Introduction
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Couche — On Clothing is an intermission from Jun Mochizuki's The Case Study of Vanitas, set between Mémoire 60: Bonne journée and Mémoire 61: Jeu de paume (Part One).
Synopsis[]
Shortly before Vanitas and Dominique went out into town together.
Amelia is covered in a cold sweat though she does her best to keep her expression composed. Dominique, seated before Amelia dressed in a modest dress that is not hers, apologizes profusely for the inconvenience as she hadn’t brought any other clothing with her. After the disastrous fight at the amusement park, the clothing Dominique, Vanitas, and Noé were wearing were sent to be carefully laundered and mended, as it was all in tatters. Amelia, doing Dominique’s hair in a braided bun, replies with a petrified voice that thanks is not needed and she’s just relieved her clothes fit Dominique.
Dominique coyly clasps her hands over her chest and teasingly comments that one place in particular is surprisingly very loose, though the cape she is wearing with the outfit covers it well. Amelia is not even listening. Fretting so much she is steps away from losing her mind, Amelia finishes Dominique’s hairstyle with trembling hands. She was fine when Noé and Vanitas were in the room as well, but the former is asleep while the latter is changing clothes himself in the bathroom. And now that she is alone with Dominique she has no idea what to do or say. Amelia continues to worry endlessly in her own mind—that despite Dominique’s insistence to not be formal with her, Amelia is just a village girl and thus can’t imagine even being allowed near Dominique, whether she’s said anything out of hand, if her clothes are clean. All the while Dominique watches her knowingly.
Dominique takes Amelia’s hand in hers and asks if she’s nervous. Amelia chokes on nothing and turns a bright red. Dominique is understanding, and repeats aloud the sentiment shared by the public about the House de Sade in general. A family of dangerous and capricious hedonists. Amelia frantically tries to deny this, but Dominique simply confirms that as total fact. Even herself who is a de Sade can’t read the true intentions of her elder sister, elder brother, and grandfather behind their devious smiles and laughter. At once the de Sades are feared widely, that any who offends them would pay with their life, and observed as entertainment to witness whatever trouble they next cause. “Costuming,” Dominique says, is not just the literal physical way of adorning oneself with beautiful clothing and ornaments. It is also a way to conceal one’s true nature and be seen as something else entirely. She thinks back to the way she usually held herself, the brash and pompous and almost condescending manner of acting and speaking, so much like her siblings and family.
Dominique suddenly stands up to her feet. Twirling the skirt of the simple dress she currently dons, she smiles and asks if she still looks like a terrifying de Sade. Amelia stares with a flush at Dominique’s appearance, then giggles lightly and answers, not at all. A knock comes from the other side of the room. Vanitas exits the bathroom, dressed neatly in a nice suit, and asks if they are ready. Amelia and Dominique stare at him in surprise. Dominique dramatically gestures to him with a flourish announcing how different he looks, making Amelia giggle. Vanitas replies with a deadpan that he simply changed clothes. He walks past them, catching Dominique’s attention when she catches a waft of him wearing a scent. Vanitas confirms that he is wearing a pomander just as he did in the bal masqué, and he’ll have to cover himself up in that way for a while. Dominique is confused.
Amelia watches Vanitas and thinks back to when the group of them first arrived home, so heavily injured as they were. Vanitas had deposited his signature coat with Amelia, apologizing for how often that had to happen. Amelia had balked at just how much it was thoroughly stained with blood, while Vanitas requested she mend his gloves and cloak in particular as quickly as she could. And, as he always did, he gave her special rolls of fabric to be used to mend his clothes. Concealing one’s true nature so as to be perceived as something else. As Vanitas irritably looks at his bed covered in things and Dominique adjusts the hat she puts on in a mirror, Amelia wonders if the same principle applies for Vanitas himself.
In the past. Luna, pulling the hood of their pure white cloak over their head, grins cheekily. All the clothing collected in the room they were all in had been specially made by some “dangerous friends” that they were proud of. Luna encouraged a young Vanitas and Mikhail to take whatever they liked and choose whichever clothing would be the most soothing to have with them. While Mikhail looked around the collection of countless clothing items with awe and glee, Vanitas disdainfully looked around until he turned and saw a certain coat. Large and billowy and with long sleeves, perfect for hiding the shape of his body.
In the present day. Vanitas seats himself at the foot of Noé’s bed. Noé is still dead asleep, tightly hugging his pillow to his chest and somehow already turned around so that he is lying with his head at the foot of the bed, right near where Vanitas sits. Vanitas closes his eyes and allows the soothing feeling to wash over him for just that moment.
Later on, Noé is seated in the dining room. He is crossed between delightedly enjoying the rest of his tarte tatin and tearfully cursing out Vanitas and Dominique for not waking him up as he wanted to go with them. Amelia, endlessly charmed by Noé, serves him some tea and thinks to herself that he most likely would be the same no matter what he wears.
Characters[]
- Amelia Ruth
- Dominique de Sade
- Noé Archiviste
- Veronica de Sade (Mentioned only)
- Antoine de Sade (Mentioned only)
- The Teacher (Mentioned only)
- Vanitas
- Vanitas of the Blue Moon*
- Mikhail*
(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.
Terms[]
Trivia[]
- Couche is literally translated as "layer" or "coat" from French.
[]
v - e - t | The Case Study of Vanitas Chapters |
---|---|
Parisian Excursion Arc | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 |
Bal Masqué Arc | 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 |
Hunters of the Dark Arc | 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 |
The Beast of Gévaudan Arc | 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 34.5 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 38.5 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 |
Amusement Park Arc | 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 54.5 • 55 • 55.5 • 56 |
Miel Incident Arc | 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 61.5 • 62 • 62.5 • 63 |
Intermissions | 15.5 • 46.5 • 51.5 • 60.5 |
Volumes | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 |
Omake | Romance is a✰LOVE MISSION |
Other | Vanitashu no Karute • Author's Notes |