She takes note of both the statements, and the cursory way he looks over
the selections, like he's not really looking at them at all. There's some
reason behind the quick change in his demeanor, and she's determined to get
to the bottom of it -- if not now, then eventually. It would, of course, be
easier if everyone else had the same kind of easy visual indicator of their
emotional state that she does, but they don't, and Fraser's even more
inscrutable than most, as far as she can tell.
"Of course," she echoes, and hangs up the last of the pieces that she'd
held onto, before the sequins catch her eyes. "You know ... you could
always try it on. Just for fun."
Outlandish as it is, it's not at all a threat the way the others are, and the suggestion works perfectly to diffuse some of the tension in him. He holds it out at arm's length and looks it over, chuckling softly. More importantly, relaxing. "I suppose I could," he allows.
In fact, why not? He takes off the leather jacket he has on, hangs it up neatly on the nearest curtain rod, and slips the Liberace cast-off off its hanger and onto his shoulders. "Well? What do you think?" he asks with a grin, holding his arms out to his sides.
It's even worse than she thought, and that's what makes it fantastic. She's
trying to hold her laughter in, but her smile's too wide, too easily split
with the amusement that comes from seeing him in something that seems so
patently ridiculous. "It's terrible," she assures him, still grinning wide.
"I love it. It's ..." She looks him over again, shaking her head. "You have
to keep it."
"To what end?" he asks with a soft, incredulous laugh. It's not like he's ever, ever, ever going to put it on again, and:
"What if someone wants it and comes looking for it?" He's seen the way some people here dress. There's definitely someone on board, or who was on board, or who will be on board, that this jacket was made for. "It would just be sitting in the back of my closet, neglected."
"It doesn't actually belong to anyone to begin with," she points out, but
even saying that, she can concede the point. People might well come looking
for things they'd previously come across.
She lets out a small sigh. "So this probably wasn't that much help. I'm
sorry about that."
"No, it was," he promises as he takes the jacket off and hangs it back up, puts his own back on.
"After all, I asked you for advice on what to wear to the wedding, and now I know what I'll be wearing to the wedding. So, in fact, it was a very effective trip." One in which he tried on one (1) item of clothing, confessed one (1) deep-seated fear, and made no (0) substantive decisions of note. But at least he's coming around to the idea that he can wear his uniform without actively feeling like he doesn't deserve to.
"If you say so," she says, and there's nothing skeptical or condescending
about it; if anything, she trusts that he's making the decision that he's
most comfortable with. It still feels to her like they're back at square
one, but this also isn't about her, so maybe she isn't the one who needs to
feel like there's progress being made.
And he will look dashing, after all. Of that she has no doubt.
"So ... besides the search for a job, how else have you been doing?" She's
kept some distance since that first meeting on the deck, and in the chapel,
and let him contact her first when he has questions or needs, but it might
be time for her to start actually, well, doing her job. "Settling in,
keeping busy?"
"Well, I'm trying to. Hence the job search." When his grief had been fresh, he'd relished having no demands on his time and nothing to do but wallow. As it had started to abate, it had still been enough to fill the hours with reading and time in the Enclosure. Now that a couple of months have gone by, though, the confines of the Barge are really starting to chafe.
"I do think I'll be going to the veterinary clinic with Mr. Scamander, by the way." Because it is, at least, more interesting than the kitchen or maintenance crews.
A small smile touches her lips, and her eyes brighten as she nods. "I think
that'll suit you," she says. "Whether you've done a lot of work with
animals in the past or not -- you'll learn. And I think he'll probably like
the chance to share what he knows with someone who's genuinely interested."
She hasn't had too many conversations with Newt, but he's seemed a bit
lonely and socially awkward. Fraser's kind enough that he'll likely put him
at ease.
She eyes the sparkling jacket where it's hung up again, and after only a
moment's hesitation, pulls it off the rack and puts it on herself. It's
clearly too big, too broad in the shoulders, but she can probably work with
that. For now she just rolls the sleeves up. "Also, I've been meaning to
ask: is there anything you'd like me to request on your behalf?"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
She takes note of both the statements, and the cursory way he looks over the selections, like he's not really looking at them at all. There's some reason behind the quick change in his demeanor, and she's determined to get to the bottom of it -- if not now, then eventually. It would, of course, be easier if everyone else had the same kind of easy visual indicator of their emotional state that she does, but they don't, and Fraser's even more inscrutable than most, as far as she can tell.
"Of course," she echoes, and hangs up the last of the pieces that she'd held onto, before the sequins catch her eyes. "You know ... you could always try it on. Just for fun."
no subject
In fact, why not? He takes off the leather jacket he has on, hangs it up neatly on the nearest curtain rod, and slips the Liberace cast-off off its hanger and onto his shoulders. "Well? What do you think?" he asks with a grin, holding his arms out to his sides.
no subject
It's even worse than she thought, and that's what makes it fantastic. She's trying to hold her laughter in, but her smile's too wide, too easily split with the amusement that comes from seeing him in something that seems so patently ridiculous. "It's terrible," she assures him, still grinning wide. "I love it. It's ..." She looks him over again, shaking her head. "You have to keep it."
no subject
"What if someone wants it and comes looking for it?" He's seen the way some people here dress. There's definitely someone on board, or who was on board, or who will be on board, that this jacket was made for. "It would just be sitting in the back of my closet, neglected."
no subject
"It doesn't actually belong to anyone to begin with," she points out, but even saying that, she can concede the point. People might well come looking for things they'd previously come across.
She lets out a small sigh. "So this probably wasn't that much help. I'm sorry about that."
no subject
"After all, I asked you for advice on what to wear to the wedding, and now I know what I'll be wearing to the wedding. So, in fact, it was a very effective trip." One in which he tried on one (1) item of clothing, confessed one (1) deep-seated fear, and made no (0) substantive decisions of note. But at least he's coming around to the idea that he can wear his uniform without actively feeling like he doesn't deserve to.
no subject
"If you say so," she says, and there's nothing skeptical or condescending about it; if anything, she trusts that he's making the decision that he's most comfortable with. It still feels to her like they're back at square one, but this also isn't about her, so maybe she isn't the one who needs to feel like there's progress being made.
And he will look dashing, after all. Of that she has no doubt.
"So ... besides the search for a job, how else have you been doing?" She's kept some distance since that first meeting on the deck, and in the chapel, and let him contact her first when he has questions or needs, but it might be time for her to start actually, well, doing her job. "Settling in, keeping busy?"
no subject
"I do think I'll be going to the veterinary clinic with Mr. Scamander, by the way." Because it is, at least, more interesting than the kitchen or maintenance crews.
no subject
A small smile touches her lips, and her eyes brighten as she nods. "I think that'll suit you," she says. "Whether you've done a lot of work with animals in the past or not -- you'll learn. And I think he'll probably like the chance to share what he knows with someone who's genuinely interested." She hasn't had too many conversations with Newt, but he's seemed a bit lonely and socially awkward. Fraser's kind enough that he'll likely put him at ease.
She eyes the sparkling jacket where it's hung up again, and after only a moment's hesitation, pulls it off the rack and puts it on herself. It's clearly too big, too broad in the shoulders, but she can probably work with that. For now she just rolls the sleeves up. "Also, I've been meaning to ask: is there anything you'd like me to request on your behalf?"