hadriel_logs | and in the end

Entry tags:

and in the end

Who: Glacius, Emily, and Kate
What: The giving of the sash
Where: The sewing shop
When: September 4
Warnings: Prepare to have your heart squished from a combination of cute, tsuntsun, and probably pain, lbr. Will edit for warnings as necessary.

text to glacius: your sash is done! come to the sewing shop in like 15 minutes?

text to kate: meet at the sewing shop in 10 minutes, glacius should be here in 15

[Emily, of course, is already there, inspecting the sash from one end to the other to make sure there are no loose threads and no flimsy knots that will end in any of the icicle-tassels falling apart. For having done it by hand, her lines are all straight, the stitches small and precise. They'll hold for a long, long time so long as he doesn't go charging into battle with this and using the sash for a weapon. If he wears it the way he said they do in his home, then it might last years.

She just really hopes he likes it.

No turning back now, though. The day has finally come. Kate will be here first, just to make sure they're both here when Glacius arrives. Kate was too instrumental to this project not to include her. Once, she might've taken all the credit (it was her idea), but now, she wants to do what she thinks is right by Glacius.

So honesty it is.]

Took you long enough, [Emily says when Kate comes in -- but it's not sharp or mean. It's neutral. It's a step.]

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( hey. she got here in five minutes, dammit. okay, so it took five minutes to disentangle herself from busywork at the clinic before she started travelling.

but really? five minutes from there to here? is pretty impressive, even for her. (maybe she's getting faster. she's had a tendency, since she got here, to always sprint, push herself to her speed limits without considering more than simply getting from A to B.)

but instead of griping - because, honestly, it's petty and not exactly sniping really - Kate just nods her head in greeting and finds a space near the table. (she's not entirely sure she really needed to be here, a few rocks being hunted down and some threading isn't a lot by any stretch of the imagination, but Glacius is important and she's keen to see his expression when it's presented.) )

Work.

( it's all the explanation she gives for pushing the time limit, because it's the truth and it's all she needs to say. )

[And Glacius arrives not all that long after Kate does--rarely a creature to rush, but the anticipation of seeing what his friend has made for him is enough to put some quick in his step. It's just a short walk out the door and across the bridge and then he finds himself at the sewing shop, knocking softly on the door to announce his arrival. When it is pulled open to let him in, he takes a few steps inside... then, seeing not just one of his friends but two, a tentatively surprised smile lifts his cheekbones.]

Oh..! Kate. I did not know you were here, too. [He has no idea she'd been involved with the making of the sash, given that Emily had gone completely dark on the process in order to surprise him and he'd wanted to respect her wishes.] Do you sew, too?

[All Emily gives Kate in response is a nod, a fraction of a smirk on her face. Nope, Kate doesn't need to say any more than that. Maybe one day they'll even get used to being sharp with each other for the hell of it.

Maybe one day, they'll actually be friends.

But for now, all she does is keep checking on the sash until Glacius knocks, and then she hides it behind her back as he walks in.

He's smiling. That makes Emily smile too, despite herself. It even looks like a smile, not too much like the casual smirky ones she gives.]

She doesn't, I just asked her to help me out with-- well. Let me show you.

[With a quick glance at Kate, Emily holds the sash out to Glacius.

It's a long, white, rectangular piece of fabric, and at the ends, there are tassels strung with shiny rocks, in blues and crystal clears and whites and greys. Emily gives Glacius a few seconds to observe it, then starts speaking.]

I was trying to make it a little like what your home might look like. So, the white is the snow, right, and the rocks and the tassels are like icicles.

[And now... does he like it? She keeps her smile on, determined not to show him that she's doubting her work, that she's worried he might find an imperfection in it or be offended by it.]

Only thing I can stitch is skin.

( SORRY EM. but it's true - she's getting better at that too, faster, more accurate. Kate's biting down on her cheeks to keep from smiling, but there's that dancing almost-amber light in her eyes she gets whenever she's happy. the sash looks great, if you were to ask her, and Em's clearly put a lot of thought into it.

despite herself, she feels the hope of please like it burning in her chest. but it's Glacius and she can't imagine he'd dislike something like this. )

Ah--so you both worked together on this for me? And here I didn't even know that you two knew each other. I am flattered--and deeply appreciative.... something hand-crafted by two of my favorite people in this place is an irreplaceable treasure...

[And he clearly views it as such if the way his face lights up when Emily presents the sash is any indication. His sharp green eyes travel over it, seeming to take in every little detail. White is one of his favorite colors--for obvious reasons, reasons that his friend has just described in fact-- and the stones that she and Kate have chosen shine beautifully, like a subtle layering of frost.] Ah! Look at that--very creative, my friends, and truly beautiful. I will carry this with me as a reminder of my home and your friendship both. Thank you, both of you--I mean that sincerely. I... I never expected such a show of kindness when I first arrived here...

[The ice alien's expression falters, now, clearly moved-- used to holding his emotions back, not wanting to seem unsightly, he quickly moves on before his lapse in composure can be called to attention.] Should... should I try it on?

[That stupid fucking joke.

There's no time to comment on it, or even to shoot Kate a glare, because Glacius is looking at the sash and he likes it. Oh god, he likes it. Emily's face lights up (like a little girl, almost; definitely not like the frigid bitch that she's known as, that she acts like). He likes it.]

You totally deserve it. [He deserves more than this, but it's all that they can give him.] Yeah, you can try it on if you want. See how it looks, show it off, let me know if I need to alter it or anything.

[It should be fine as is, but if it's too long, she can fix that. It looked fine on Plushius, but this is the person it's meant for, and it's going to look so good on him, she thinks, complimenting the colors of his own ice.]

( her ears are fucking burning. they always do when something makes her blush - first the ears, then it blooms on her cheeks - and with her hair up and out of the way for work, it's really obvious too. it's not like she did much, but to know Glacius appreciates it so - and to know that he holds both of them in that dear regard - is still incredibly gratifying.

she does, however, shoot Emily a glance and bite back a smile, cover it with her hand, at the look on the girl's face. it's sweet to see her out of her usual head bitch in charge persona. )

She brings the coffee cart to the clinic. ( it's Kate's explanation of how they know each other, although it goes a little further back than that, but it's simpler than "we ran into each other with weird hope-reflecting mirrors in our hands and then stumbled into each others' dreams". )

[Glacius, meanwhile, has no idea that any change has really occurred, given that Emily has never been anything but friendly with him. He's just happy that the other two are happy! Carefully accepting the sash from Emily, he turns it over in his hands--taking one last appreciative look at it--before he slings it across his broad chest, letting it rest carefully between the shiny, off-white spikes that protrude from his shoulders. The last thing that he wants is for the fabric to snag and tear! Once that's accomplished he secures the clasp over his shoulder, then.... well, if they want him to show it off he'll do his best, though he's never modeled anything before...

Placing his fists to his hips, the alien lifts his head and stands with his back perfectly straight, doing his best regal pose.] Well... how do I look..? Am I doing your hard work justice?

[Oh it looks so much better than it did on Plushius. (Thanks for your help, though, gods-given "animal" companion.)]

I love it. [And now, Emily falls back into her more normal smile, confident and proud, as she glances at Kate.] Right? You look like the most badass warrior ever, Glacius.

Perfect. ( she agrees, letting herself focus on the way it hangs. ) Em did a great job. ( she's heard enough about complimenting people - about how it brings up staff morale - and even if she hadn't...

well, this wasn't her project. she just found the stones. threaded a few. )

Now, now. Don't be modest. You both did a great job... [Glacius would carry on, but Emily's genuine remark serves only to put a look of confusion on the ice alien's face. Though he's been inundated with puns and slang since being brought to this place, that manages to be a new one for him.] What is... "bad ass"? [He doesn't even know what an ass is!] ...Have I done something wrong..?

[Emily would also try and give Kate some credit if not for Glacius's question.

Right. Cultural differences, idioms that don't translate.]

No, that's a good thing. [Emily raises both hands as if to placate him, the words coming out in a rush.] It's like... it's like if someone called you really awesome.

[She glances at Kate. Help. Please.]

( is she swallowing back a laugh? maybe. this is not the first time language misunderstandings have happened, and Kate purses her lips for a second, trying to think of a way to explain it. )

She means you're a great warrior. ( because he is pretty badass like that. ) And person.

... Oh... oh! [Glacius, finally understanding, lowers his head slightly, a flattered blush beginning to form over his cheekbones. He's been praised by people over his combat prowess and upright nature before, but those had been members of his own species... and admittedly he hadn't been as close to them as he was to these two (outside of his parents, who had always been strong pillars of support for their galactic marshal). He didn't know how to get along with humans but he'd been trying very hard to do right by the people in this place, the people that had been kind to him and had dragged him back up out of the worst of his suspicions and wariness... and apparently he'd succeeded.

This sash, in addition to their words, was a symbol of that. A symbol of how much they had all grown since coming here, a symbol of the friendship they'd formed despite all the odds. It was a symbol of their support... it was many things, honestly, all of them deeply important to the alien. He didn't know that he could express that properly in words, and all of the other gestures he might have come up with were either too formal, or would need a lot of explaining... how did humans express friendship and gratitude to one another? How did he turn some of that support back to them? Glacius rummages back through his mind furiously, eventually settling on one that had not been displayed to him by any human, but by a smaller, squishier version of himself.

Moving very carefully, the ice alien bends forward and extends his long, muscular arms to wrap around Emily and Kate, tucking them against each side of his body. This is his first time initiating this manner of contact with humans, and he's being very careful not to crush them with his considerable strength... and hopefully they won't be put off by the gesture and attempt to push him away. Emily said this was okay, right?? That this was an acceptable gesture of friendship? He has no idea, and frankly he can't remember the last time he's felt so out of his depth. But learning to express himself to the friends that he has here is important, and he knows it.] Thank you, you two. Thank you... for everything.

[Thank you, Kate, for helping Emily out. Now, with their powers combined, Glacius is blushing. It's so sweet to see this massive, burly guy who could probably snap her like a twig blush. He is the definition of a gentle giant, and Emily is honored that he likes her, that he thinks she's nice and worth defending.

And touched that he feels comfortable giving her a hug. Once the initial surprise that this is actually happening passes, Emily leans against him, his ice armor pleasantly cool against her cheek, and slides her arms as far around his wasit as they'll go.]

Thank you, Glacius. [For everything. For saving her life. For not writing her off as a stuck-up brat or a frigid bitch.] It's the least I could do.

( oh god physical affection why.

although, it's not the first time for her and Glacius, and probably won't be the last as long as they keep fighting side-by-side, so Kate's only slightly stiff when she leans into the hug. )

It's... er, you're welcome.

( it was definitely worth it. that's for sure. )

[Don't worry, Kate--normally Glacius is in the exact same boat as you when it comes to physical contact. If it had been any other human but these two, he would've tensed up and tried to extricate himself from the embrace as quickly as possible... they've moved beyond that with the ice alien, however. Now he only wants them to know that he will offer them his support as best as he knows able, even if it means dipping into unfamiliar mannerisms like hugs.

Now, as Kate leans against him and moreover as Emily does her best to return the gesture, wrapping her arms around his tapering waist, something very unique happens. Feeling pleased that he's managed to navigate this gesture without messing things up and still overwhelmed by their generosity and kindness, a deep purr rolls out of the depths of the alien's chest. It is not a soft sound like most cats make, however; it sounds more like the deep rumbling of a powerful roll of thunder right before it breaks. Thankfully no deafening booms leap from his gills; he simply gives a loud and happy chuff before continuing the sound. Then he releases the both of them, leaning back up, blush still fading from his cheekbones.] I--ah--hopefully that was alright. I don't exactly make a habit of hugging humans, but... well, Emily, you said you found the gesture... n-nice. And I was trying to come up with a way to properly express my appreciation for all of this. So.

[So clearly Emily is the least fazed by this out of the three of them, which might not be saying much, but still.

The purring, though. She's so not expecting the purring. Like, are ice aliens like cats? It must be a good sound, because he's clearly happy, but that's... not what she was expecting. Somehow, she manages not to jump when he does, and when he does it again, she just focuses on the ice against her cheek until he lets them go. She presses her fingers to her face, smiling at him as she feels the lingering cold on her skin.]

It's fine. And it is nice. That's one way we show each other we're grateful. [Practical lessons in human culture of the southwestern US.] I'm just glad the sash means so much to you.

[Because (surprise!) she's not used to this. Sure, she's gotten gratitude from her friends, and Matt was always sure to show her when he was thankful, but this is different. There are more layers to this, even if only because of how Emily and Glacius met, and all he's had to deal with from humans just because he's an alien.

It's different, and she's really happy that it's going so well.]

( from Kate? Glacius gets a long, long series of blinks. because. that was weird. not weird enough to make her react too outwardly, but-

well, you don't expect sudden, thunderous purring to occur, do you? not really. not if you're not part of Glacius' race, anyway.

but, for the moment, that's enough hugging. Kate's just going to carefully extract herself from the hug for now and slide her hands into her pockets, her face softened in a fonder expression than usual. )

Aye. ( thanks for that rousing, eloquent agreement, Kitkat. but she is glad the stones worked as well as they did. it's harder than one realises, finding the right kind of stones for such a sash down here. )

Alright. Alright yes, good. [Glacius scratches at the side of one of his mandibular supports and then nods a little, clearly not used to making such a gesture--as he had outwardly stated--but doing his best to adjust. If it means something to his friends, then... weathering a little bit of awkwardness is worth it.]

Of course it means so much to me! I do not know if I have the proper words for it, [another reason why he'd attempted the hug--] though I have already tried, and will continue to try, my best. And I will show it, too. I will wear the garment as often as I can... maybe not all the time because I do not want it to get worn down... and the gods have a way of throwing things at us that could damage it... but certainly during important occasions, and when I am about the Guard's headquarters. It'll help me look the part, no? Formal and official.

Edited 2016-09-17 17:47 (UTC)

[Okay, that? That's cool. That means he really likes it, that he isn't just saying so for her sake when all he wants to do is throw it in a corner of where he's living and never look at it again.

Nodding, Emily smiles.] That's perfect.

[Back home, she'd never pictured designing clothes, much less making them. It was more her thing to look at what's out there and showcase the best of it. This...

This makes her rethink that, so much so that she can't think of anything else to say.]

( she nods. ) Can't think of anything better. ( Kate's never been a great gift giver, and she didn't really do much for this, but seeing what it means to Glacius - and even Emily - she thinks she gets why some people are so into giving them. it's... nice. )

[Glacius gives another smile.] I am glad that the suggestion pleases both of you--and I promise you that I will always strive to be worthy of the honor that you have placed upon me. You two are good friends, and I am proud to call you that. If there is anything I can do to repay you...

[The ice alien gestures off now, a hopeful tone to his voice. He doubts they'll have anything to request of him right this very second, but he is hoping to lay out a reminder that he will always be available should they need him for anything.]

[Rather than reject the offer and accidentally come off rude, Emily dips her head in a nod that's more like a bow.] Just keep being you.

[The kind of guy who runs to help others without a second thought, and who looks at someone like Emily and sees someone good and worth befriending.]

Of course.

( you owe her more dance sessions, Glayglay. )

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and in the end

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