Harlock / Daiba No. 7
7) Cosplaying
This is super tame, but I do love boys in other boys’ clothes.
Everyone on the Arcadia was given a small payment each month, lovingly referred to as an allowance by the crew. With it, they could buy what they pleased, though Harlock’s original mindset was that it should be stored away in case of an emergency. Few of the crewman actually bothered to do that, and Daiba was known to immediately spend every cent of it as soon as he had the opportunity.
He was also known to forget to knock, and as Harlock pulled a wine bottle from his rack, he heard the door to his room thrown open. “Captain, look-look. Captain, look what I got. Look!”
Harlock turned slowly as Daiba slid across the floor in a new pair of boots, his steps slipping out from under him as he attempted to stop his run and catch his breath. Though Harlock didn’t share the teen’s enthusiasm, it was easy to see why Daiba was so excited. The cool green uniform had been replaced by a familiar classic, a sleek white suit with red detailing on the sleeves and pant legs. A large red, anchor-like design was set in the center of his chest and trailed up to form the collar.
“Hello there, strategist,” Harlock said, amused.
“I’m not just any strategist,” Daiba huffed, obviously offended that Harlock knew so little. He stuck a thumb into the anchor design. “I’m Susumu Kodai.”
“You’re just a bit blond for it,” Harlock countered, “…and small.”
Daiba twirled a strand of hair around his finger with a scowl. “I’ve just gotta dye my hair is all, and he wasn’t that much older than me when he first started, you know. But anyway, I got you one too.” He took the box from under his arm and shoved it into his captain’s hands. “You should put it on.”
He tried to find an adequate reason to say no, some sort of excuse, but he had none. He wasn’t doing anything, and Daiba had gotten it specifically for him. It was a gift…for some reason. “Am I a strategist too?” he asked as he pulled the lid off.
“Of course not. I’m the head strategist.”
The Yamato’s first captain then, he thought, but this outfit was certainly not the right color. He pulled out each garment, a slow realization settling on him. The gray shirt and pants, the black and red cape much like his own – he was the alien, Desler. “I’m not blue, Daiba,” he frowned.
“Well…I thought you’d like it since it looks like you based your cape off his.”
His youngest crewman’s expression was falling as it seemed he didn’t appreciate his present. “It’s fine, Daiba,” he backpedaled quickly. “It works well.”
“Then try it on!” Daiba begged eagerly. “You can be my mortal enemy.”
“I don’t think that’s-“
“Try it on!”
Once Harlock had caved and was changing, he suddenly wondered how Daiba had been able to get the sizing so accurate for him. The costume fit nicely, and he couldn’t say he didn’t feel comfortable and perhaps a bit handsome in it.
When he stepped out, he finally asked what he’d been curious about the entire time. “Daiba, why did you buy these anyway?”
The teen had been lounging across his bed but quickly jumped up, enthralled with the Captain’s outfit. “Because they were cool, and I had money.”
Maybe he needed to stop giving Daiba money. Then again, the teen did look cute in his outfit, and it was always nice to have admiring eyes taking him in. “I hope you understand that I’m not going to wear this on a regular basis,” the captain said as he adjusted his gloves.
“Yeah,” Daiba nodded. “You should only wear it for me.”
They both paused for a moment, as if trying to rewind a bit.
Daiba finally released his tongue from being bitten. “That sounded a bit-”
“Yes it did,” Harlock cut him off.
Again they paused for a moment, and Daiba decided to put an end to it. “So while we're on the subject, how does my butt look in this?”
“No allowance for the next month.”
