Work Text:
Wearing It Out
“Truly, little girl?” Leif said as he brought the cigar to his face. He made sure to make it look like he took a big drag from it. “You’d ask me for my berries? For my magic?”
“Oh please, Madam, please!” Vi cried, dramatically, resting an arm across her forehead, making the bow knotted on the back of her head bounce. “Madam Jekserah, I’ve traveled so far! A hundred-thousand miles, it feels, all the way from my, uhh…” Vi furrowed her brow despite her best efforts to keep her expression neutral.
“Your orphanage?” Leif added with a sneer that he hoped sounded genuinely disgusted.
“Right, yeah!” Vi added too cheerfully. “My orphanage! For… orphans. Orphans without parents.”
The audience tried to keep their laughter polite.
“Uuh, yep, sure did travel far from it in the big city.” A big smile grew on Vi's face as she looked out at the crowd and she held up one of her legs, pointing at it. “Seriously, look at these tiny legs! That’s a lot of walking to me, lady!”
The audience’s laughter wasn’t so polite this time.
“Why is she like this…” a stagehand behind a curtain grumbled with an audible face slap.
Leif tried so, so hard to look disappointed, willing his smile to curve into a scowl. His will wasn’t all that strong, really. “ Ahem. Yes, well. My berries are my berries, little girl. I won’t just give them to anyone.”
The narrator remained much more composed as his voice echoed over the theater, “ The Lady Jekserah, rich in all things except love, still felt her heart melt, if only slightly. ”
Leif walked around Vi. Imitating the hostile bugs in the wilds that sized up their prey by walking around them might have been hard in a flowing dress like Leif was wearing. He thought the sashay of his hips and the red of the cloth helped add to his effeminate, monstrous hunger.
“For even as selfish as she was, Jekserah couldn’t ignore this little girl’s love for her family back home. How far little Sophie would go to help them moved even the cold lady’s heart, though only so far, ” the narrator concluded.
Leif brought a palm to his chin as if thinking particularly deeply, wings lightly flapping. “But you’ve proven yourself determined and resourceful. You would never give up if it meant you could help your friends, would you?”
Vi flailed her arms in a way that seemed typical of her, rather than acting, and said, “I wouldn’t just never give up, I’ll do anything!”
“Anythiiiiiiing~?” Leif dragged with a smirk her hoped was wicked.
The narrator said, “ Though the Lady Jeksarah’s heart was softened, she was still the wild witch of the Big Apple and cared more for expanding all that she owned than anything else.”
“Yeah, anything!” Vi said with more confidence than the script called for.
Leif halted his steps, extending a leg just enough to let the audience get a good look at him through the dress. “Then I have a… proposition for you, little girl.”
Vi shivered, managing to hit her cue and ball into herself and seem smaller as Leif loomed over her. “O-Oh?”
“Well…” Leif said, tilting his cigar to and fro. “Since you’re so good at walking, you can walk a little farther. Can’t you? Say… a few hundred more miles?”
The audience gasped at Lady Jekserah’s cruelty, and Leif sneered and laughed a cultured, nasty laugh at them all.
“Wwwwwwow, Leif,” Vi sighed as she flopped into the cushy chair that swirled as she did so. “We rehearsed with you and your delivery still makes me shiver.”
“Well-” Leif began.
“Do NOT make an ice pun,” Vi said, crossing her arms as she spun to a stop, arms crossed and wings a-buzz.
“Tch, you’re no fun,” Leif said, holding his nose up as he walked to the changing room’s mirror.
“Hey, I’m plenty of fun!” Vi practically shouted. “Did you see how I had the audience laughing? I was the best,” and she brought her hands under her chin to look extra sweet, “sweet lil’ girly girl they ever saw.”
“Sweet like an aged grape,” Leif said as he sat down. When he saw Vi huffing, he added, “But sweet anyway. Besides, we all know that we stole the show.”
Vi smirked and kicked her legs rhythmically. “Yeah, and you almost stole poor little Sophie’s future. But we all know how that turned out.” Vi stood on her chair and took on a dainty pose. “Sophie’s tears spurs the hearts and minds of the bugs of the Big Apple to make Jekserah keep her promise! She might own the city, but the city owns her. I stole their hearts, in the end.”
Leif thought of how very un-Vi like Vi looked and sounded right now as he peered at her reflection in the mirror. “Heh, reversed in every way…” he mumbled.
“What was that?” Vi asked, brow raised as though expecting snark.
Leif didn’t like disappointing his friends, so said, “Fine, have their hearts. We still have the show.” The raspberry Vi blew in his direction made Leif’s own heart flutter, if slightly, and made him chuckle.
He decided her ego was big enough. Maybe he’d admit to Vi she stole his heart with her performance if she asked directly. And nicely. Maybe.
“Yeah, well, how am I supposed to get any of the show with you chewing the scenery, Jekserah ?” Vi pouted. “Seriously, you wore that evil villain thing a bit too well. Are you some kinda back alley crime lord in your off time?” Vi giggled, her bow bouncing as she did.
“You know if we are, you’re making a powerful enemy by laughing at us,” Leif said as he brushed mascara over his eyelids. “Is that wise, little girl?”
“Yeah, right,” Vi said, sitting back down. “You might not be a sap like Kabbu, but you’ve always been a nice guy. The day you’re actually evil is the day I donate all my berries to charity.”
Leif chuckled. “ Now who sounds like the evil villain?” He put the mascara bottle down and blinked at himself in the mirror. “Speaking on saps… we are still surprised you even agreed to do this show, Vi. Especially the lead role.”
“Ehh, the theater needed a cute actor. Who better than moi~?” Vi half-cooed.
“And a small one,” Leif said under his breath.
“Whaaaaat was that~?” Vi asked too sweetly.
“Oh nothing. We still cannot believe you went through with it.” Leif picked up a cotton ball and began powdering his cheeks. “And we saw it with our own eyes. Vi, the great, loud, obnoxious explorer, acting such a cute, small, helpless little girl. Sometimes I thought you were an entirely different person.”
“Aww, thanks,” Vi said with a smile so big it forced her eyes shut.
“And then you messed up your lines and reminded us you are our mess of a bee.” Leif said. He then failed to dodge a pillow. “Excuse me, I’m applying my makeup.”
“Whatever,” Vi said and turned away from Leif.
Leif furrowed his brow, mouth slightly open, as he saw Vi’s expression for a fraction of a moment before facing her bow at him. “Hey. Hey, Vi. Are you okay?”
“’M fine,” Vi said.
“...Okay. Seriously, we’re sorry,” Leif said, turning to actually look at Vi. “You did good out there, okay?”
Vi remained silent for a second longer. “For real?”
“Really for real,” Leif replied.
“And… was I cute? Like… actually cute?”
Well, she kind of asked, Leif figured. “Honestly, Vi, you were adorable . It was hard to keep the evil witch act when we kept wanting to squish you in a hug.”
Vi’s smile was small as she said, “Heh. Thanks, Leif. That… that really means a lot.” She looked down at the ground for a moment, but only for a moment. She went back to smirking as she said, “Never would have guessed with how you just oozed confidence and evil mistress-ness.”
Leif leaned back, chuckling just as Lady Jekserah did when she caught someone in her web of magic and contract fine print. “We suppose we’re just actually a wicked enchantress deep down.” He leaned forward and brought his hands together. “What about you? Do you actually like being small and cute and helpless?” Leif asked with only a tiny hint of sarcasm at the end.
“Definitely not,” Vi said. “Err, well. Definitely not, uh… always.” Vi rubbed the back of her head, unintentionally reminding herself of the bow she was wearing. “But… I do like being cute.”
Leif leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, dress rumpling as he did so. “Aww, you should have blushed like that on stage. Maybe we can weaponize that cuteness and rule all of Bugaria.”
“Go climb a tree and fall into a lake,” Vi said, taking advantage of Leif being hunched over to shove him by the chest. “Even when you make me feel good you make fun of me.”
Leif chuckled. “But really?” he urged, motioning for Vi to continue.
“But really, like. Hmm.” Vi tugged at the bow. “It was kinda nice to try it out, I guess. Maybe this isn’t me , exactly. But. It’s kinda like… a part of me?” Vi turned her head away and puffed her cheeks. “A tiny, microscopic part of me.”
“But a part, anyway,” Leif said as he stood up. “We can relate to that.”
Vi looked back at leif and looked him up and down. “What, the evil villain part or the dress-wearing part?” Vi asked. “‘Cause you wear them both pretty good. You know, for you.”
“Aww, thanks, Vi. We think that’s one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to us.” Leif put a hand on his hip and smiled one of his cool, calm smiles that made Vi wonder if he was feeling all that much at all. “We do make this dress look good, don’t we?”
Vi rolled her eyes. “Keep telling yourself that. You just like the way it swishes, don’t ya? I bet that’s why you normally have your wings down all robe-like, huh?”
Leif paused a few seconds before speaking. He realized he was unconsciously fluttering his wings in time with the sway of his hips and the swish of the dress. “Truthfully? We don’t think we’ve ever thought about that. Hmm.” He fluttered his wings, open, wide, proud, and so different from how he opened them before.
“You’re such a weirdo,” Vi said as she shook her head, then blushed. A bit. “But, you know, yeah. You do make it look good.”
Leif shrugged. “Like we needed you to tell us that.” Seeing the look of frustration on Vi, Leif added, “Okay, thank you for the compliment, Vi. That means a lot coming from you. Hmm, maybe you should try out the vulnerable girl who wears her heart on her sleeve more often. We like it.”
“Don’t hold your breath or anything,” Vi said. She turned her head slightly and noticed herself in the mirror. As if someone else were moving her arm, she raised her hand and fluffed her bow. “But, uhh. I kinda like it, too.”
Leif smiled a soft, warm sort of smile and reached down to ruffle the top of Vi’s head. “No need to be nervous, right? After all, it’s just acting.”
Looking up at Leif, wings buzzing, Vi had a strangely hopeful look on her face. Just a second, she actually did look like a child. The moment passed and she batted Leif’s hand away. “And what about you, smart guy? You gonna play pretend being a wicked witch more often?”
“Maybe,” Leif said as he began to strut towards the door. “At least a little more confident on occasion.”
Vi scoffed and buzzed her wings to whirl her chair around to watch Leif. “I’d say I’d be scared since you’re already so confident all the time, but since you were up on stage-” Vi stopped herself and blinked. “Wait. You’re actually going out like that?” she called after him.
“They said we could keep the costumes,” Leif replied. “Didn’t you see I was getting ready for a night on the town?”
“But you’re going out like that?” Vi yelled. “Like… like that? ”
Leif half turned back towards Vi. “Like what? Fabulous? Beautiful? Don’t worry. The ant kingdom’s not that dangerous at night. Any ruffian tries to get me and I’ll give them a good old icicle to the face.”
Vi’s antennae stood straight up. “Wow. Okay. You’re totally serious.”
“Oh Vi, you poor summer child,” Leif said as he placed his hands on his hips and cocked himself to one side. “When have we ever not been serious?”
Vi shook her head as she stood up and shrugged. “I’ll be nice this once and not give you the huge list from last week alone. But I can tell you’re serious right now. So, uhh…” Vi’s smile was crooked as she said, “Good for you, I guess? I just can’t imagine going out like that, though.”
Leif covered his mouth to soften his chuckle before saying, “Vi, don’t tell me you’re afraid everyone will think I’m even cuter than you?”
“Pfft, as-if,” Vi said as she walked towards the door. “Even without the bow, I’m the cutest bug in all of Bugaria.”
Leif raised a mocking brow. “So you say, and yet you’re about to walk out with the bow on and out-cute me by a mile or three.” Vi then stood so still that Leif wondered if he’d accidentally cast an ice spell on her.
“...Don’t say a word,” Vi grumbled as she undid the bow with all the speed she could and stuffed it in her secret stash.
“No more than we already have,” Leif said. “We’ll see you at home, eh? We’re going to take a walk around town. Try out this Wicked Witch thing for a few more hours.”
“A bit more time as the Wicked Witch of the Big Apple, huh?” Vi teased as she elbowed Leif in the side. “Have fun! Don’t turn any kids into a soup or else I’ll be the first to collect your bounty~”
“We bet you’d love to collect that reward, wouldn’t you?” Leif said as he walked out the door and waved to Vi. “Tell Kabbu we could hear his cheering from the crowd.”
Vi walked out the dressing room and shut the door behind her, then started walking to the theater's exit with Leif at her side. “Like I wasn’t gonna tell him already. Don’t be too long, we’re having Queen’s Dinner to celebrate our magnificent first showing~”
“Oooooh,” Leif cooed. “Kabbu went all out for us. We should thank him dearly. We heard the Bug Rangers will be showing in a week. Want to split for some Green Ranger merch?”
“You had me at split,” Vi said as she stepped out into the evening air. “See you at home, Jekserah. ”
“See you at work tomorrow, little girl,” Leif said with a wink.
The two separated, Vi heading towards their shared home, Leif strutting towards the residential district, albeit less pronounced than up on stage.
Bugs milled about the residential area, same as they always did. Leif, despite his long-yet-revealing dress, blended into them as just another bug. It was oddly liberating.
It was initially strange to be out and about like this, walking the worn path of the ant kingdom alone. Leif was almost never away from Vi and Kabbu, not since they first discovered Leif deep in the depths. Being without them was like…
Leif chuckled to himself as he considered “being naked”, but that didn’t apply right then.
Now, on his own and dressed so loudly, Leif had his own stride. And he got to show it off, all on his own. And, dare he think it, he felt pretty, if the eyes of various bugs looking his way were anything to go by. Every once in a while he gave them a show. A leg jutting out a little farther here, a stop to observe a flower and the wind happening to blow his dress. And all the while, he gave people dismissive smirks, like their adoration wasn’t all that important. It was liberating.
“ Copycat,” someone behind some tall grass said.
“Hmm?” Leif turned to look at the sound and saw someone there. But only for a moment.
Smiling to himself, Leif crossed his arms and posed for the person that was no longer there. “Sorry. Monsieur Scarlet. We can’t help it if we wear it better than you.”
Leif liked to imagine Scarlet’s face turned a more furious shade of pink, then returned to walking through the kingdom with renewed vigor. He smiled as he looked up at the sky, starting to be dotted with stars. “Yeah, we’ll have to do this again sometime. Hmm. We should get a hat to go with it… Wicked villains wear big hats like that.”