Black to match her work--the menu, the flavors, the smoky cups and mood--and black to match the hour, and black to match the host. Black velour teasing the line between dessert and temptation, a sweetheart in demure contrast to the snug bodice, the pinched waist. Black tulle capped the shoulders in a fairy suggestion of wings, the dress' sole concession to frivolity. Black stretching down into a generous skirt extending back to hint--only hint--at a train. Black made even darker by the glittering, gleaming incrustation of crystals--squares, rectangles, elongated diamonds, teardrops, five-pointed stars--and pewter gray sequins winking across the skirt's expanse.
The gown was pure Garbo a la Cukor’s Camille, and the Baku knew exactly how she looked in it. With her dark hair curling in a soft tumble down her shoulders and her delicate gold-etched mask, the dream eater was doll-like. Dainty. Frail.
Then again, people tended to think the same when Sato wore pantsuits and stilettos so, really, why analyze the irony of costumes at all?
She watched the golems continue their mindless, perfect rotations around the room. They were, Sato admitted, exceptional servants. Silent, adept, and untiring. A handful would triple Masque's productivity, no doubt.
And bore all to death in the process, Sato snorted (mentally) before turning away. A flash of white caught her eye. She smiled; clearly, more than one immortal had decided to play at frailty and fluff this evening. And, how quaint, she'd even found a partner to match the...silly...silly...
Oh.
Oh, no.
Underneath the mask, Sato's nose twitched. It couldn't be, no, surely not. It simply absolutely couldn't be so because he'd never in a hell's worth of years would...would--no.
Except: yes. Oh, yes.
Suddenly, Sato loved the holidays. Glee burning hot and sweet in her chest, the Baku glid over to the Phantom couple. Her smile radiated in her voice: "Good evening. Do pardon the intrusion, but I simply had to say what a wonderful duet you two present. Nothing less than the prince and his Cinderella."