We Can Make A Dress So Pretty

[papillion_de_resistance]

Who: Gabriel and anyone, but especially those who'll be participating in his fashion show (Open with one closed prompt)
Where: The Auradon prep Home Ec room
When: A few days after the holiday party
What: Taking final measurements for those in the fashion show, general socializing with the awkward fashion nerd for others
Warnings: Shouldn't be any besides maybe some feels? Will add more if need be.

Final Measurement Appointments

Most of those in Auradon would know Gabriel as being a bit awkward, but those who visited the Home Ec room today would find him in his element. A tantalizing glimpse of a rack of partly finished dresses- and one child-sized suit- could be seen peeking through the gaps of a curtained off area, while finalized design sketches of the same outfits decorated the bulletin board. Meanwhile Gabriel stood ready with measuring tape and notebook as well as a sturdy step stool for those who were on the shorter side as he awaited his prospective models.

Any knocks on the door during the expected timeframe would be met with a warm smile. "Ah, welcome," he said. "Please, come in and we'll get started."

Wonder Twins?- Closed to Nagihiko

Gabriel smiled down at Nagihiko. "I'm glad you were willing to help out," he said. "I understand why the situation would feel a bit awkward to your sister, but thankfully at this age there shouldn't be too much difference between the two of you." That would all change once puberty happened of course, but for now, one twin's measurements should suffice for both. He may have to do a few quick stitches for Nadeshiko on the day, but that would be a simple matter. "If you could take off your hoodie and any other bulky clothing, we'll begin."

General Socializing

Measurements taken, Gabriel could be found hard at work, finishing up the outfits for his new line. Whether tightening up the waistline just so, adjusting the length of a hem, or letting out the sleeves just a bit, he'd do his best to make certain every detail was perfect. Agreste originals demanded nothing less. But that didn't mean he would be especially averse to visitors. And honestly it may be a good idea for someone to poke in on him from time to time, lest he miss a meal or two.

Comments

[nadenagi]

He nodded. "Back home... mom and grandma made anything she didn't just buy," he mumbled, hunching shyly into himself. "Or her school uniform, but they did her fitting. She seems really outgoing but... I mean ever since we turned thirteen she..." he squirmed a bit more, looking down. He dug his hands deep into his hoodie pockets.

[papillion_de_resistance]

He nodded. "I quite understand," he said. "It's something that happens to a lot of people around your age, regardless of gender, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. I know I was certainly awkward at that age."

[nadenagi]

"When... when did you stop being awkward?" he asked, shyly, glancing up at him.

[papillion_de_resistance]

Gabriel's smile shifted to one of wry amusement. "Truthfully? I don't think I ever quite grew out of it," he said. "Though I did get better at managing it when I needed to. And thankfully I grew into myself properly after spending most of my teenage years as what felt like an gawky tangle of overly-long limbs."

[nadenagi]

"But... you seem okay now... like a full adult and everything..." he said awkwardly.

[papillion_de_resistance]

"That's because you're seeing me in my element," he said. "Fashion is the area I'm most confident in. How I express myself. The rest of the time, well... let's just say that my wife was always much better when it came to socializing." His smile became softer, fonder, but with a touch of sadness.

He cleared his throat softly changing the subject a bit. "What about you, young man? Your sister has dance, but how do you express yourself? What is it that you enjoy doing?"

[nadenagi]

"Also dance..." he admitted. "We were both raised that way... so.." he shrugged.

And utterly did not mention sports. He loved sports, nearly as much as dancing. But sports had always been a thing he had to do privately, had to hide. So while his emotions spiked happily when he said dance, by the time he trailed off there was also fear and shame and desperation.

[papillion_de_resistance]

A complicated mix of emotions, and one he knew all too well from his younger days. How best to approach it? He nodded his understanding. "I wish I could say that my parents raised me with a love of fashion," he said, "but it was actually quite the opposite. They were rather... old fashioned, you see, and thought that things like sewing, aesthetics, and fashion were inappropriate interests for a young man. I always felt like I had to hide my design notebooks and fashion magazines under my bed, or behind some boxes in the back of the closet."

"But as I grew, I came to realize that there was nothing shameful about being passionate about something, even if it runs counter to the expectations of those around you. Whether it's a long held dream, a professional aspiration, or simply a much loved hobby, our passions are part of who we are. To deny them is to deny a part of oneself."

[nadenagi]

Something about that absolutely sparked something in the kid, but he forced himself to squash it before it ever showed on his face.

He gave a small shrug. "One of us will get to take over the dance studio after dad," he said. "We have to focus on that. Whichever one of us is better wins..."

And the other vanishes. He didn't say that, of course. Just like he didn't mention that Nadeshiko was already supposed to be gone; that he was sure something was wrong with him because she wasn't. And because the thought of her being gone scared him as much as the thought of her taking over and being the only one. Both thoughts terrified him. And while he wasn't showing anything more on his face or in his posture than the words and his shyness would account for, fear and sorrow were looming large within his heart. He slid his hands further into his pockets, clutching the two eggs that were hidden within desperately.

He wanted to run away. But there would be no way to explain that. So he just had to stay and play the role until he could leave without an issue.

But this wasn't supposed to be a role any more. This was just supposed to be him now.

But how could it be, when he was still so unsure who he was...?

[souls_of_roles]

Kyoko was almost vibrating when she skipped inside, excited. This was going to be like when she got to try out for the role of that rich young lady when she first started out, but a million times better. It was going to be like a magic spell cast on her, especially once she asked Mallia to do make up for her! She was so happy she could cry from joy!

She was so happy she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking and almost walked right into a table. She caught herself only at the very last minute, with her hands, jolting the table and everything on it... And possibly the person hard at work bent over it.

[papillion_de_resistance]

Thankfully Gabriel hadn't been working at the table at the time, though the impact did shift a sewing box dangerously close to the edge of the table, as well as sending a loose spool of thread, several fabric pencils, and a roll of blue ribbon scattering across the floor. It also brought Gabriel out from the curtained off area to see what the noise was. He smiled a bit amused at the scene. "Hello, Kyoko," he said before bending down to retrieve the roll of ribbon as it bumped into his shoe. "I'm glad you're apparently excited for your fitting, but you should still watch where you're going."

[souls_of_roles]

"Sorry!" she said, bowing deeply. She was still excited, but that was no excuse to not be polite.

[papillion_de_resistance]

"It's quite alright," he said, pushing the sewing box back from the edge of the table a bit and moving to retrieve the other fallen items. "I'll need you take off any bulky clothing that you're wearing. You don't need to strip down entirely, but wearing anything too heavy would result in inaccurate measurements."

[souls_of_roles]

"Alright. Shorts and teeshirt okay?" she asked. She always wore both under her uniform anyway. Thankfully he wasn't asking for like... Setsuka levels of thin clothes. That would have been more embarrassing than she could handle. But shorts and tee shirt was like gym clothes, and that was fine!

[papillion_de_resistance]

"That should be quite alright, yes," he said. "You can change behind the curtain if you like, though don't touch the dresses on the rack. Most of them still have a fair number of pins in them. You will get to try on the one you'll be wearing though, as I'll want to get a look at it on you before I make the final adjustments."

[souls_of_roles]

"Alright!" she said happily. She was humming to herself as she went around the curtain and pulled it closed to change. Didn't take her long at all. Longer was folding her clothing neatly and making sure the stuff that had been in her pockets and her waist pouch were neatly and carefully placed. She came out, bouncing again.

[papillion_de_resistance]

Gabriel smiled. "Please step over here," he said directing her where to stand. "And while I'm glad you're excited, you'll need to keep relatively still while I'm working so I can get accurate measurements." He couldn't exactly measure while she was bouncing like that after all.

[death_from_above]

As a cat, Spark had a tried and true age old method for making someone who needed a meal break take one. He jumped up onto Gabriel's work, smart enough to wait for a moment when that work had no pins or needles in it. Once up he settled himself to lay out in such a way to cover as much of whatever Gabriel had been focusing on as possible.

[papillion_de_resistance]

Well it got his attention, if nothing else. "Spark," he said. "Get off of that. You'll get cat hair all over it." And orange definitely didn't go with this dress.

[death_from_above]

He stretched and yawned. And then flexed his claws like he was considering making some biscuits.

He was giving off smug emotions like anything. But then... cat. Really though, he knew that this would get Gabriel up if nothing else would. And even of that failed he had a hairball shaped backup plan.

No one could ignore hungry cat for long when hungry cat was determined.

[papillion_de_resistance]

Animal emotions were always harder to pick up on than human ones. He wasn't sure why; maybe it was just a quirk of the Butterfly Miraculous' magic? The why of it wasn't especially relevant though, so he'd always opted not to bother Nooroo with the question.

Spark thought was definitely radiating smugness. When it looked like he was about to bring out the claws though Gabriel stood up and hastily plucked him from the table and thus the project. "And definitely none of that," he said. "The only pinholes in this dress should be the ones I put there." Project safe for the moment, he gently lifted Spark to roughly eye-level. "Surely there must be a more comfortable place for you to settle in for a nap than in the middle of my sewing."

[death_from_above]

"MERAOW" he said loudly.

Most humans would presume that meant feed me wouldn't they?

[papillion_de_resistance]

Most would indeed, and Gabriel was no exception. "I'm beginning to wonder if Garfield really doesn't feed you, given how often you come to me," he said. "Clearly someone is, because you haven't suffered for it, but still, I might have to talk to him about that. Whether you're technically Adrien's cat or not, here you're his responsibility and he needs to take that seriously."

He glanced up at the clock while settling Spark into a more comfortable position, noting the time with surprise. "Is it really that late already?", he stretched a little, as much as he could while holding a cat. "No wonder I'm so stiff."

Even so, he lanced down at the dress he'd been working on, reluctant to leave it. After a moment he shook his head though, heading out the door on route to the dining room. "No, I should get both of us something to eat at least. Hopefully we haven't missed dinner."

[death_from_above]

"Merow" he agreed, snuggling in.

This. Was. Still. So. Weird.

He was almost starting to think it wasn't an act. Even Dominic's drama geek friends weren't this committed to a role. The only ones he knew who were were bakers. Still... it was Adrien at risk if he was wrong. He had to be careful. Had to be.

He wished Adrien were here, but failing that... he wished Leia or the Doctor was. Someone he could ask for advice from who already knew everything...

[papillion_de_resistance]

He gently scritched Spark's ears as he walked. "After the fashion show I should really make an effort to spend some time with Garfield," he said. "I guess not even being transported to another dimension can cure a person of their bad habits; I get lost in my work just as easily here as I do back home. It's just... simpler to focus on something I'm comfortable with, as opposed to something as complicated as a strained relationship."