Shopping and Other Things [Rina]

[Tally]

Ruben pointed at some blue cloth.  "What about that?"

[Anonymous]

"That would look good on ya." Doyle liked the color and held it up against Ruben, "I like it."

He tended to go with simple neutral tones for his own clothes, but he wanted to see Ruben in something prettier than that.

[Tally]

"Yeah?"  The shop had only one battered, warped mirror, so he went with Doyle's judgement.  "I'll get it then."

He'd brought clothes from the observatory, but was still short one coat and one shirt due to the fire.  "Don't you need some, too?"

[Anonymous]

"Yup. Seems I keep losin' or lendin' mine out. I should see about gettin' StarFire some real clothes as well. Can't have him runnin' around in my shirt forever."

He picked up a simple bolt of sturdy, rough cloth in a tannish color, "This'll do for me."

[Tally]

"We can't have that," Ruben said, acid in his voice.

He inspected the bolt of cloth Doyle chose, felt the texture of it.  "You should get something softer."

A bolt of cloth nearby was of a similar color, but a tighter weave.  Ruben held up the loose end of it.  "This one's better.  Feel."

[Anonymous]

"Well, the kid deserves some actual pants and he hasn't really found a way to make money yet." Doyle reached over, feeling the cloth, "It's much nicer. But it's probably more expensive."

Doyle wasn't strapped for cash, but he suddenly had more mouths to feed and paying Niamh for her help, he was wary of splurging too much.

[Tally]

"Not that much more."  He tilted his head, considering.  "Not for one shirt, maybe.  I think you should get it."

He avoided the subject of StarFire.  How it was that the slave managed to come up in every conversation never ceased to grate on his nerves.

[Anonymous]

"Well, okay." He didn't want to disappoint Ruben, and he could afford it. So why not. He would just be a little careful with his spending.

"What else did you need besides a shirt?"

[Tally]

Ruben had picked up a bolt of simple white linen to replace his tunic with.  This was all he needed from this place.

"No, this is it.  To the tailor's then?"

[Anonymous]

"Alright." Doyle smiled and went to discuss the price of the cloth with the owner. A few coins passed hands and he started over to the tailor's with Ruben, "You look good in that blue. Flatters ya."

Doyle winced in his head, wishing he was better with words. He didn't know how to tell Ruben he was beautiful without sounding awkward and weird.

[Tally]

"Do you think so?"  He smiled up at Doyle.  Sometimes he felt sheepish or ashamed that he cared about his appearance as he did.  He didn't think he worried about it over much, but it was still vanity, and he still felt he should have been beyond it.  What Doyle had said flooded him with warmth.

[Anonymous]

Doyle felt so awkward, like he just kept shoving his foot in his mouth. He nodded his head, cheeks slightly flushed and tried to act much more casual than he felt, "Sure. I bet you'll turn some heads when ya get the new clothes all made."

[Tally]

Ruben shrugged.  He kept up his appearance to please himself, and fortunately the college had the same idea.  It couldn't have a representative out and about in the world wearing a brown sack—that would reflect badly on all of them back in Serendipity—so his stipend included a generous portion given over to clothing and adornments.  He could afford the finer cloth.

The tailor's was nearby, and Ruben gave over his cloth first along with instructions that would probably need to be repeated several times before they actually got it right.  He waited with arms folded while they cut the cloth.

[Anonymous]

Doyle handed his over as well, with much less demanding instructions. The tailor seemed rather nervous around Doyle, giving him odd looks and avoiding eye contact. It was pretty normal for him and he was used to it, thanks to his wife's stories people had a less than pleasant impression of him.

"Ruben? It's gonna take some time. Wanna go stop by the inn for some lunch? My treat."

[Tally]

Ruben snapped his fingers at the tailor.  "Pay attention."  The man wasn't even looking at Doyle while he spoke.  Their clothes would probably come out looking like they'd been sewn by a blind man.

"I suppose."  He did not like the idea of leaving the tailor to his own devices.  He'd ruin the cloth for sure, probably steal a portion of it as well, but neither did he want to stand over the man like an overseer.

"Do attempt to produce something halfway recognizable.  You're tearing every stitch out if you don't."

[Anonymous]

"Ruben." Doyle frowned at his friend, feeling awkward at his ill manners, "Don't be so rude. I'm real sorry about that sir. I'm sure your work will be excellent quality as always."

He gave a small bow to the offended merchant and dragged Ruben off before he could say anything else offensive, "Ya can't go around talkin' ta people like that. You wouldn't be happy if someone spoke to you in that way, would ya?"

[Tally]

The tailor watched with wide eyes as Doyle dragged Ruben away.  Ruben might have had more words to say to the man, but Doyle was unstoppable as an avalanche.  He shot the tailor a parting glare to let him know he was serious.

"Don't you apologize to him, the man is an incompetent simpleton.  He wasn't even listening to you while you were talking."  When they finally stopped, he straightened out his clothes.  Doyle allowed people to get away with far too much.

"No one has a need to speak to me like that, because I am not inept at what I do, and if someone ever did I'd set them straight because they obviously need correction."

[Anonymous]

"That ain't his fault. He was listening, I just tend to make people a little nervous is all. He's a good tailor. And even if ya had a problem, bein' mean ain't the way to handle it." Doyle kept a hand on the small of Ruben's back, keeping him close as they moved toward the inn for lunch.

[Tally]

"He better have been."  Ruben tried to crane his head back to catch sight of the tailor again, but Doyle was herding him away and they'd nearly reached the inn.  "And you shouldn't stand for that kind of disrespect.  If he's as good as you say he is, then his work can speak for him."

[Anonymous]

"It's alright. I don't mind none. And his work will speak for itself, same way your work speaks for you." Doyle held the door open for Ruben, the inside of the inn cool and dark after the warm afternoon sun, "It'll all be fine and soon you'll get ta show off how good you'll look in yer new clothes."