— Say cheeeese! — sang Melody, pointing her smartphone camera, and the frame flashed: a short Latino guy in army uniform hugged a tall Asian girl in a tight black catsuit by the waist. He beamed with a wide manly smile, showing off his dog tags on his chest, while she arched her back and stuck out her tongue, teasing the camera itself, showing off her long black gloves and heels she could barely keep her balance on.
— Wow, you guys are just a bomb! — Melody snorted, quickly flipping through the shots. — No one would even believe that just a couple of hours ago you were… well… yourselves.
— Eeeeverything’s fiiiine, — Olaf practically shouted in a sweet voice with an Asian accent, swinging too sharply and almost toppling over in his heels. Luckily, his hand was still on the shoulder of his “girlfriend,” Amy, who in camouflage looked like she was ready to lead a squad into battle and resembled Carlos far more than Amy.
— Careful, hottie, — Amy smirked, adjusting the dog tags on her chest and not even trying to hide her delight in her new role. — You’re gonna scratch up my carpet with those heels.
— Thiiis was supposed to be… — Olaf stepped back a few steps, theatrically threw his head up while holding the wall with one hand, then spun toward Amy and suddenly pointed his finger at her, — YOUR costume!
Amy only squinted, tilting her head.
— You put it on yourself, smartass. I told you to wait for me before starting the capsules! — Amy cut him off with cold precision, and her low, commanding tone in Carlos’s body made Olaf flinch.
She crossed her arms over her chest, the tags clinking loudly. And Olaf, already pretty wasted, burst out laughing and poked his finger at her, swaying on the heels:
— Ooooh, you’re like… a commander straight out of a porn flick! Ha-ha-ha! — He staggered, long hair falling into his eyes, and the corset suddenly felt way too tight. — And anyway! Who knew this damn thing would actually rewrite the body?!
He took a step forward, but the heels betrayed him and slid sideways, and at the last moment he grabbed onto the doorframe. His long hair fell over his face, and the breasts in the corset bounced so much he winced, as if it was happening to someone else.
Melody instantly rushed over, raised her hands and, barely holding back laughter, steadied him by the waist:
— Careful, Mia! — she said in a mock-gentle tone. — Don’t go crashing down on us here, or we’ll have to call the fire department to peel the kitty off the floor.
Olaf hissed angrily, straightening up, but at the same time pressing his palms harder against the corset, as if it really threatened to crush his ribs.
— I’m not Mia! I… I’m a man! — Olaf shouted, but with the raspy strain the phrase sounded like he was parodying himself.
Amy immediately raised an eyebrow, setting her foot out in the army boot:
— Why the fuck did you already get this drunk, man? We haven’t even gone out yet, — Amy ground out through her teeth, like she was ready to slap him across the face.
— Because, — Olaf shook his head, long hair whipping across his face, and he winced, — sober, I’m not going anywhere looking like this, — He slapped his palm against his thigh in the tight leggings and looked down with disgust. — no-no-no!
— The car’s here, — Melody cut them off after getting a notification from Uber. She snapped her phone case shut and slipped the phone into her purse, then looked at both of them like a strict schoolteacher. — Come on, kittens, get moving. The driver won’t wait.
Olaf instantly grimaced, pressing his palm to his thigh like it didn’t even belong to him:
— Go out looking like this… are you fucking kidding me?! — He slapped his palm against the tight leggings and lurched forward. His heels clacked sharply against the carpet. — Be honest, Melody, would you actually… step out like this?!
— Of course, — Melody replied without a shred of doubt. She stepped closer and, with exaggerated care, adjusted the strap of his corset. — You look hot as hell, Mia. Every guy out there is gonna be shocked.
— Don’t call me that! — Olaf howled, and immediately bit his lip as his breasts in the corset bounced again. Amy noticed it and, deep down, marked it as insanely sexy, though outwardly her face stayed cold and stern.
She stepped closer, looked up at him from below, and then grabbed his waist with a decisive grip, yanking him so sharply that he squeaked, forgetting his body now reacted completely differently.
— Hey! — he jerked, but his boobs in the corset pressed painfully against her hard camouflage, and goosebumps shot down his back. — What the hell are you doing?!
Amy smirked and, not letting go, almost pressed him against herself.
— Olaf, I’m not skipping this party because of you. If I have to be the man tonight, then I’ll be, — Amy cut him off coldly, pulling him in tighter and moving toward the front door. Ahead of them, Melody skipped happily, humming some tune in her little angel costume.
— So what, I’m your fucking bitch now or what? — it slipped out of him, and his voice carried a note of near hysteria.
Amy tilted her head slightly, looking up at him, and in her gaze flashed something dangerous, almost predatory.
— Aren’t you? — she said quietly, but in a way that made Olaf’s mouth go dry.
Melody snorted into her hand, trying not to burst out laughing, but her phone was already aimed right at them.
— Jesus, you guys look like you’re straight off the cover of some kinky magazine! — Melody cracked up, snapping another shot and swinging the front door open. — Come on, come on, the car’s already waiting.
Outside, evening Los Angeles buzzed and shimmered with lights, and down below the yellow Uber blinked. Amy confidently stepped out first, her army boots clanking, and pulled the door open.
— After you, Mia, — she tossed over her shoulder in a deliberately sweet tone.
— Fuck… — Olaf grimaced, but still climbed inside, clutching the door with one hand and holding the corset with the other. The leggings pulled tight across his hips, and every step turned into an awkward little show.
Melody, settling in next to them, instantly pulled out her phone:
— God, I can already feel these pics are gonna rack up tons of likes. I wanna post them right now, — she turned her gaze toward Amy and Olaf, her eyes going wide, lips puckering into a cute pout, — maybe I should tag you with your real name-e-e-es?
— NO! — Olaf shouted so sharply the driver twitched in the rearview mirror.
Amy frowned and squeezed his wrist so hard he hissed:
— Quiet, Mia, — she said calmly, but with a smile in her voice. — She’s just joking. Tonight I’m Diego, and you’re Mia. — she turned to Melody, — seriously, you almost scared my girl.
Melody snorted into her palm, nearly dropping her phone:
— Your girl! God, Diego, you’re really living the role, I can’t!
Olaf squeezed his eyes shut in a panic.
— Don’t call me that, fuck… — he hissed through his teeth, but the sound still broke into an almost whiny tone.
Amy leaned closer, her hot breath brushing his ear.
— Quiet. Tonight you’re my girl, got it? Want me to hold you while we ride?
Olaf’s eyes shot open, he stared at Amy and swallowed nervously.
— Are you fucking crazy?! — he tried to pull away, but the corset dug into his ribs, and every move only highlighted his new boobs even more. — I already feel like shit…
Amy didn’t blink. Her hand was already slowly sliding onto his waist, tugging him a little closer.
— You used to love it when I held you.
Olaf almost choked on air.
— Th-that’s… that’s completely different! — he spat out, staring at Amy like she’d lost her mind.
— Posted, — Melody announced happily, tapping the screen. — You officially have a fan club now. Jade and Diego — what a gorgeous couple.
Olaf turned away, refusing to take part in this, and stared out the window. The alcohol buzzed in his head, stopping him from thinking straight, while the reflection in the glass stubbornly showed a long-haired catgirl with breasts that bounced at every jolt of the car. Behind him Amy and Melody chirped about the party, about the pics, about how “the costumes are the newest tech” and “barely tested in real life yet.”
Olaf clenched his teeth, exhaled, and shut his eyes, cursing his impatience. A thought flickered by, hazy and foreign:
‘もっと飲まなきゃ… (need to drink more...)’ slipped through his mind in a language he’d never known before, yet it felt like his own.
He jolted at once, staring into his reflection in the window.
— What the fuck..?