Reverse (mxm)

Anyone Else

"Tonight is the night, Ariella! You are finally coming out into society! The party is going to be splendid!"

Ariella rolled his eyes as he watched his father fuss about, running here and there to be sure his dress was perfect. His hair was perfect. Everything about him was perfect.

"All of the hard work we've done for the past eighteen years is about to come to fruition!"

When his father paused, Ariella knew the man was waiting for him to respond for the hundredth time. So, he took a deep breath and focused on keeping his voice quiet and feminine. Just like he'd practiced his entire life.

"Yes, father," he said with his eyes downcast, eyelashes fluttering just slightly. When the man's strong arms came around him in a suffocating hug, Ariella ground his teeth together and waited.

"You will catch us a handsome, wealthy young man and fall in love with him immediately."

When he paused, Ariella sighed and finished his words again. "And I will have him sign the marriage certificate, so that when he finds out that I am a male, there will be nothing he can do about his assets without facing societal ruin."

His father leaned back and squeezed his silk-clad shoulders, grinning from ear to ear. His teeth were yellow from years of drinking and puffing on cigars. The smoke hurt Ariella's lungs, but every time he tried to shy away from his father when he smoked, the man would force him to stay, telling him that he had to get used to it in order to snag the best possible husband.

"Let us get you to the carriage. Our driver is waiting, and if I keep fussing over you, we will be late for your own coming out!"

Ariella's heart suddenly started tripping over itself as he was led down the grand staircase of their dusty home, his trailing dress kicking up motes as he followed his father.

"I just know that your gorgeous hair and emerald green eyes will get a wealthy man. No other girl there will be prettier."

If I was not wearing a wig, I am sure many of the young ladies there would be prettier.

He couldn't doubt his green eyes, though. They had garnered him much attention growing up, as a female, of course. Several men were coming to the event just because of the glimpse they had gotten of his eyes. It was a shallow thought to him. To like someone strictly because of their looks? They had not even spoken to him, except to ask when his coming out party was.

Shaking his head, Ariella followed his father out of the house and into the slight drizzle in the dwindling light of evening. As he climbed into the carriage, he knew it would be dark by the time they got there.

Nerves gnawed away at his insides as they moved through the cobblestone streets toward a large banquet hall. Glancing out of the curtained window, Ariella noticed that the road was fairly congested with carriages and carts going every which way.

"We will be there shortly," his father said as he leaned back, puffing on a cigar. The smoke quickly filled the small cabin of the carriage, but Ariella forced himself to cough as little as possible.

"I heard the town's own lawman, Kirin Squire, will be present. Would it not be wonderful to catch a lawman in this trap? It would ruin him to dissolve the marriage without paying us to keep quiet! You truly must try to get him!"

I do not want him, Ariella thought to himself, hiding the frown that came with the suggestion. It was dangerous to voice his opinion. He'd learned that at the tender age of five. Everything from there on had been "yes, father."

As the carriage came to a stop outside of the banquet hall, Ariella forced his breathing to calm and squared his shoulders. His father stepped out, greeting several people Ariella couldn't see. He quickly checked his black wig in a small handheld mirror, frowning at the perfect curls that framed his makeup-free face. He was naturally beautiful, which was a relief because he highly disliked the feeling of makeup. The only kind his father forced him to wear was lipstick, because his lips were a bit dull. At least to him. Looking at the girl in the mirror, Ariella pursed his bright red lips and set the item down on the bench seat before climbing from the carriage.