ph_logs | [Slightly Backdated] Merrymeet Outfit Planning

[Slightly Backdated] Merrymeet Outfit Planning

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.

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"You're Ryja. I see." Annabel's gaze rakes up and down the viera quietly. Well. She approached on the matter of business, so lets keep this professional.

"Are we aiming to compliment the colors of your ears and hair, or to contrast them and make them stand out more?"

Well. It could be worse. Ryja's nerves are kept in check by the mask, if barely. But she needs the dress, and... They can talk about River another time, when Annabel isn't so busy. It would be rather rude to find her in her place of work for that, wouldn't it?

"The more they stand out, the better. My markings glow in the dark, or even just a light shadow, which must be kept in mind." She makes sure Annabelle sees that, covering one arm from the light to reveal how brilliantly blue they can get.

"You glow!" Yes, Annabel, she just said that. But the tone there is one of pure delight, seeing the markings like that. "When I have time to make clothing from scratch, we're going to play with that properly. But for now, I've found a few dresses secondhand, owned by locals that I can fit to you. Here, come take a look?"

It's still surprising how much others like the glow. In her village, it had only every spread across her cheeks, and it was seen as a mark of strangeness. Only after she embraced her talent as an Astrologian did it spread like this. "Oh, I would be delighted to do so!" She says, as she follows to the second hand dresses.

Annabel goes through a few of the options. Pink with flowers, lavender, one that's silver and sparkly. And then she gets to that black gradient dress that was probably intended for an autumn holiday, beschmeckled in stars.

And Ryja stops on that last one, delighted. "Ah! It may be a little predictable, but I love the stars." Understatement of the week. "And I think this one would suit my shape quite nicely?"

"It will call for some adjustment around the bust, but I think it would definitely work. May I take some measurements in order to fit it to you?"

Is it weird doing this to a potential metamour? Maybe! She's trying to be professional, though.

Ryja is perfectly willing to stay professional. She's a healer, she has to be good at that, it's part of the job. Even if Annabel is super pretty and she can see why River likes her already. Local bunny kind of easy, no one is surprised.

"Of course. I have yet to ever buy something that did not required at least some adjustment." When one is shaped like Ryja is, that's an inevitability.

"Good, let me just grab my measuring tape. You, stand in the middle of the room."

And she's also going to take a deep breath. Yeah, time to talk.

Ryja is blissfully unaware the talking is nearly upon her, but still nervous as she stands in the middle of the room, rolling her shoulders a little bit and doing a little stretch of one of her legs. Viera feet are a little weird, and she has yet to get proper shoes fitted for her. By the time Annabel's back, she's made herself be still.

Annabel starts to take the measurements, gentle and careful, but it's when the tape is around Ryja's waist that she speaks.

"River did mention you."

Ah. Well, okay then. She almost but not quite babbles, "I expected her to, after we re-united. Or, met for the first but not-first time. It is all very confusing in feeling. She mentioned there were others she loved dearly, here and now." Ryja says this with a smile, the warmth of which manages to just barely settle over that of her blush, thinking about it.

"And I'm one of those others. Tarantulas made a very poor first impression, you should know."

She's more on-guard than she might otherwise be, and she wants Ryja to know that.

Ryja takes a sharp breath. Ah. There goes the warmth, to be replaced by worry. How did Tarantulas mess this up, what is she missing? But that's not something she can fix right now, is it? This is her impression.

"I knew, the first at least. Genuinely, I came because I need a dress and... I intended to perhaps invite you to a meal, or something similar, to talk about River, later." Something friendly, and light, and, well. Maybe a chance to talk about how cute River is, if Ryja was to be totally honest. There's pauses between her words, longer than usual.

Her ears are twisting just a little bit, tilted back in nervousness.

The measuring tape withdraws, Annabel stepping back to note down the numbers.

"A meal would be nice. Though if there's anything you would like me to know up-front, just say it."

Ryja has to think about it. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say she has to think around her own thoughts, really. What does one even say, here? The other version of her knew how relationships worked, but the real Ryja... "Viera do not have the sort of relationships others do, and thus... I am sailing blind into a freshly angered storm, and more so with the idea of multiple such partners." More escapes than she really meant to say, and that shows in the tilt of her ears going back even further.

What does it cost her to admit she doesn't know what she's doing? In theory, it should be very little... and yet in truth, it's so much.

Annabel closes her notebook, turning to face Ryja.

"In my world, relationships are strictly between one man and one woman for the purpose of continuing a family line. I was not expected to love my future husband, but to serve and respect and work with him. So I'm also sailing blind, but occasionally bringing faulty expectations to the table from my world. But I'm working on that."

It's not her place to comment on how lonely that sounds, compared to the relationships of those in Eorzea. But from one person who just doesn't have the background to another... Ryja gives a little nod. "She is worth learning for. At least... I want to try." All of this has exposed weakness, something she shouldn't ever do, not except to her sisters, and yet... That might be the most vulnerable thing, which is why she swallows a bit and straightens her back and her ears and creates an out from this conversation with her body language, according to the nudging of her talent.

Annabel nods quietly. "She is worth learning for. She's learning, too. We're all figuring it out--together."

And that last word is an offering, an outreached hand, vaguely hopeful in tone.

The warmth is back, and the smile audible. "Together." How better to get to know River, rather than Amy, than with the people who know and love her already?

And who better to gush to about how cute her ears are?

"Excellent. I think I have what I need for your dress, but if you want to stay for a little bit longer, I could make some tea or something."

Which is a silent show of hospitality. Of welcome.

"I would love to. Do you happen to have something particularly strong? Healers ever love caffeine the world over." A simple truth of the world, of most worlds. Beware the power of nurse coffee or Astrologian tea. And a friendly amusement to share, too!

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[Slightly Backdated] Merrymeet Outfit Planning

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