[Slightly Backdated] Merrymeet Outfit Planning

[witheredpeonies]

Whitlock Needleworks sits in the heart of Downtown Hollow, and mid-February a sign shows up in the window: NOW TAKING MERRYMEET ORDERS. Clearly, the new seamstress has noticed the opportunity to serve the masses, locals and offworlders alike.

Come get your gal.

Comments

[maskedstarbunny]

What a way to meet your... Not-really-wife's girlfriend? But Ryja needs a dress, and obviously Annabelle must be good. And now, with her mask, she has the confidence to do this. Which is why she's paused just outside the door and trying not to think too hard.

At least she can get a proper Astrologian's dress. That's what she thinks as she steps through.

[witheredpeonies]

What she finds is Annabelle sitting on the floor, trying to work on the train of a dress, all cream and pale grey with trim in navy blue velvet ribbon, pins sticking out of her mouth and the pincushion on her wrist, muttering foul words to herself.

A great first impression, surely.

[maskedstarbunny]

Ah, Ryja knows this one, after years of- Wait. No. That's Skov-Fisher-Thule. But still. Sympathy from the ghost of the woman she almost is. "Is this a bad time? I can come back later." In all likelihood, it isn't. Ryja's timing is usually quite convenient... But then again, sometimes the question is 'convenient for what, exactly?'

[witheredpeonies]

“If you come in any further, I may ask to borrow your hands for this project, before we discuss yours, what you need.” Convenient timing indeed! Come help the poor seamstress and set the impending drama aside for just a moment.

[maskedstarbunny]

"Well, I am happy to help before getting a dress for myself." At least it makes a good impression. Ryja steps in, "Though of course, I know quite little about this. I am better with woodcrafts, personally." Her current mask, though not the one she's working on for Merrymeet, is proof enough of that.

[witheredpeonies]

"Perhaps at some point when we're not struggling with a time constraint, we can trade the result of our talents. For the moment, though, I need you to hold this along here, straight and tight as you can so I can pin it right."

Annabel gestures Ryja nearer with a warm smile, ignorant to who she is for the moment, still.

[maskedstarbunny]

Hands steady, Ryja does exactly as told. One needs a steady hand to do Sharlayan Astrology, after all. "I would be quite happy to do so." The steady pulse of her starry markings is a sign of nervousness, but it only ever shows when a shadow falls across her skin.

[pineapplesalmon]

César signed up his NOW GIRLFRIEND for the Flower Court. Which means she's getting a beautiful, custom dress. Incidentally, he now needs an outfit of his own—one that won't look out of place next to whatever stunning dress she ends up in.

So here he is. Standing in front of the place similar to... where he had Rex as he should have been. A sweet dream, a farewell to the baby brother he missed growing up. Rex is approaching 17 back home—

He takes a breathe and opens the door to the shop, stepping inside with a smile. "Good morning!"

[witheredpeonies]

"You!" Annabel is vaguely surprised that Cesar's a real person, after that moment in the dream, planning to teach his brother to make a cloak. She startles, then recovers quickly. "Come in, come in."

[pineapplesalmon]

César smile cracks a bit, but he nods and walks in, taking care that the door shuts quietly behind him; she's different, but they all were. "Surprise, I'm real. ... my brother is, too. But he's... approaching 17, and he's back home. Our names somehow where the same, there."

He misses Rex dearly. Rex would love Magne. But, no, César needs to focus.

"I'm Magne Hikiishi's date."

[witheredpeonies]

"Oh! I've met her. She likes jewel tones. Do you know what she's planning on wearing for Merrymeet?"

Annabel blossoms into an easy smile, imagining Cesar beside Magne.

[pineapplesalmon]

"I don't know the exactly dress—that's a surprise—but I have a swatch here." César's smile returns closer to his normal self as he walks up and pulls a green fabric swatch out of his pocket. "I want to make sure I compliment her dress without overpowering it. I don't want to outshine her."

[witheredpeonies]

"Somewhere green..." Annabel laughs warmly when she sees the color. "So you could do a black suit with a cummerbund or necktie to match the dress, so you go together. Pocket square, too, maybe in a pattern containing the green, but not wholly comprised of it."

[lordoftheozarks]

He's been meaning to pay Ms. Whitlock a visit and that sign provides a perfect excuse to pop in. He actually is in need of a special order, but not for himself.

"Good afternoon," he greets politely. He is, admittedly, unsure what her reception to him is going to be at this point in time, so he's testing the waters cautiously.

"I'd like to place an order if you please?"

[witheredpeonies]

"Lord Osborne." There may be a hint of frost on the name, but she's being quite deliberate in choosing to use his title here. Big thoughts, lots of them. But she puts on a smile, as she's so good at doing.

"I'm not going to be able to sew a whole suit to your standards from scratch in the time I have left, but if you want one you already own embroidered with flowers on the lapels, that's very doable."

[lordoftheozarks]

Even he can feel that chill in her tone, but considering what she may already have heard from River, he can't be anything but relieved not to be tossed out unceremoniously on his rear.

"Ah, the order is not a suit for me, actually. But, I very much like the idea if you would be able to embroider flowers upon a woman's ball gown. I can provide general measurements to you, but it's meant to be a surprise so I would not be able to bring you the lady herself for a fitting."

[witheredpeonies]

"If it's River, I already have her measurements, and her dress is planned out."

Tunnel vision, it's not just for elves.

[lordoftheozarks]

"Ah..." he says again, slower. "It isn't. Not that I wouldn't like to give her something but, well. I have a feeling you know why that might not be appropriate just at this time."

[witheredpeonies]

"She came to talk to me about it." Annabel gestures for Erik to come closer. "We talked out a few things that needed to be said. Not just about you, but about Tarantulas and my emotions, silly things."

[cacophonish]

Jeff shows up at the shop, per Deirdre's instruction, with a garment bag in tow.

"Hey, uh. Hi! Uh... Miss Whitlock?" Yeah, that's the name on the sign. And the name Deirdre gave him. "I brought-- I need to get something fitted?"

[witheredpeonies]

"Oh! Is this a Merrymeet outfit, or something a hair less time-sensitive?" She does not look like she's gotten sleep recently, whoops. But Annabel's all blonde curls and fluttering eyelashes as she moves away from her current project to meet Jeff.

[cacophonish]

Hey, Jeff recognizes that sleep deprived look. He pretty much looks the same 24/7, though he doesn't have a good excuse for it beyond nightmares and poor time management.

"Oh, nah, it's not for Merrymeet." So, at least this won't be adding to the soiree rush. "Deirdre--" Er. "Miss Deirdre, she just hired me to be her, uh, like... like a butler?" Jeff so does not look like butler material. "Told me to get this fitted." He looks at the garment bag, as if beholding a mystery. "I guess it's, like, a suit or something."

[witheredpeonies]

"Oh, excellent. Let me see what we're working with." She gestures him to bring the garment bag closer so she can open it and glance inside.

There is a pause.

A Significant Pause.

Deirdre has a habit of evil pauses for emphasis. This is very much not that.

"Ah."

[cacophonish]

And meanwhile, this boy? He's utterly clueless. Look at him fixing Annabel with a totally innocent look.

"What? Is something wrong with the suit?"

[witheredpeonies]

"Here, take this behind that screen there and change into it, and tell me if you notice any potential issues."

Like, she doesn't want to shame anyone, but. Oh, sweetheart, no.