Welcome to Incubus Tales: A Thousand Words by Hushicho. In Noctemberg, it is always night. Dhiar, proprietor and gay incubus, welcomes you to Phantasies, a very special shop. Sensuality is more than just Dhiar’s stock in trade, it is his raison d’être. NSFW.
A new chapter appears every Thursday. This week is Chapter Thirty-Nine.
39th Night—Down to You
Despite wishes to the contrary, Dhiar and Merry could not neglect everything else to spend all their time together; Dhiar had Chana to placate, and Merry his own work to do and things that demanded his time. So the day found the Incubus in town with his sister, strolling down a street filled with life.
Racks of clothes sat outside some of the shops, coaxing passers-by, while just a short distance away, people sat on the terrace to sip their teas and coffees in the clear weather. A familiar breeze rustled Dhiar’s curls.
“We’ll have rain.”
“What, really?” Chana stopped at her brother’s pronouncement and looked up to the sky, shielding her eyes with her hand. “Looks so clear.”
“Trust me.” He grinned to her, sliding an arm around her waist. “Let’s go in here. You can feel it coming.”
His mind drifted among the fine clothes, all made so well. He could have some of them in his shop, if he wanted. Still, he preferred all handmade. He ran his fingers along the sleeve of a shirt. They were priced low, especially considering the difference in time. No wonder Chana liked it here.
“What do you think of this?” Chana held up a shirt, ostensibly a man’s shirt, but it seemed to suit her.
Dhiar nodded his head. “You should try it on! I think it might go well with some knickerbockers.”
Her eyes lit up. “Ooh!” And so at once she tore off into the maze of shelves and racks, in search of her quarry.
He moved more slowly into the place, greeted by a worker or two and rummaging through the garments offered. Few things leapt out at him, but he liked the styles enough to keep going. A green blouse here and a pair of crimson trousers there finally took his fascination, and he went to try them on in the little rooms provided.
They were clearly not meant to go together, but they fit well and didn’t seem to clash much. He could probably pull it off, if he wanted to wear them at the same time. But he had other clothes that he knew they would suit much better. As he pulled them off and replaced them on the hangers, his mind raced with the different ensembles. He pulled his own clothes back on again.
“How about it?” Chana stood just outside the curtain in her new outfit, men’s shirt and knickerbockers. “Ain’t it an eyeful!”
Dhiar couldn’t help laughing, nodding his head. “I like it. You should get it.”
“What d’you have there? Found something too?”
“Yes, I thought–” But he trailed off as the sudden roar of rainfall outside met his ears. He looked out through the front window, where the shopkeepers scrambled to pull the racks safely under the eaves, free from splashing.
“You were right!” Chana clicked her tongue, out of disbelief more than spite. “I don’t know, that’s beyond me. Looks like we’re in for a rainy afternoon.”
Dhiar took a deep breath in and sighed it out. His smile remained, and he began to walk back to the sales floor with all its racks.
“We’ll have a rainy evening, but that shouldn’t stop us.” He knew it wouldn’t stand a chance of stopping Chana. She would have her fun, rain or shine.
She slipped back into her changing room and quickly replaced the new outfit with the dress she had worn in, rectangular and straight, barely a curve in its design. She returned the cloche to her head, making sure her light curls were just so, and joined her brother outside.
“So were you thinking about a show? Maybe cabaret?” She went ahead to the sales counter, to leave her chosen garments and Dhiar’s, then returned to him again. “You know, you really should let me take you to Berlin. I have a feeling you’d never want to leave.”
Dhiar reached out and pulled a shirt off the rack, holding it first up to himself, then out towards Chana, tilting his head to the side. He closed one eye, appraising, and then opened it again and returned the garment to its previous place.
“Sometimes blue looks good on me.” She flashed a smile, throwing her head back and then laughing, airy, blissful and free.
“I’m more a fan of red. Nice cut though.” He worked his way through the rest of the clothes. “What’s in Berlin?”
“Oh, everything!” Chana bounced in place, her heels clicking on the floor. “There’s cabarets and clubs and bars and dance halls, and of course Germans–” a melodious titter drifted between her lips, “and of course there’s all kinds of new and exciting dance. Anita Berber!” She reached out to clasp at his shirt-sleeve. “We must see Anita Berber! Oh, it’ll be such darb!”
It took Dhiar a moment. “If it makes you happy,” he murmured, turning and leaning back against the hanging blouses behind him. “I’m just as content here, where we are.”
“The continent is always more enlightened.” Chana tickled her finger under his chin. “Ready to blow?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Ready to leave,” she clarified quickly.
“Ah! Yes!”
She rolled her eyes, still grinning, leading to the register and opening her purse. Before Dhiar could do it, she paid for all of the clothes and hefted both bags into her hand.
“I like the look of having a lot of packages,” Chana explained, as they walked out under the eaves again. The rain had slackened a bit, but it still came down heavily. The former crowd of coffee-drinkers on the terrace had migrated inside.
Dhiar laughed as the two of them practically danced to stay under the eaves, under the shield of fabric and canvas and metal, and at last they ducked into the cafe. It was warm inside, warm and fragrant, with the scent of mingling teas and coffees heady on the air. Conversation surrounded them, bright eyes and bright faces.
“So what are you having?” Chana strode over to the counter.
Dhiar followed close behind. “What are you having?”
Chana smirked, rouged lips glistening. “We’ll have two Turkish style.”
* * *
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About the author: From an early age, Hushicho held a special passion for storytelling. Throughout his life, he has worked in numerous media and various places in the world. He is the author of the long-running Incubus Tales webcomic, upon which this serial is based.
Welcome to the intriguing city of dreams, Noctemberg, where it is always night, and to Phantasies, a very special shop run by Dhiar, proprietor and gay incubus. Sensuality is more than just Dhiar's stock in trade, it is his raison d'etre. In Incubus Tales: A Thousand Words, Dhiar meets new loves, rekindles relationships, and bring his special brand of sexual healing to lovers and readers alike.
Also available in paperback!