+ [open post]

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh my God," Kade murmurs when Susan shows up at his door, knocking briskly. It's quiet, practically subvocal, but she can still make out the words distinctly. He wipes his hands on his trousers and extends one. "Susan Pevensie. Hi! I'm Kade. Kade West."

"I know," she says, glancing at his hand for a moment and then shaking it. "You're our tailor. I'm afraid I've been delinquent in introducing myself." She's been busy, but in the wake of all of the Mansion's most recent spat of strangeness, she decided it was high time that she conspire to meet him. She needs some sort of change-up to her days, which have become rather routine and increasingly feel uninspiring. Not that she wants more Mansion-driven mischief, just that... it was nice, to have a little adventure, once she set her worry for Lancelot to the side. "But you worked wonders for Lancelot's wardrobe."

A bright grin flashes across Kade's face as he takes in her pointed tone. His teeth are extremely white and, frankly, unsettlingly straight. "You want I should give you a makeover, too?"

Susan glances down at herself. She's back in mourning black, one of her everyday dresses. It feels more comfortable than color, sometimes, but... in truth, she misses being eye-catching. "If you'd be so kind," she says, briskly. "I haven't got a particular look in mind. I'll try whatever you think might be interesting."

Kade's smile broadens. "You're giving me a blank check?"

"I shan't wear it if I don't like it."

"Of course, of course," Kade says, and opens his door wide. "C'mon up. Tell me about your Worlds. I'll get you all sorted out."

---

Three days later, Susan decides she might as well try debuting the first outfit Kade selected. It's all black, so it seems a good gateway to the more colorful options, especially as she's not convinced of trousers - she's ever so used to the skirts and garters and stockings she defaults to day after day. And, she finds, as she checks the outfit in her mirror, it's strange to wear a top with meagre built-in supports but no brassiere. The red heels he chose, though... those, she loves. He'd recommended curls and a bold lip with this look, but she doesn't like the fussiness of curling her hair and instead leaves it loose and smooth down her back.

She can't deny that she looks phenomenal. The trousers, though they feel uncomfortably tight, look flatteringly as if they're painted on. She has, delightfully, gained some weight since arriving here, especially now that she's off her grief diet, and her figure is truly striking. The top is on the verge of indecent, with a low neckline and sleeves that fall off her shoulders, and she considers throwing on the jacket Kade suggested just for some degree of modesty across her decolletage... but that would go against her purpose of trying something exciting and different and new. So she shrugs, leaves the jacket on the edge of the bed, pats the spot where usually she would have her pocket and her notebook, fetches a handbag so she might still carry her notebook along with her (she wants a change, but that's no reason to be unprepared!), and sets out, Regina at her heels.

Susan has no way of knowing this, but anyone who's been to Earth after the late 1970s will recognize that Kade has put her in a perfect recreation of Sandy's greaser outfit at the end of Grease.



People who will find this hot and/or striking and/or familiar in some way are obviously welcome, but also anyone who wants to touch base after the AU days and/or meet Regina are encouraged to tag in too!

Comments

[lanselos_du_lac]

"I admit, I do not know," faintly wry.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I've got several questions," Susan admits, straightening up and tucking the stick safely away. (Since she hasn't got decent pockets with this outfit, this does mean she puts it between her breasts.) "First: machines are built; they haven't got young. Have they? Or might this change in the future...?" A faint frown crosses her face at the thought. "Second: how might a human serve as a role model to a machine creature? What must it learn beyond speech?" She gives Lancelot rather an arch look. "Ought a lonely machine... infant?... be exposed to the primal scene?" It's likely Crowley, who has queer notions of the world, mightn't think of this risk. It's even likelier that Crowley doesn't realize Lancelot and Susan live together, so even if he did concern himself with that risk, he mightn't think it relevant. "Third: Might there be others here who better meet a small machine's needs?"

She twists, and rests her hand on Lancelot's bicep. Then she gives it a squeeze, because it's a lovely bicep and she likes touching it. "I'm not asking you to skive off your responsibilities, you know," she says. "If you wish to serve as this machine's... role model... surely we can sort out a way for it to happen." But the thing does unsettle her.

[lanselos_du_lac]

"All of thy questions are good, reasonable questions," he says, thoughtfully. "In truth, I don't know what to think about this. Crowley has a way of... convincing that I don't entirely understand."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I suppose it must be in his nature," says Susan, thoughtfully. "Have you got a particular interest in being the creature's role model, outside of Crowley's suggestion?"

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot regards Noo-boh for a moment -- at first with an expression of consideration, but this then shifts to something akin to guilt. "Not particularly?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan purses her lips, even as she sidles closer to Lancelot's side, ultimately winding an arm down around his waist. "I imagine Galahad might find such a creature fascinating," she says, thoughtful. "Though I can't imagine Claudius would cherish its presence in their quarters."

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot laughs a little, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, steering them a little away from Lan Noo-boh. "I thought thou wouldst oppose this-- Crowley pointed out thine interest in technology. I think if thou and Galahad can find interest in understanding Noo-boh, that would be well."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Have I got a particular interest in technology?" Susan wonders, glancing over her shoulder at the thing. Surely her interest is average at best. Standard. (This question stems from the fact that no one has taught her about Excel yet. If and when she learns of Excel, there will be no turning back.)

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Thou'rt interested in most new things. Anything to figure out, it catches thy attention."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I suppose that's true," Susan agrees, pressing a kiss to Lancelot's shoulder. "I do so love to understand how things work." She glances, again, a the device. Perhaps the thing is unsettling because its eyes seem to track her as she moves.

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot lowers his voice a little, "Noo-boh is uncanny, but I suppose I felt compelled to accept."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"You're a soft touch," says Susan, deeply, overwhelmingly fond.

[lanselos_du_lac]

He laughs a little, "I suppose that is true."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"But still," she says, since she now knows that Lancelot isn't terribly interested in bringing Noo-boh into their home beyond his interest in keeping his word, and she plans to give him an out, "I'm afraid I must insist that this creature oughtn't come home with us. Imagine how Regina might interact with it! I suppose I might relocate it to the laboratory, if you're concerned about its stimulation."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Oh," quietly, "That might be well. And-- I was concerned about Regina. I ought to have mentioned her to Crowley."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh, it's all right," says Susan. The satisfaction of deciding that they needn't keep this in their bedroom fortifies her, and she draws the stick out from between her breasts again and uses it to carefully prod the object around, so that she might see its rear end. The rear end, as it turns out, is thoroughly unremarkable.

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Perhaps the two of thee can make a study of him, and learn whether he is a creature, technology, or both."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Or," says Susan, as her eyes catch on one of SecUnit's unobtrusive little machines, "Perhaps there's a better way."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Such as...?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

It's likely easiest to bring the creature to SecUnit. "Do you suppose it's safe to carry?"

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Oh, yes. I've carried it plenty."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

And clearly he's no worse for the wear; Susan has just got a very thorough look at his body and spotted nothing amiss. "We shall relocate it," she says. "Perhaps SecUnit might be familiar with it."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Dost think so?" He glances over at Noo-boh. "Perhaps."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Or at least be able to better ascertain its needs," Susan amends. "We shall bring the creature to it." She nods at Noo-boh, encouraging Lancelot to pick it up - she still doesn't entirely trust it.

[lanselos_du_lac]

He nods, and goes to retrieve Noo-boh, saying to him, "I think the lady has a point."