So Here We Are

In all the years you've been with your partner, you've never seen their face, or indeed any other part of them. They're always — always — in costume, usually some kind of superhero, maybe sometimes a monster, or a soldier, or a supervillain. But whatever costume it is, it's always skin-tight, or has a skin-tight base layer, and completely covers them from head to toe. It's often spandex, or sometimes leather or rubber, probably with some armour or other accessories too. Helmets mostly, gloves and boots sometimes. But you've never seen them changing or out of suit. They're really careful about that.

But tonight, it looks like your relationship with them is to go the next step. Into the darkened room they step, shy, anxious, unsure if this is right. You touch… embrace the person you've known, but not known, for years now. They are still fully covered, of course, but tonight only in a simple zentai. No helmet — you can feel their face through the spandex for the first time. No shoes built into the suit's feet. You've never been able to tell they had toes before! Tomorrow you'll wake up and they'll be back in Power Ranger armour or a Spider-Man costume or whatever tomorrow's suit turns out to be, but tonight… they're willing to open up, just a fraction, to you.

• Jul 24, 2020