kingdoms_of_auradon | We Can Make A Dress So Pretty

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We Can Make A Dress So Pretty

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.

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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.

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.

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."

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

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."

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."

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

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

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.

"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?"

"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."

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.

"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.

"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!

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.

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."

"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."

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...?

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."

That had definitely gotten a reaction, but it was one the boy mastered before it showed in his expression. An impressive feat for someone his age, but it worried him nonetheless. Both what the boy was feeling and that he felt the need to hide it. Still, he couldn't let on that he'd sensed it either, so he'd have to be a bit more subtle.

"Well if that's something that the both of you want," he said mildly. "I unfortunately haven't had the pleasure of seeing you dance, but if your skills match your sister's, I'm sure that either of you would more than do credit to such a position. But on the other hand, if the prize isn't something you truly want, I'm not sure I'd call it 'winning', even if you were to succeed."

Once again he cleared his throat softly. "But I digress. We're here for a fitting, not to wax philosophical. And for that, I'll need you to take off your hoodie and other bulky clothing so I can get accurate measurements. You can change behind the curtain if you like, though please don't touch the outfits on the rack; most of them still have a number of pins in them."

"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.

"MERAOW" he said loudly.

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

"I... I could show you, if you want..." he said, slowly, hesitantly. "My dancing, I mean." He clarified. There was hope mixed into his emotions with the offer. Whatever other issues he had with his situation, he genuinely did love to dance.

It just wasn't his only passion.

"We should get the fitting done first," Gabriel said. "Since there is a deadline to have these outfits done. But assuming there's time afterward, I'd be more than happy to see a demonstration before you leave."

"Oh, Okay. Right," he said, heading for the changing area, shoulders slumping.

He wasn't good enough. If he was his father people would be begging to see. They bought expensive tickets to see. But even Nadeshiko... people already loved to see her dancing. But Nagihiko dancing... was an afterthought. It came second if at all.

He came second.

If at all.

He closed the curtain and sat on the bench a moment. Rhythm's egg floated up and he nestled it against his face. Worry added to the mix. If Rhythm couldn't even come out of his egg... Panic was stopped short by the fact that at least the egg was moving and was warm. He gave himself a moment then carefully changed out of the hoodie, setting the eggs gently on top of it. He wasn't worried about anyone seeing the blue egg, almost no one actually could. But to be sure he tucked the pink egg under the hoodie. On the off chance someone like Mallia, who could see the charas, came in, they'd only see the blue one.

Taking a deep breath, he came out, leaving the curtain open. From those who could see the Charas, his egg wasn't exactly a secret. And anyone from whom it wasn't a secret, he was sure couldn't actually see the charas or the eggs, so it was fine.

"Where do you want me to stand?" he asked softly, looking down at his bare feet - his slippers tucjed under the bench in the changing area.

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We Can Make A Dress So Pretty

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