driftfleet | (no subject)

[he decides to break up Mattias' awkward mood by giving him a hearty clap on the back.]

Ease up, little Nightjar! I came down to say hello. I couldn't just sit still on my ship and let you have all the fun, after all.

[Robin seems just as friendly and smiley in person. something about him seems a little strange, of course, but no stranger than an alien world and a bunch of other magical weirdoes crammed into spaceships. he seems very relaxed, dressed well, speaks to Matthias as if he was a good friend rather than someone he met a couple of days ago.]

And I heard there was a sale on shoes? Which... Might as well... [a little shrug.]

[A clap on the back works like magic, even if it does knock him forward. Laughing, Mattias relaxes, easing into a natural smile.]

Shoes? [He glances down at his own boots, newly fixed by the Atroma.] I suppose looking couldn't hurt. But I didn't take you for that much of a shopper, Robin. I'm afraid I might be... a little out of place.

[Words fade as another window distracts him. A luxurious garment similar to a sherwani heavily embroidered in silver thread catches his eye. His gaze lingers on it. A little out of place, my ass.] I wonder if they have anything in gold...

Well, in my experience, good clothes are hard to find on our little journey--and I've recently come into a little extra pocket money.

[sure, that's because he almost died, started a week's worth of drama, and became the single most loathsome person in the Fleet for many overnight--but his ratings were great!]

Come on, let's get you some clothes.

[yep he's just going to start walking towards that store.]

[He knows where this is going before Robin even says it and slows to halt to properly protest.] You can't be serious.

[And yet he keeps walking. By the time Mattias jogs to catch up he's already catching the closing door.] Robin! There's a difference between a little extra and money and a whole outfit's worth. I'll not be in your debt so soon after arriving it's-

[Oh my god, these clothes are gorgeous. His protest dies in his throat when he spots at least ten different jackets he would absolutely wear. He thinks to his own clothes, the wear and tear was erased but his memories still clung to it. If he was offering, would a change of clothing truly be so bad?] ... I've got nothing to pay you back with.

[oh, but he's ready! he spins on his heel, taking a couple of steps into the shop while he talks.]

You have a charming personality and a free evening. I'm afraid you'll be stuck with me all day, if you want to make it even. What do you like? You need something for around your ship, of course, and then maybe something for more formal occasions...

[oooo the shoes are on sale!]

I-that's it?

[His company as compensation. No one's ever even wanted him around before let alone called him charming. It feels good. Better than good. Like his heart is paper and the tips are curling in.] Well, if you insist.

[With a neverending smile he glides in, running his hand around the clothing. They're all different. Bikinis to kurtas, hanboks to miniskirts. A myriad of fabrics, a thousand different textures.]

I've never seen half these fabrics. [He mutters, pulling out a wool sweater, pinching the fabric between his fingers.] It's thick. Robin, have you felt this?

[he started wandering through the darks, the leathers, the denim--but he never goes very far, and it's easy for him to look back over when his attention is called.]

Oh, yeah. That's wool. [he wanders over, reaches out for the sleeve anyway, just to feel it himself--] Comes from sheep. Some people are horribly allergic to it.

[which he says with a big smile--because, as old as he is, he really likes it when people are able to find awe in the mundane. humans are terrible, as a whole, but people... they're the reason he even bothers stepping planetside.]

It's good for keeping warm, though.

Keep warm? [He laughs, putting the sweater back.] Why would anyone need to keep warm?

[Cold weather still feels like a myth. He pulls out a pleather miniskirt next, holding it to his chest, then his waist before looking to Robin quizzically.] What's this?

[He waves the skirt, laughing lightly.] Half a tunic? A shirt? [He holds it over his chest. It's barely long enough to cover his ribs.] It barely covers anything! And why does this leather feel so... fake?

It gets cold in space, Mattias. The heat just...

[but then he looks over at the man who is trying to make sense of a boring old miniskirt and has to cover his mouth not to burst into loud laughter in the middle of the store.]

No, no, that's a skirt-- [lowering his hands only so that he can grab the thing out of Mattias hands and hold it to the other's body where it's supposed to be.] Lower half, it's supposed to show off your legs. Usually it's for women-- [another mischievous laugh.] --I know some men who can pull it off, but I don't think it's a look for you.

[Mattias scoffs, faking insult.] I'll have you know I have perfectly adequate legs for a skirt! Not that you could tell in these pants...

[Muttering, he takes the skirt, smoothing it out where it should be and thinking.] Hm. Yeah, I'd say... on my old uniform the skirt would reach about down... to here? [He pulls the miniskirt away and motions to just above his knees, about twice the length of the garment in his hand.] It was a tunic, but. [He shrugs, laughing.] Basically a skirt. The point is I looked good in it.

[With a thoughtful frown he holds the miniskirt up and shrugs.] I could probably make it work.

[Not that he will. Without any more of a fuss, he puts it back, sorting through the rest of the racks.] Really, though. For women to wear that sort of thing.

[he snickers all the way through his explanation, has to busy himself looking at something to keep his composure. really--this was already the best idea.]

It's not real leather. It's synthetic. [he pulls out a button-up shirt, kind of classy, and holds it up in Mattias' direction... and, offhandedly:] Remind me that I've got a present for you later, speaking of.

Synthetic?

[A question to himself, an out-loud note for later. Look up synthetic. And wool. And miniskirts. Already, it was getting to be a long list. Luckily, the shirt distracts him from adding more. Tilting his head, he regards it curiously before plucking it from Robin's hand. Turning to the mirror, he holds the shirt up and looks himself over. It was... a different look. A far cry from the clothes he was used to but that didn't have to be a bad thing. Particularly not if it was a gift.] First you buy me clothes, then surprise me with a present? I fear I'm in danger of being spoiled.

[Really, he'll die from the flattery.

With a shrug, he throws the shirt over his shoulder to try on for later, gliding back to the racks of clothing.] Oh! [He stops suddenly, perking up.] I meant to tell you-I managed to test the augment.

[he surrenders the shirt without a fight, pleased that he even takes the suggestion. Tek would have just frowned at it, started pointing out all of the flaws, raised a disdainful eyebrow at a difference in style. ...he really needs to start hanging out with better friends.

so he chooses to say nothing to the 'spoiled' comment, instead letting them glide right into the next topic.]

Did you? Your own? [the clothes can wait. this he wants to hear.] What'd you learn?

[Mattias pulls out another shirt similar to the one Robin picked.] That you were right. I managed to slice the skin above it before I had to stop. It was incredibly painful but-[He pauses, frowning at the shirt before putting it back. Something about it was different than Robin's. Less satisfactory.]-it was odd. I was unprepared. I'd watched the earlier broadcast of it, of course. I knew the effects were psychological but I underestimated how much.

[He says it so simply, as if discussing the weather. ] How should I put this...? Maybe it was like isolation? But in full view of your escape.

[Lifting up a pair of leopard print skinny jeans now he holds them too his legs.] Are these meant for humans?

[...] Yes, Nightjar. Those are meant for humans.

[very interesting, though. his smile stays for the explanation but fades as he absently reaches up towards his own augment--buried pretty deep, not easy to notice. it's very easy to forget that he has it; his blood accepts it as part of his body, after all, as if it wasn't, even now, altering his basic chemistry.]

That's interesting. [he lowers his hand again, smirks wryly.] I suppose, then, I can admit that I tried to remove mine too, at the start of things. Ran into similar problems.

If you reached the limit I met that must make you quite the extraordinary man, Robin. [Mattias smiles, oblivious to his companion's discomfort. Placing the skinny jeans back he finally moves on to the clothes that felt more familiar picking from long jackets and tailored vests that were embellished with embroidery.] I expect if I were someone else, my mind would have cracked under the strain. The fact that yours didn't speaks highly of you.

[Sliding one of the jackets off the hanger he fits it over his current clothes, buttoning the collar high.] I'm impressed.

[Curious as he is, he won't ask what the experience was like. That's a question for a later date.]

[something about that makes him laugh...]

You manage flattery while speaking so highly of yourself in the process...

[but he doesn't mind, watching him try on jackets, maybe forgetting that he'd originally showed up to shop for himself.]

I'm not a stranger to terrible things, I suppose.

Shouldn't I? I'm quite impressive.

[He smooths out the fabric of the jacket, turning to inspect himself in the mirror.] Terrible things have a curious way of making interesting people. It's unfortunate, but I won't complain.

[Which reminds him... He pauses, hands still splayed on the front of the jacket as he glances towards Robin.] Speaking of... Robin. Have you, um. [Goddess protect him.] What is your opinion on tentacles?

[Subtle.]

[there's just more laughter from Robin. he's easy with laughs. they roll out of him like everything he hears is a cute punchline.

...well, except that last part. he leans back from the question, lightly rattling the hangers behind him. he manages to keep a very straight face, despite having physically recoiled a little.]

Mostly nonexistent. [he raises an eyebrow.] Why are you asking?

[The rattling earns a glance back. The repulsion eases him. He smiles in relief.]

No, no reason. It was just something I'd heard.

...From who? About what?

[because, call it a hunch, but that didn't sound quite like an innocent inquiry about cephalopods.]

Just a mutual friend. [Stripping free of the jacket, Mattias pulls on another.] It doesn't matter now. You disproved him.

Ah...

[maybe he'll let it go. maybe he'll be content to let that HA HA HA who are we kidding. Robin leans over, plucking up a striped trilby from on top of one of the nearby displays. it is much too large for Mattias, which does not at all stop Robin from suddenly pulling it down over Mattias' head.]

It was Tek, wasn't it? That asshole...

Got it in one. [He pulls the hat off with a frown, dusting off the brim before fixing his own hair. The hat ruined the gel job. Horrible.] He caught me doing research. Said you had an... unnatural fondness for tentacles. Among other things.

[He tries not to think about the rest.]

[well, if he's going to take off the hat, Robin is going to unhelpfully drape an arm over his shoulder and hang there. like an obnoxious pet, or maybe a parasite. his good mood seems to have deflated.]

One, I'm a little wary to ask what kind of research you were doing, and two... Tek is one of the most atrocious, self-absorbed liars I have ever met.