The Portrait of Edward Gray

[Sissy Ballerina Boy]

I am LOVING this story. I think some Ballet Lessons would help with his feminine stillness.

[sissyboy1212]

Thank you for the nice notes. I read every word of them, and I always appreciate any thoughtful and polite comments whether they are complimenting or criticizing. In that spirit, I thought I'd give a brief reply to everyone who commented so far. Next parts are coming soon.

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Sissy Ballerina Boy: Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying the story!

Party Dress: I have to credit Simonssister’s story for the idea to integrate AI images. Hers (his?/theirs?) are really good. Also, I like exploring the tension of public exposure and Edward’s feelings.

Gunrunner: Thank you for the thoughtful comment. In this story, you will probably see some token resistance but it will likely be pretty weak.

BabyJay: Thank you. I think Edward is lucky! He just may not understand it yet LOL! 

ace: Thank you! I really appreciate the encouragement!

Dancer4Fun: You may see some elements of what you suggested but it will probably be more oblique.

Bonzodoug: They will likely notice soon LOL.

sweet baby katie: Thank you. I do love trying to create a long tease :)

RibbonBound: This is probably less direct in ways than Vicky’s original but hopefully you enjoy.
 

[sissyboy1212]

The Apricot and Cream Dress

       Back in the fitting area, Sabrina hung the gorgeous apricot and cream dress on a wall hook and said, “turn around sweetie.” She unzipped his pink satin dress, and he meekly stepped out if it. He sighed obediently as he was used to this routine by now… he had been doing it all afternoon. Then, he winced as he took another good look at the ultra-girly dress he would soon be wearing. It was made of a warm ivory cream satin with delicate pale apricot accents. The sleeveless, fitted bodice was decorated delightfully with raised rosettes to create an elegant, textured surface. At the waist was a prominent oversized satin bow. The skirt was the worst! It was incredibly full and voluminous, made of cascading tiers of sheer organza over satin. It looked like a sissified apricot cloud!

       Once she hung his off-the shoulder pink dress back on a hanger, she held up a different pair of white tights still in the packaging. “Change into these, sweetie,” she said cheerily as she tore open the plastic, “they are much more sheer than the ones you have on and will look adorable with that dress.” 

       Edward nodded, then blushed once more as he realized she was not going to leave while he changed his tights. Cringing, he compliantly sat on the little padded stool next to the mirror and pulled off his white, ribbed tights. Then Sabrina handed him the silkier, sheerer tights. As he had now learned to do, he carefully pulled them on. Immediately, he noticed how much lighter and more delicate they felt compared with the ones he had just taken off. The stretchy fabric had a cool, slippery cling as it slid over his legs. He shivered a bit as he pulled them up over his pink panties, and he tried to be careful not to snag the gossamer material with his fingernails or his corset. As he pulled them into place, he saw the off-white tights had a delicate feminine floral pattern with elegant small blossoms and leaves. When he stood, his cheeks warmed again.

       â€śPerfect!” Sabrina said enthusiastically. Next, she instructed, “Arms out, honey.” Edward’s face heated as he lifted his arms stiffly, aware of how girlish he must look. She slipped a silky cream colored camisole top over him and straightened the thin spaghetti straps on his shoulders. “There,” she added, smoothing it over his chest, “how pretty.”

       Edward squirmed and dropped his eyes to the floor. “Now for your petticoat!” she said brightly. She held up a fluffy, multi-layered white tulle petticoat with a smile. “To be honest,” she giggled, “it’s completely unnecessary with that fluffy skirt, but it also happens to be what your wonderful Aunty wants!” Sabrina couldn’t help but add with a teasing smirk, “and I’ve noticed that what Aunty wants… Aunty gets!”

       Edward cringed, embarrassed by how clearly she seemed to grasp the situation. It was obvious that Sabrina and Skye had no reservations about meeting his aunt’s expectations. Sabrina held the petticoat’s elastic waist open for him, and he reluctantly stepped into it. It rustled sweetly over his clingy floral tights, and he flinched at the electric sensations when she tugged it into place just over the bottom edge of his corset. The ultra-girly petticoat flared around his slender waist in stiff, rustling layers. Every small movement seemed to create another papery whisper from the airy tulle.

       Sabrina grinned in amusement as she saw how timid he was, but she pressed on. She pulled him directly in front of the large mirror. “Time for the dress!”  she announced brightly. “Arms up again, my love,” she instructed.

       Having no other choice, Edward raised his trembling arms up high. The gesture made him feel awkward and exposed. Sabrina skillfully shook the elaborate dress once to free the tiered skirt, and the layered organza answered with a soft rush. Then she lifted it high and dropped it carefully over his head. The dress whooshed down over him in a frothy cloud of cream and apricot frills. Satin, organza, tulle and lace all engulfed him at once as Sabrina settled it meticulously over his petticoat like a fluttery breeze.

       He felt lightheaded as Sabrina began zipping up the satin bodice. She drew the zipper up slowly, and each small pull made the dress feel more confining and final. In seconds, he was snugly enveloped in the gloriously girlish cream and apricot creation. For a dizzy instant, Edward felt swallowed by the dress itself, as if the satin and frills were a soft, rustling tide that left only his burning face above it. Then, he watched helplessly in the mirror as Sabrina began to straighten the bodice and fluff the skirt with brisk strokes of her skillful hands. The more she smoothed and fluffed the layers, the more he felt trapped. He felt incredibly enclosed and on display.

       It was then that Skye sunnily returned. She opened a pink, tissue-lined box to reveal a darling pair of ivory ballet flats. She had been thrilled to find the last pair in his size. The lustrous satin slippers had a slightly pointed toe box and a charming ankle strap with a decorative trim made of glossy white imitation pearls. With their innocent appearance, they looked tailor-made for a flower girl!

       â€śBe still, honey, so I can get you strapped into your pretty slippers,” Skye said with a grin. Edward watched as Skye knelt on the carpet in front of him before he quite understood what she meant to do. He flinched a bit in surprise as Sabrina placed her hands on his bare shoulders from behind to steady him. He stiffened at once, embarrassed at how mollycoddled he felt. He could smell the girls’ delicately feminine perfume all around him as they moved closer to dress him in tandem.

       He looked down but could see only the soft, rustling bell of his billowing skirt, so instead he watched Skye in the mirror with nervous fascination. Underneath the gauzy puffs of his extravagantly fluffy dress, he saw her go to work.

       â€śRight foot, honey,” she directed gaily.

       Edward hesitantly lifted his right foot from the carpet. He felt Skye guide the dainty shoe into place, easing it over his toes before fastening the slender ankle strap with a delicate little pull. Skye then repeated the process with the other shoe. “Now the left,” she said with a pleased chuckle. Once that strap was adjusted and fastened as well, she pronounced, “There we are!”

       When Skye stepped back, Edward returned to the mirror and could now see how the dainty ballet flats complemented his completely sissyish outfit. He felt utterly prettified from head to toe.

       The next touch turned out to be an oversized satin hair bow which Sabrina pinned carefully in his curls. The pale apricot confection was a triple layer, ruffled delight, and he immediately felt the weight of it on his head. “There,” she said, stepping back with a pleased, teasing smile. “Sweet as a little cupcake!” she chuckled softly.

       As Sabrina pinned the bow into his curls, Skye told him to hold out his hands and said brightly, “I found these near the shoes and thought they would go perfectly with the rest of your outfit as well.” Edward’s face went hot and his pulse quickened as he saw the pair of lace tea party gloves in her hands.

       Helplessly, he asked, “Do I… do I really need the gloves… too?” he asked, the words coming out uneven. Dressed as he was, he realized instantly how silly it sounded to protest now, and his voice failed him before he could finish.

       Skye chuckled, as though she thought his pitiful reluctance was hilarious. She waited with a patient, expectant smile. After a moment, Edward slowly extended his hands. Before he could do little more than swallow, Skye slid the lace gloves over his fingers. They were stretchy, sheer and delicate… patterned with tiny flowers and prim little bows at the wrists.

       As if on cue, Sabrina gave his bodice a final smoothing. “Just look at him,” she gushed, “Isn’t he precious?”

       Skye tilted her head a bit and flashed a bright, mischievous smile, “I think his Aunty will be over the moon!”

       When the two salesclerks stepped aside, Edward saw his latest outfit properly for the first time. The sight took the breath out of him. Despite all the dresses he had been put into so far, this one seemed like something else entirely. It was incredibly sissyish! His reflection made his face burn, and the longer he looked, the more it made him want to wince. His gorgeous dress, floral tights and darling satin shoes seemed to cheer on Aunt Patricia’s plans for him. He felt so far away from the boy he remembered being. Everything about him looked prissy, pretty and polished.

[Party Dress]

I find myself checking back multiple times a day for the next part, really loving this story and wear it goes next and am just dying to see how Edward looks in this dress!

[sissyboy1212]

Finishing Touches

       As Edward stared glumly at his girlish image, Sabrina and Skye began fussing over his outfit to make him picture perfect. Each small adjustment made Edward feel more unsettled. Their voices were cheerful, but Edward immediately grew skittish beneath all that focused attention, very conscious of his petticoat’s sensual whisper and the way his dress slid over his skin.

       Skye crouched to tug gently at the layers of his skirt and petticoat, coaxing the layers into a a fluffy, even bell shape. Each touch sent a crisp rustle through the layers of organza and tulle. Then she giggled softly as she straightened his tights.

       Sabrina, meanwhile, smoothed his bodice with light, repeated strokes to get it aligned perfectly. “Hold still, sweetheart,” she said with a teasing warmth. Then she spoke to Skye as if were just a display model, “Isn’t he just the most adorable little thing?”

       Skye laughed softly from where she was arranging the petticoat. “Oh, my goodness yes! He looks sweet enough to eat!” then, she addressed Edward, “Don’t you worry, you look just like a little angel! I can’t wait for your Aunty to see you in this one!”

       At this, Edward’s face burned so fiercely that he could hardly bring himself to look up. He gave a tiny, jerky nod, his daintily gloved fingers curling helplessly against the sides of his skirt. Edward felt another unwelcome stirring in his panties, and he desperately tried to hide his rising embarrassment by staying very still. He stood rigid while their hands fluttered all around him. Their perfume assailed his nostrils, and he felt his pulse quicken. He pressed his lips together, lowered his eyes and tried to look at the carpet instead of his reflection in the mirror. They repeatedly fluffed the layers of his organza skirt, straightened his bodice and adjusted his huge hair bow. The tulle petticoat continued to rustle ceaselessly against his sheer floral tights. They practically swarmed him until every inch of him felt inspected and prodded into prettiness.

       Their calm efficiency left him little room to be anything but compliant. Every adjustment seemed small by itself, but together they made the fitting feel inescapable, as though this outfit were being fastened into place around his whole summer.

        Skye tugged at his tights on the back of his thigh a few times which pulled them unexpectedly across his panties in a tingly way. He flinched as Sabrina finished with his bodice and gently rested her hand on his shoulder from behind. She gazed admiringly over his shoulder into the mirror with him, “Look how pretty you are, sweetie!” He could feel her warmth behind him. He gulped nervously as he looked at his frilly skirt, delicate bodice and satiny slippers. His curly hair, fresh from the appointment with Mrs. Bell, still had a trace of the loose ringlets she had practiced with earlier that morning.

        Skye, now done with his skirt, stood on the opposite side just behind him. She gripped his upper arm loosely and gave it a gentle squeeze, “That gorgeous hair bow, those darling gloves… you’re a little doll!”

        Sabrina asked him eagerly, “What do you think sweetheart… Don’t you feel pretty?

        Edward tried to take a deep breath, but his ever-present corset restricted him. He did, however, inhale more of their delicately floral perfume in the process. Staring at his girlish image in the mirror, Edward managed to stammer, “I… I… I feel…” That was all he could get out.

        Both girls giggled at their skittish little charge. Then Sabrina said, “Time to show your Aunty!”

        A few moments later, he timidly walked out of the dressing room, flanked by the smiling girls. He stood sheepishly next to another large mirror as the girls presented him to his Aunt Patricia in the gorgeously girly apricot delight!

        “Oh, Edward, darling, look at yourself,” Aunt Patricia gushed when she saw him. She was almost breathless with delight. Edward dared to look at his reflection once more and blushed furiously as Aunt Patricia took in every fussy little detail: the rosettes, the apricot shimmer, the cream lace, and the careful silhouette of the skirt. She practically glowed.

        Edward wanted to disappear, but the mirror would not let him get away. The satin slippers made his feet look so delicate, and the rosettes scattered over him like tiny decorations. For one miserable moment he searched the reflection for anything boyish, but nothing was there. It unsettled him that the reflection did not look like a joke or a mistake. It looked careful. It looked intentional. It looked like the Edward Aunt Patricia kept describing—dainty, pretty and obedient.

        “This may be my favorite one yet,” Aunt Patricia declared. “And that ivory hair bow is the crowning touch!” She gave a delighted giggle. “With that new petticoat, you can be a darling little petticoat princess anytime you like, dear.”

        Sabrina smiled kindly and added, “He really does carry it sweetly, doesn’t he?”

        Skye nodded, her tone warm but teasing around the edges. “So darling and cute. He looks as though he stepped right out of a little picture book!” Then, sensing that Aunt Patricia was fully invested in all the little finishing touches, she added helpfully, “Perhaps… he… might also need a small purse for a handkerchief or tissues as well.”

        Aunt Patricia laughed softly, delighted by the suggestion. “That would be precious!” she said. Then she directed, “See if you can find something suitable, please. Something dainty and petite.”

        “Of course, ma’am,” Skye replied, “I think we have just the thing!” 

        A few moments later, Skye brought Edward a small white leatherette clutch purse.  She smiled and said, “This will be perfect for a handkerchief, tissues, lip gloss and all the other little things a young lady needs.” She carefully placed the little clutch into his lace-gloved hands and stepped back to study the effect. “See?” she said brightly. “That looks darling with the apricot.” Edward stared down at the purse dejectedly as Skye only smiled and gently adjusted his fingers around it. “Only don’t grip it so tightly, sweetheart. Hold it lightly, with your wrists soft and your fingers together.” Edward’s face burned as she arranged him in the mirror.

        Aunt Patricia beamed, her expression brightening into outright triumph as she took in the finished effect. “Oh, that is perfect,” she declared, leaning forward with delighted attention. She gave a pleased little nod, as if the whole outfit was creating the exact picture she had been imagining.

        At this realization, Edward felt off balance, as if the entire room were beginning to tilt slightly around him. As he gingerly held the white clutch purse, the afternoon dragged on.

[sissyboy1212]

Accessories and More

       Then, Aunt Patricia began to focus more on accessories. She selected extra hair bows in pink, blue, yellow, and white, holding each one near his curls to envision the look. She chose a few pairs of white anklets edged with frilly lace, plus several more in lavender, pink, baby blue and yellow. A whimsical pair of pastel blue patent Mary Janes was set aside to match the blue dress, along with a white pair “for summer strolls.” Ribboned barrettes followed, then a dainty straw boater hat with a white chiffon bow. Aunt Patricia placed it carefully on his head and was immediately enamored with it. She also picked up a packet of dainty embroidered lace handkerchiefs. In addition to the new pairs of Mary Janes and the ivory ballet flats, she chose a delicate pair of white T-strap sandals with tiny silver buckles. She also got him a darling pair of strappy, white leather, peep-toe shoes with a low heel and the cutest bowknots over the buckles. Each addition to the growing pile made him feel more helplessly girlish.

       Aunt Patricia was particularly taken with an oversize green hair bow with long organza tails. “It will go wonderfully with the green lawn dress,” she said, holding it against his hair while the Sabrina nodded in agreement. Edward stared at himself in the mirror with the huge translucent bow trembling beside his curls and felt his throat tighten. Of course, Aunt Patricia also made sure to include several packets of dainty satin panties in various pastel colors with adorable lace trim and a few matching bralettes, speaking of them in the same practical tone she might use for socks.

       When Skye showed her a pair of white rhumba tights with little pink hearts and several delightful layers of ruffles across the seat, Aunt Patricia could not resist. “Oh, those are too darling,” she said. “Edward, imagine how sweet they will look under your fuller skirts.”

       Edward did imagine it, unwillingly, and his face burned. Then she insisted he try on a pair of precious glitter-pink platform shoes that sparkled with faux pearl embellishments. Sabrina called them “princess shoes,” kindly but with a playful little smile. Aunt Patricia simply had to have them.

       Sabrina, noticing the direction of Aunt Patricia’s choices, glanced back toward the casual racks they had passed earlier. Then she exchanged a quick look with Skye.

       â€śOf course, ma’am,” Skye offered brightly, “perhaps it might be wise to include a couple of everyday items—things perfect for helping you or his mother with little household chores, for example.”

       Sabrina nodded at once. “Something washable and sweet. Just the sort of thing a little helper needs around the house.”

       Aunt Patricia paused, as her gaze drifted from the satin, ribbons, and formal little shoes back to the other racks near the aisle. “Of course, you may be right dear,” she said thoughtfully. “We mustn’t think only of portrait sittings and appointments. Edward will need some proper attire to be useful around the house.” Edward looked up sharply, but she was already moving toward a row of short-sleeved play dresses with pleased discovery. “Nothing too plain, you understand,” she told Sabrina and Skye. “Just darling little things he can wear while helping his mother and his Aunty.”

       Edward felt his stomach tighten. “A few everyday dresses,” Aunt Patricia had said, as if she were discussing dish towels. The casualness of it gave him pause. The boundaries around this whole ordeal were vanishing faster than he could understand them. He had been trying to think of the portrait as a strange assignment with a beginning and an end, but Aunt Patricia’s bright certainty made it sound more like a new reality. Edward looked toward the dress racks with a helpless, embarrassed dread, already imagining little hems brushing his knees while he carried laundry or set plates on the table.

       She chose the first one at once: a sweet, short-sleeved dress with darling pink and white horizontal stripes, crisp and bright in a way that made it look ready for a schoolroom art project or an afternoon of dusting shelves. The second was light blue, scattered with an adorable, dainty flower pattern that looked even more innocent. They were not formal, but that somehow made them worse to Edward. They looked like something prissy little girls might wear to elementary school on an ordinary weekday, cheerful and neat and meant for being seen often rather than saved for special occasions.

       â€śThese will be perfect,” Aunt Patricia declared, holding the striped one against him and then the blue floral one, measuring the effect with bright satisfaction. “Short sleeves, sweet without being too dressy. Just the thing for setting the table or helping your mother and me in the kitchen.”

       Edward’s mouth went dry. These suggested a daily life Aunt Patricia could imagine for him, one in which he padded about the house in darling little play dresses as if that were simply what he wore. Edward’s embarrassment deepened as he looked from one dress to the other. The thought settled over him with a slow weight. His dresses were not going to remain a temporary nuisance gathered around the portrait. They were spreading outward, quietly claiming more and more of his life.

       Then Aunt Patricia’s eye caught a neatly arranged school-uniform display, and her face brightened with fresh inspiration. “Oh, and this,” she said, lifting down a red, black, and white plaid jumper with crisp pleats and a proper little bodice. “It has such a smart, polished look.” Sabrina brought him a white blouse to go beneath it, snowy and crisp, with short sleeves and a darling Peter Pan collar that made the whole outfit look even more prim. Aunt Patricia held the pieces together against Edward and sighed with satisfaction. “Yes. For lessons or errands.”

       Edward stared at the plaid jumper and the little white collar, mortified by how plainly schoolgirlish it looked. It was not frilly in the same way as the party dresses, but it was almost worse: tidy, disciplined, and unmistakably meant for a prissy little girl who knew how to stand in line and speak politely.

       Once his everyday dresses and plaid jumper had been picked out, Aunt Patricia selected several pairs of white bobby socks and a neat pair of black penny loafers to go with the play dresses and the schoolgirl jumper alike. She set them beside the striped dresses and said, “There. Now you will have something a little more practical as well as pretty. These are sensible, sweet, and perfectly darling.”

[sissyboy1212]

The Mask Briefly Slips

       Before Edward could compose himself, Sabrina had already swept up the plaid school uniform and was heading toward the fitting room as though the matter had been settled for him. “Let’s go, sweetie,” she chided, “I know you’re going to make an adorable schoolgirl!” Skye ushered him along from behind with the bobby socks, penny loafers, and a matching plaid grosgrain hair bow in hand. Soon, Edward was eased out of his extravagant apricot and cream party dress amid a soft collapse of organza and petticoat. He felt less like someone being dressed and more like something being meticulously arranged.

       A few minutes later, he stood buttoned into the crisp white blouse, very conscious of how cool and silky the fabric felt against his skin. The round Peter Pan collar buttoned neatly at his throat complete with a dainty, girlish red ribbon tie. The plaid jumper’s tidy pleats fell primly over the white bobby socks Skye had cuffed with careful little turns. The shiny black penny loafers on his feet and the grosgrain bow pinned into his curls completed his latest look. Looking in the mirror, Edward saw a prissy little schoolgirl on the first day of term: neat, obedient, and dainty.

       Aunt Patricia wholeheartedly approved when she saw him in it. “There,” she said with a satisfied smile, smoothing one of the pleats, “Demure, modest, and sweet. Aunty knew this would suit you.” Her voice was honeyed, but there was an unmistakable note of firmness beneath it, the calm certainty of someone who was used to her wishes being obeyed.

       Sabrina let out a delighted laugh. “Oh, he makes the cutest little schoolgirl,” she said proudly.

       Skye nodded eagerly, eyes bright with mischief. “A proper little pupil,” she agreed.

       It was at this point that Edward began trying to resist in tiny pieces, because resisting the whole thing seemed impossible. He was not even sure how many dresses his aunt had picked out for him by now, only that the pile seemed to have grown into a complete little life chosen for him without his input. It was obvious how intentionally she had selected everything: soft colors, dainty styles, ribbons, frills, shiny shoes, and little bows, all meant to echo the portrait at the center of all this activity. There was nothing accidental about any of it, and she was preparing to spend a small fortune on a complete wardrobe for him! Edward swallowed and lifted his eyes toward Aunt Patricia. “Uh, Aunty,” he began meekly. Then, for several seconds, he said nothing at all as he searched for the right words, painfully aware of the blouse buttoned against his throat, the bow in his hair, and Sabrina and Skye falling politely quiet without looking away.

       â€śYes, sweetheart?” she prodded cheerfully.

       Edward could feel her waiting, and the words in his mind tangled themselves into knots. “Aunty,” he began again in a small voice, “I only mean… I know you’re trying to help, and everything is very… very nice, but maybe…” He faltered, cheeks burning, and his eyes dropped to the bobby socks folded neatly above his penny loafers. The little white cuffs made him feel absurdly juvenile and sissyish. The sight of them made his objection feel smaller, as though the dainty clothes themselves made him sound childish. “Maybe we don’t need quite so much,” he finished weakly, twisting his fingers together at his waist. Even to his own ears it sounded less like an objection than a somewhat whiny apology for having one.

       The more he spoke, the more powerless he sounded. Dressed as he was, the whole effect was rather like a fussy little schoolgirl trying to wriggle out of a lesson. Sabrina’s mouth twitched as if she had to keep herself from smiling too broadly. Skye hastily averted her eyes, but Edward could her amused grin.

       Aunt Patricia received his objection with a light, almost amused patience, as if he were a stubborn child who didn’t want to eat his vegetables. “Oh, sweetheart, no,” she said at once, with a brisk smile. “Don’t be so silly. Aunty has already thought this through for you.” She made it sound as though he was simply confused, and that his confusion only proved how helpless he was in such matters. “You needn’t trouble yourself over what is needed, or how much is enough. Those are Aunty’s decisions.” Her tone remained gentle, but there was steel underneath, and Edward heard the dismissal as well. His objection had simply been set aside as too childish to matter. Aunt Patricia’s will moved around him smoothly and surely.

       Edward opened his mouth to speak again. “But… I mean… I don’t…”

       Aunt Patricia gave a small shake of her head, dismissing the attempt before it became another sentence. This time there was a trace of frustration. “No, dear, I’ve already told you. We are not going to turn our lovely shopping trip into a debate.” Her voice remained pleasant, but her decision was absolute. “When Aunty has made up her mind about what is best, the thing you should do is accept it gracefully. Fussing and complaining is unseemly and unworthy of the portrait.” She glanced toward Sabrina and Skye with a composed smile, as though inviting them to witness how patiently she handled him. “I’m sorry he’s grumbling so in front of you girls. He still has much to learn about grace and manners.”

       Sabrina gave a soft little laugh and nodded as if Aunt Patricia had said the most sensible thing in the world. Skye giggled and made another ever so slight adjustment to his Peter Pan collar with a quick touch.

       Then, for a moment, Aunt Patricia’s tone grew a little sterner and more direct. It was as if a mask had slipped. “Sweetheart, don’t you understand by now that your Aunty is going to make sure you have the prettiest dresses a little girl could ever want?” She looked pointedly at her befrocked nephew, and he wilted under her penetrating gaze, suddenly conscious of how sissyish he felt. “You may have preferences about dresses and skirts and pretty little shoes, of course,” she continued, condescendingly generous, “but preferences are not the same thing as decisions.” Her smile returned, softer and somehow more final. “Today, Aunty is making the decisions. Your job is to stand prettily and be grateful.”

       â€śNow, Edward,” she said, her smile tightening into something that expected obedience, “Won’t you do that for your Aunty?” She reached over and gently but firmly lifted his chin with two fingers until he was looking at her properly. The touch was light, almost tender, but it held him as surely as if she had taken his hands. “Instead of pouting, I think it’s well past time to tell your Aunty exactly how pleased you are with all your lovely new things. We show gratitude after receiving gifts, and we certainly do not embarrass the person who has gone to so much trouble for us.” Her thumb rested for one extra second beneath his chin while he stood bashfully in the darling little uniform, unable to look away. “Tell me clearly, darling, how much you appreciate all your pretty things. No mumbling.”

       Edward cringed. Sabrina and Skye were watching this exchange intently, unable to hide their amusement, while Aunt Patricia kept him fixed with her penetrating gaze. The blouse collar felt suddenly tight. He felt small, bashful, and horribly visible, dressed in clothes chosen for him while everyone waited to hear the answer Aunt Patricia had already decided he would give. After a long moment, his shoulders sagged slightly in silent surrender. Aunt Patricia then tapped one of them lightly and smoothed the front of his jumper delicately, claiming the last word without needing to raise her voice.

       â€śOf course, Aunty,” he stammered softly. Blushing, he reluctantly replied, “Thank you… for all my pretty new dresses. I’m very… grateful.” The words came out thin and obedient, and the humiliation of saying them in the prissy little uniform made his face burn all over again. He had meant to push back, but somehow he had ended up showing gratitude while dressed exactly as she wanted him.

       Aunt Patricia brightened at once, as if he had finally recited the proper lines. “There now,” she said warmly, patting his cheek lightly. She looked at her sissified nephew with fond authority, “you will find everything is so much easier when you remember to trust your Aunty’s judgment, darling.”

       Right away, Edward saw some softness return to her face, but the command behind it had not disappeared. Later, he tried to convince himself that the shift in her tone was only his imagination. Yet standing there in his plaid jumper, with Sabrina and Skye smiling nearby, it felt perfectly clear.