[PRP] pretty things for pretty people (alexis & nasir)

[azuredreams]

Nasir glanced towards Alexis before he was turning into the parking lot for the mall. They had gone all the way to Boston, to the biggest mall, and they were going to go shopping.

Why? Because Nasir was absolutely taking them on a shopping trip. While they had a fairly good selection of things, a lot of it was second hand, and it was past time they had their own wardrobe of nice things.

The was put into park and turned off. Alexis was then given a look.

A very serious look.

It looked out of place on Nasir, especially when he smiled.

"So are you absolutely not ready?" he inquired.

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

To say otherwise would be denying it -- on the drive to Boston, Alexis had gotten nervous, fidgety. They'd gotten used to Ashdown, to where their clear Otherness was just something that was, where they could get second looks and still know they were not alone. Boston, though? In this new world, that was unexplored territory; and it reminded them of how painfully visible their immersion in magic was. Their eyes, their neck, their teeth, their sides (their sternum, their lower back, their wrist, their fingertips - just because it was scarring and not a change didn't mean it wasn't a result) - one of those they could conceal, always, and two if they were lucky. But they had no intentions of wearing sunglasses or a medical mask.

It was just something that was.

"I'm fine,," Alexis said, in the way that said they absolutely were not completely fine but they didn't want that to be pointed out. "What could I make you do, anyways, turn around? Nah. I need new clothes anyways." They picked at a hole on the knee of their pants, absent-mindedly.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir let out a small huff. "You could've told me no, Alexis, and I would've respected that." Instead he was leaning into the back of the car and pulling out an older jacket of his with a higher collar.

With his habit of wearing more skirts and potentially pretty frilly things it did not mesh as well. The weather had gone a bit colder and it would do them good to wear it. It had a bit of a cowl neck on it so, when it was properly buttoned up and on them, not only would it hide their gills (still giving them time to breathe) but they could tuck their face into it if they wanted.

He would never bring them out without giving them a way to comfortably hide.

"... but hopefully this will help and we'll find you some things you'll like. Also possibly buy some other stuff." Maybe some other ridiculous thing like the giant shark body pillow he had gotten for Alexis (that they could practically sleep inside of).

Daekie

jacket is something like this! they can keep it <3

 

[Daekie]

"Y'wanted to," Alexis huffed right back, "not gonna say no to that..." But it wasn't any real sort of protest, not really. They wanted to be here, out of necessity, out of the need for new clothing and the want to spend time with Nasir; it was just that some things were unsettling, and as always, they overcompensated by being prickly.

Their ears went blush-pink when Nasir pulled out the jacket and they ducked their face away, still pulling at threads on their knees. "Y'didn't have to. Thanks. ...As long as it's not too expensive, I'll do my best to look at things that aren't monochrome, but don't getcha hopes up for me becoming the embodiment of 80s neon."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Thankfully Nasir saw past the unsettling (and the unease that one felt around them constantly) and would spend time with Alexis regardless. He simply wanted them to have a few moments of no stress and good things.

People he cared for and loved deserved that.

"No, I didn't, but I did because I care about you." Probably going to make that ear blush worse but he said it regardless with a smile. "If you actually pick out three things that are all different colors, I'll be thrilled but you don't have to. Monochrome is trending, you know ..."

Making sure they had the jacket in hand, he was opening the car door to get out.

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

"Shut upppp," Alexis whined; presumably their face was just as pink as their ears (although it couldn't be seen past their curtaining bangs), but they always blushed ears-down, one of those cute little quirks.

Their fingers curled tight around the jacket and they pulled it on almost as soon as they left the car, making sure the cowl was high enough (and sure enough, their face was pinked from receiving Nasir's affection); they pulled the cowl up to hide half their face. As small as they were comparatively, it did the job well. "I wear colors! Teal's a color. Red's a color. I own at least two colors."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir was just laughing, eyes crinkled at the edges a little bit as he fixed his glasses and locked the car up.

"I'll try," he promised and then waited for them to join him to walk into the mall. Nasir was smiling a bit more because of Alexis hiding in the jacket. It was cute, he couldn't help but like it, and he linked an arm with theirs once they were close enough just because he could.

... because he would never not be affectionate with people close to him. There were personal boundaries and bubbles, he knew of them, but they were so hard to abide by when he cared and wanted to show that.

"They're good colors," he replied, "and we're probably going to find things in varying versions of those shades you're going to like. A couple of new clothing places opened up that are a bit more avant garde here so I'm hoping there's going to be cool stuff."

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

Alexis kept close to Nasir, their arm twined with his (and the jacket smelled good, really, and that did help with everything a little bit more). "I haven't been actually clothes shoppin' in years," they admitted quietly, "not actually paying for things if it's not Goodwill or the like, y'know? So it's a little intimidating. But you know what looks good better than I do, so if you're happy, 'm happy."

Their eyes still flickered around, sizing up the area; but it wasn't really voluntary anymore, to spot where the escapes were. It was the same way they searched out water sources and kept a thermos of cold water on hand when they carried a bag around, the same way other ashdown was their retreat when things got to be too much and they needed to get it all out. (Bloody knuckles, tattered nails, their legs not working due to exertion. It was ways to keep safe, on their own. To make sure they were safer.)

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Not gonna knock Goodwill," he replied, nudging his shoulder against theirs with a smile. "I mean, I found this amazing pair of boots there that carried me through like ... six states.

"Besides, that goes both ways. You're happy, I'm happy. It's all I want." Nasir stuck closer as they headed inside the mall. Mostly because he could see the way their eyes were darting around, noting the important places (and escapes). He used his chin to point towards the mall map.

"Let's make an attack plan about which places to go to. Efficient shopping." It would mean that it would be done sooner too because if they knew what places they were going to definitely and other places they'd just peek at.

|)aekie

word count to here: 681

 

[Daekie]

"You. Um." Alexis swallowed. "You decide? Please? I -" they waved their free hand dismissively. "You've been here before. I haven't. Makes more sense that way." Nasir knew they were redirecting the only way they knew how, cloaking it in sense, trying to make it seem like it was the more obvious option; they knew he knew, and still they did it, because saying 'I don't want to' would still never come naturally. Not to someone they liked. It was no real risk at all, but somehow it still carried the threat of one.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir just leaned and pressed a kiss to Alexis's forehead and nodded. "Alright, then we'll start up on the second floor and look at a couple of places. Might even find something cool and steampunky ..."

He knew, he always did, but Nasir would adjust and make things easier as best he could. It wasn't as if he hadn't already dragged them out of their entire comfort zone by just bringing them here.

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

"Don't really think that's my style," Alexis murmured, "but I'll try it, sure. Maybe it'll be nice. Been wanting to try more metal in my wardrobe, anyways." To be fair, Alexis hardly had a style aside from 'faintly grunge' or 'gutter rat', depending on who you asked and what time of year it was. Very occasionally it ventured into 'obligingly tomboyish', when they had a skirt.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"It isn't mine either but it's cool to look at," Nasir was smiling and that was likely enough. He was, at least, protective of Alexis once they were inside. It wasn't necessary, really, because Alexis - of the two of them - was the one more likely to ******** someone's s**t up but it was probably cute that Nasir was being protective.

Mostly because he did not want anyone to get too close unless it was okay for them to do so.

"Maybe some cool metal bits to put in our hair. That would be neat. Not like beads or whatever but something else."

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

Alexis clung close to Nasir's side, fighting down the nervousness, trying to remember nothing was a threat -- they hadn't always been like this, they remembered distantly, but they'd lost a lot during their durance. As a weapon, Alexis was more than competent; they knew the anatomy, and as a court member, they'd learned the poetry and the refrains Alois had been fond of. He hadn't been one for genuine kindness, though, and -- it was still like smoke through their fingers, grasping that self-assuredness they remembered having, before Ashdown and before magic. The ease a smile had come with, cocky, before a dare.

It was still strange, to find scraps and photos of their old self, and to recognize them but to not recognize them - not really. Someone else. Someone who wasn't here anymore, who'd been beaten down and driven out. Everything had a cost to it.

"You'd look good in it, though. Y'look good in everything. I can't pull the long skirts off like you do."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir was getting better about not turning a vivid shade of flushed whenever he was complimented about him in skirts. Mostly because while it was relatively new for him, it had not been something new for the him he had taken the place of.

The benefit was a wardrobe that was a better mix of things he was now attached to but not having all the time of being comfortable in it and used to things. Instead he just nudged Alexis a little bit, his head tilting to theirs and bumping lightly. "Pretty sure we'll find stuff that you'll look great in and might be able to run around in still."

Daekie