal number, and a call from almost any of them couldn’t be a good thing. Detritus washed his hands quickly and dug the phone out. When xe saw the name attached to the caller - well, not a name, but a rainbow emoji - he smiled.

“Hey Rambow!” Xe settled on a stool near where he’d been working. “Did you miss me?”

~~~

Mm. That damn petname, Ra blushes only a little, mostly in fond annoyance. He can’t get sidetracked. 

“ …Irrelevant question to this conversation,” Ramses hums, putting one leg over the other as he leans back in his chair, “ You’re attending the Fairy Masquerade as my plus one,” He looks at the clock again, “Friday, 7pm.” 

~~~

Detritus leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand while the other held the cell phone to xyr ear. His tail wagged lazily a few times at the hesitation in the other bun’s voice, but stilled in confusion as Ramses continued. “Masquerade?”

~~~

Ramses’ tail sways as he tilts his head up to look at the sparkling lights of his office.

“Yes, I already sent you a suit tailored to you, as well as your invitation ticket. It should be arriving… Now,” The clock hand goes right on the hour, “I’d go check your front door. A cab will pick you up on Friday at 6:30.” 

Ramses then hangs up. He rumbles quietly, pleased with himself and his schemes.

~~~

Detritus closed his mouth, looking down at his phone as it blinked a few times before the screen turned black. He quickly pulled up Ramses’ contact and sent him a playful ‘luv u 2’ text, shoving xyr phone back into xyr jacket pocket as there was a knock on his door, just as Ramses had so carefully planned out. 

He thanked the sharply dressed delivery-bun and took the box into the room he slept in, opening up his package and laying everything out on his bed. Detritus held up the pants to his waist - they were a perfect fit, to nobody’s surprise. 

Was he…  actually excited to go to this ‘masquerade’?

~~~ Time Skip ~~~

A limousine pulls up to Det’s office, sleek black with a subtle, undershade of rainbow iridescence. Every onlooker is stunned that such an obvious display of wealth managed to enter the neighborhood and not get hijacked. 

Ramses checks his phone again, knee bouncing a little nervously. Not because of this shit neighborhood his Detirius insists xe lives at, but because xe hasn’t replied to his messages yet. It pisses him off and makes him anxious, everything must go exactly according to plan. 

~~~

Detritus pulled on the last part of this elaborate costume that Ramses had sent him and looked xemself over as best xe could in the bathroom's mirror. 

… 

If anything's off, Ram will fix it. 

Xe checked the time on xyr phone and swore softly, both at the time and the several messages from a certain rainbow emoji'd contact. Knowing his Ramses, the Envy had probably just pulled up. 

Detritus gave the Gloomy Inkap on the counter a quick pat before hurrying out of the bathroom and the clinic altogether. Sure enough, a subtly iridescent limousine was parked out front. Knowing which side Ramses preferred, Det went to the other and got in. 

“Sorry, you'll never believe - nevermind, you don’t wanna know - anyways I had to do some emergency stitches. I hope you weren't waiting too long?” 

Det's tongue itched to call Ramses by one of the myriad of pet names xe had for the Envy, but held back, as there were staff present. 

~~~ 

“Not long enough for me to be rightfully upset with you,” Ramses’ affectionately drags the tip of his tail gently up the side of Det’s leg, “You look wonderful,” Ra comments. Knowing Amun Ra, that’s him patting himself on the back for selecting such a good outfit for his partner.

“We shall have ‘fun’ tonight, I don’t plan to do business at this gathering,” He adjusts his extravagant outfit, Ra then snaps his fingers and the driver starts up the car.

“I despise this place,” Ramses says because he always has to let Detritus know.

~~~ 

Detritus knew that Ramses’ comment was half to himself, but the Envy didn’t hand out compliments easily, so xe still felt flattered. Xe must’ve put everything on correctly after all. 

“You do too.” It wasn’t often these days that Det got to see Ram in something out of the usual clothes he wore to run his club - it was nice. 

At Ramses’ last comment, Detritus sighed, but it was clear the sound was one of affection and not of annoyance. The Pride reached out and touched Ram’s shoulder gently. “I’m perfectly safe, you know that. And who would’ve given that bun the care they needed if my clinic wasn’t there?” The two had had this conversation time and time again, and Det figured they would continue to have it until xe gave into Ramses’ offer to relocate. 

“You said we’d have fun tonight, yeah? Let’s start by agreeing to keep work out of the conversation, just for the next few hours ~”

~~~ Time Skip ~~~

When they arrive at the event, Ramses smiles wickedly. This is the level of grandeur and elegance he belongs in. This party is an example of the lifestyle he deserves. His sharp teeth poke through his grin and his grip on his cane handle tightens. 

“Look at this place, my lief,” Ra whispers as the ballroom is revealed through the ornate curtains and doors, “ This is why we’ve done the things we’ve done,” Ramses chuckles, adjusting his mask, “ For this. “ 

Elegance, beauty, style! Perfect, perfect. Augh he might as well be vibrating with victory and pride. To think his worthless, stain of a brother lived a moment of this as well. 

~~~

Detritus glanced at Ramses in mild surprise as he heard the Envy’s rarely uttered pet name for xem slip from his lips, then smiled. Ram’s body language was subtle, but Det knew him well enough to catch the signs of his pleasure easily. 

“You make it sound like we killed him, Ram.”  Detritus murmured, barely a breath. The Pride chuckled softly, and looked around the gala. He wasn’t wearing his glasses right now - xe’d felt the mask complimented his bright blue eyes nicely and didn’t want to obscure them further - so there was a little bit of blur the further he tried to look, but from what he could tell, more money had been spent on this decor than he had spent in his entire life. 

It really was the kind of party Ramses deserved to be in.

~~~

“ With how much that fool annoyed me I should’ve, “ Ramses tuts, giving Detritus a look over. Right, xe didn’t bring his glasses.

After a moment to think it over, he offers Det his arm, “ How do you plan to walk half blind? “ He sasses, once again annoyed by these silly choices. 

If somebody sees them, Ramses will just say he’s helping his plus-one walk. It’ll look good publicly, only eyes who’d care would be paparazzi. Luckily, only a handful of cameras were invited. 

~~~ 

“Hey now, my eyes are both half-blind in different ways,” Detritus matched Ramses’ tone. “That practically balances things out.” 

Xe wasn’t… technically wrong. But without his glasses to help support each organ’s varying needs, xe tended to get migraines from trying to force them to correct. So, while Ramses’ help wasn’t entirely necessary - and they’d lived together long enough in the past for Ramses to know that - it was still appreciated. 

Detritus looped xyr arm with Ramses’ and moved to step closer to his side but hesitated, not sure how close was ‘appropriate’ in a place like this. 

~~~

Ramses relaxes when Det actually takes his arm, settling something soft within him. Antsy. Something that makes him frustrated he can’t be public with his relationship. 

“… Go ahead, “ Ramses sighs, blushing ever so slightly. It’s a party. Only this once will he bend the rule, he knows it’ll make Det happy as well. He enjoys seeing his partner in good spirits. 

“If anybody questions I’ll just say you’re tipsy,” Another good excuse. 

~~~ 

Detritus snorted softly. “Tipsy, already? We just got here; what’ll they think of the great lord Amun Ramses, dragging this trash into their party?” But Det made a living out of making the most of any advantage xe got, so he moved in closer to the Envy doll at his side, leaning against him slightly. Xe couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

“So what do you wanna do first?” Subtly enough that any onlookers could think it was an accident, Detritus caressed the side of Ramses’ leg with his silver tail spade, the leaves there rustling softly against his clothes.

~~~

He shivers only a tiny bit at the affection.

“Dance,” Ramses hmpfs with a pout, looking away from Det since his handsome face annoys him.

“I’d like to dance,” Ra glances meaningfully at the dance floor, where succubuns of all high stature and elegant gowns spun and stepped and twirled. 

“… You wouldn’t know how, would you?” It was a genuine question. Ramses would be sure to teach him.

~~~

Uhh..." It was Detritus’ turn to blush. "I... There's only so much you can learn from BunTube videos, in less than a week, with no partner to practice with..."

Xe looked over towards the dance floor; it was an everchanging blur of colours. Even with his vision revealing none of the intricate footwork, it was still intimidating. 

"I'll do my best for you, though." Like xe always did. 

~~~

“I know,” Ramses says, that’s something he’s sure of. 

“ You always do, lief, “ Ramses turns to face Det, carefully grabbing one of his partners hands. He slips his fingers between Det’s, mindful of his talons, before putting his other hand on his waist. His claws gingerly glide across Detirius’ lower back and his skeletal hand’s grip is firm on his hip.

“ Look at me,” He softly orders, smiling all smug when he does, “Mm… There we are. It’s simple, follow my lead. Mnyes?”  

~~~ 

Detritus immediately followed the order he was given, the familiarity of it calming the small anxiety bubbling in his chest. Ramses' mismatched eyes shone as the Envy looked up at him, and the feeling of Ram's Skeletal touch was something xe always craved. This closeness felt nearly taboo, which was saying something for a place like Burrowgatory. 

"Yessir." Det's tone was light, but Ramses would know how serious the trust behind it was. “I'm ready.”

~~~

Ramses steps slowly into the wave of dancing succubun, “One and two and one and two…” It is quite simple, side stepping and spinning. It’s mainly just stepping.

“ See?” Ramses laughs quietly, “Simple… Nothing exciting, just following the rhythm very, very slowly…” He raises his hand a little higher to spin Det around, pulling him closer once he finished, “Nothing to fret over.”

~~~

"Yeah, simple..." 

Detritus wasn't sure if he was supposed to step back right away after the post-spin pull-close... But xe chose not to, staying close to Ramses and continuing the 'one and two and-' pattern xe'd been so recently taught. 

Voice soft, deep in thought, he murmured "This reminds me of Before somehow... Oh-" As soon as the sentence was out of xyr mouth, Det figured it out. 

It reminded xem of a night years ago. When Ramses was still living at the clinic. When Detritus had been putting off replacing xyr glasses in order to get a proper cane bought for this Envy who had turned his world upsidedown. They'd been making dinner together and laughing. What had they been making? What had they been laughing about? Detritus couldn't remember. What he remembered the clearest about that night was - 

"It's making me want to kiss you." 

~~~ 

Ramses blushes, cheeks heating. 

“But we only just began dancing…” Ra coos, pulling Det close enough that their noses almost brush together, “ And we’re in far too much of a public place, don’t you think?” He tuts as he likes to do.

He slides his hand further across Det’s lower back to wrap his arm around Detritus’ waist. Holding him firmly as they slowly spin to the music.

“ Spend the night at my place,” Ramses whispers as he makes eye contact. Definitely another secret ploy to keep Det away from the slums longer. 

~~~

Detritus misstepped in surprise, having to quickly correct before he fully stumbled; it wasn’t too hard with how Ramses was holding him though. Xe chuckled a little at xyr own expense. “Yeah?” His tail wagged on its own accord, the Mushrooms growing on it seeming to wiggle happily as well. “It’s been awhile.” 

Xe smiled down at Ramses, then his eyes slipped closed as xe focused on xyr other senses. The sound of the music, and their bodies moving in time. His light’s hand in xyr’s, other arm wrapped around xem in as close to an embrace as they could get in this setting. Ram’s familiar scent, something that no cologne could ever mask. 

How easy it was to feel at peace around him.

“I’ll dance as long as you like, Ram.”

~~~

Ramses smiles, closing his eyes and getting lost in their dance as well. It’s nice having someone so close, so besides you. Det has stuck by him ever since he first arrived, quite a special buck indeed.
“Do these… Sort of extravagant parties bother you?” He asks, eyes flicking up to look into Det’s, “It’s not your scene.” He’s glad he’s wearing heels, makes eye contact easier. Mm.

~~~ 

Detritus hummed thoughtfully. “‘Bother’ isn’t the right word. I just don’t quite know how to act… So if I was alone? Maybe.” 

Xe opened xyr eyes to see Ramses already looking at him, and smiled. “I’ve not been alone for awhile though, have I?”