dress up

Who: Vera, Rachel and Charlie
Where: A suit shop in the nice part of town
When: midday

Vera would have preferred to do this on her own, without Rachel, but it made sense to bring Rachel along. It was good for the girls to meet Charlie, since he was going to be their body guard for all intents and purposes, but Vera, selfish as she was, wanted time alone with Charlie. The reaction Lily had about him had left her curious, wondering if she could turn him, manipulate him as well. He wasn’t going to take Lily from her.

But that wasn’t the option. Rachel was here and Vera was forced to play nice with her to not let Charlie in on her darker side just yet. “Excited?” she asked him, drifting closer as they made their way into the shop.

Charlie wasn't excited. He was nervous. He still wasn't overwhelmingly sure about any of the abrupt turns his life happened to be taking lately. Or, he was sure about one, but that was kinda it. Lily, he was solid on. Everything else? He was still reeling. And his being brought out shopping by two stunning women he barely knew who--as far as he could tell--were planning to play a grown up game of dress up with him? Was definitely enough to make his nerves a little frayed. He gave as good a smile as he could muster to them though. "...can I plead the fifth?" he asked, hoping the joke didn't fall flat.

The joke didn’t fall flat, at least for Rachel, who was on the other side of Charlie and she giggled softly while judging the already made suits. “It’s hard to get used to at first,” she assured him, leaning over to whisper so Vera didn’t quite hear. Or she would hear and oh well, like Rachel cared. “You’ll be fine,” she assured Charlie with a reassuring smile.

Oh it was so hard not to make a face at that woman. Whispering things in his ear. Vera had to fight to roll her eyes, but she nodded a little. “Look, you should be excited. Let yourself be. This can be fun.” She reached for a cute hat hanging on a rack near her, and dropping it on his head so it covered his eyes just slightly. Stepping in front of him, she lifted it up a little so she could see his face. “You’re gonna be great at this.”

Charlie felt a little like he was caught between two vipers. And either way? He was going to get bit. He didn't know how, or why, but it was going to happen. He'd say something wrong, or do something stupid, or...he didn't even know. He just knew he was out of his goddamn league. And possibly his entire mind. He tried to give Rachel a smile, and managed a small one, then Vera was there, talking to him again. He opened his mouth to answer the ladies, when she dropped the hat on his head. He immediately thought of Dodge. Him and that stupid hat of his. He peeked at Vera from under the brim of the hat, then ticked his gaze to Rachel. "N-not sure I'm a hat-guy." he said, internally rolling his eyes at himself for the stammer. And the fact that that was probably a dumb statement.

“You, dear,” Vera said, voice sweet, but not too sweet. “Are a whatever you want kind of guy.” Her voice was a little lower, her smile just for him. “If you don’t want to be a hat guy, no problem, but don’t go doubting your looks. We’ve been over this.” She plucked the hat from his head and put it back where she’d gotten it from moving further into the shop. He’d need more formal wear than anything else, but if he was going with her to the gala, she wanted him to coordinate nicely with her dress.

Rachel watched Vera move further down the aisles while she stayed near Charlie. “I’m new too,” she told him. “So I’m still learning the ropes. I’ve served at a lot of fancy gigs but never was involved in them.” She gave Charlie a friendly smile, one that was clearly genuine. “And don’t let her intimidate you. You seem like someone who can handle himself. You’re not her dress up doll. Suits are suits really. As long as you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing, then you’ll be more comfortable in your environment. I hear ties can be a little bothersome.”

"Yeah, and when we were 'over it', you saw me at my worst, with the black eye, and..." Charlie trailed off, knowing his cheeks were burning. His eye was still a little dark, but it was looking better, at least. Mostly he knew he'd just need to hide the sliced wound that was definitely not healed up, on his arm. He ducked his head, though looked over at Rachel when she spoke. Her statements actually served to make him feel a little better, and that was mostly evident in a slight reduction of tension through his shoulders. "Never really been a suit guy." he told her. "But for this I have to be...so I don't know what I'd be comfortable in. Or if I'm going to look like someone dressed up their pet monkey." he added the last bit under his breath somewhat.

“And you were handsome then too,” Vera said, hearing him before she’d gotten out of range and having seen the blush. He really was cute. It made sense that Lily was interested, though at the same time Vera hadn’t expected her to finally find a man that suited her interests. She let him and Rachel speak, staying where she couldn’t hear more than just soft tones of voices. Eying a dark suit with a vest she picked that up, then admired ties for a moment, finding something that would match the pale, just a shade darker than white, dress she’d picked out for the next night. “Here,” she said coming back, smile on her features and held things out to him. “Start here?” It was an encouraging comment, a light suggestion that said he could handle it.

Rachel had been about to answer him when Vera came back over. She eyed the suit that the other woman had picked out and it looked like it would work. The tie seemed a rather odd choice.

Charlie didn't know what was an odd choice and what wasn't, he had absolutely zero experience with it all. So he was at the mercy of the ladies and their assessments. So, when Vera gave him stuff to try on, he took it, then ducked into the nearest dressing room, feeling like a total fool. At the moment, he was convinced that this wasn't going to work. He was going to look ridiculous, he was going to screw everything up, and embarrass people. Why had he agreed to this?

That he was willing had Vera smiling, moving to where he’d emerge from the dressing room and going through ties and shirts again. “He’s going to be good at this,” she told Rachel. “I can tell.”

Rachel looked over her shoulder at Charlie’s retreating back before eyeing Vera out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t buy the nice act, not one bit, but she was going to have to play nice. “He’ll be fine once he loses his nerves.” And you’re not helping.

“Of course he will. The suit will help. He’ll feel more like he belongs. Clothes make the man, or so they say.” Vera wasn’t really speaking to Rachel more just speaking. Rachel happened to be there and was likely listening. Still, she did give the blond a smile, something sweet almost genuine.

She wondered if this was the way she acted with Lily, or hell, even Eris. Vera definitely seemed to like the sound of her own voice and she wasn’t sure how deep her claws had dug into Charlie just yet. “I think when he realizes that there’s nothing to worry about, that it’s all quite simple and he doesn’t have to be paraded around like a show dog, then he’ll feel better. Let him blend into the background. That’s what he’ll be doing after all.” She gave Vera a sweet smile in return, disliking the fact that she was shorter than the other woman.

“Well don’t go saying it’s simple Rachel. It’s hardly simple. But it’s manageable. And he will understand that before too long.” Vera gave Rachel the tiniest of looks, suggesting that the other woman not doubt what they did in any sense. “I had no intention of parading him. He’ll draw just the attention he needs without my help.” And yes, he would blend, but Vera had a feeling that dressed right, he’d be the man blending against the wall while every woman in the room had her eyes on him. Especially at first. At first he’d be new, something they hadn’t latched on to before and like children they’d all want time with the new play thing. It was how they worked.

Charlie got the suit on, and stared at himself in the mirror. He felt like he was in the wrong skin. Like what was staring back at him was some huge joke, that he really hadn't intended to tell. He didn't even have a proper assessment of if he looked halfways decent or not, it all felt so alien to him. So, he guessed that meant he had to rely on the ladies to tell him. He reached up, and tugged his fingers through his hair, getting it out of his eyes before he emerged. He schooled his expression as he exited, however, not wanting to look as insecure as he felt.

Hearing movement from the dressing room, Rachel broke eye contact with Vera and gave Charlie a bright smile. She came over and adjusted the suit jacket so it hung on him just a bit better. “This looks great,” she told him. “Not a bad fit at all. How do you feel?”

Charlie wasn't used to people fussing over him, but he did just sort of pause and let her. "..." he wasn't quite sure what to say, so he gave her a half smile. "Not sure I should answer that." he admitted. "I look great? You're not just saying that?" he asked, then ticked his gaze to Vera as well, to see what she thought too.

Vera had let Rachel take that one, itching to be in close to him and do just what the other woman was doing, but she held back. It was worth it for the moment of Charlie looking back at her, wanting her opinion. She gave him a softer smile, the sweet side of her out in full force as she moved a few steps closer. “You always looked great, but yes, the suit...suits you if you will.” She smirked at the joke, biting her lip as she tested the vest under the jacket. “Just a few alterations and you’ll be set. We’ll be quite the pair.”

And there it was. Why Vera was so invested. She was going to parade around with him. Rachel was having an increasingly difficult time biting her tongue and was only just managing not to glare daggers or roll her eyes. “Yes, it’ll have to be adjusted a little but most clothes need to be to fit comfortably. Is anything seeming like it doesn’t work for you?” He was the one who was wearing the suit after all.

Charlie was on board with things right up until Vera said 'we'. Then he was blinking, and trying to catch up with what he'd missed. When had that happened? When had he become a 'pair' with her? He'd missed a step, or something. Then Rachel was talking to him again, and he looked back to her. "I um--I think everything's fine." he told her. "What do you mean, 'we'll be quite the pair'?" he asked Vera, because he at the last second decided he couldn't let that go without clarification. He looked between them both. "What did I miss? I thought I was meant to go with a group of you..."

Vera’s smile was almost bashful, ducking from Charlie’s eyes for the briefest of instances. “I’d suggested, and it was considered a decent idea, that since this would be your first event, you’d have someone to go with. Someone who could focus her attention on you, explain the ropes and such.” She paused, biting her lip again and her smile fading. “If you don’t want to that’s fine. I just thought it might help...Considering I got you into this and everything.”

That was it. “Maybe you shouldn’t try manipulating people into feeling obligated about things,” Rachel said, her eyes steely but her voice just as sweet. Charlie was obviously unaware of Vera’s intentions and Vera was pulling the old charade of ‘well, you don’t have to if you don’t want to’. “Instead of trying to find some bauble to go on your arm.”

Charlie was very much falling victim to exactly the sort of feelings Vera was intending. He instantly had felt bad, not wanting her to feel like he was ungrateful, and there was a panic sort of surge in the back of his mind as he flailed, not sure what to do. Then, before he had to say anything, Rachel was there, and saying things that...he also wasn't sure about, but had him wondering, now. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he shut it again because he flat out wasn't at all sure what the hell was really going on.

The urge to smack Rachel was overwhelming. Anger ran hot in Vera’s veins, but she wasn’t afraid of it. She’d channeled anger before and she’d do that now as well. It never showed in her face, not her eyes, nothing. “I can’t believe you’d say that,” she said, voice hushed and shocked. Turning back to Charlie she only briefly met his eyes. “I didn’t mean that at all. And you aren’t some bauble. Using the definition actually...Rachel and I are the little statues that belong on arms. Not the other way around. I was only helping. I’m sorry.”

Rachel gave a rather unladylike snort and shook her blonde curls back over her shoulder. She was actually grinning at Vera, as if the other woman was some amusement. “You can’t believe I’d say that? Why? Because you’re not used to people calling you out?” Clearing her throat she did a rather accurate imitation of Vera’s voice. “I just thought it might help... Considering I got you into this and everything.” Rachel sighed in amusement. “Sweetie, if that isn’t emotional manipulation then I don’t know what is. You did mean that. Please don’t do anyone’s intelligence here a disservice and deny that you didn’t.” The difference between the two women was that while Vera was trying to explain it all away and pull Charlie in to come to her defence, Rachel wasn’t the type to pull someone into the middle of something if she didn’t need to.

Charlie was rather wishing he could just melt into the background. Clearly, there was a whole host of issues going on here that he had absolutely no knowledge of. He was out of his league, in a whole lot of ways. Where the hell was Lily when he needed her? He did actually step back from both of them, looking between the two women, and he was back to thinking they were vipers again. With the hissing back and forth, it seemed all the more accurate. He also sort of wished that Rachel wasn't overestimating his intelligence--after all, if Vera had been trying to emotionally manipulate him, he totally wouldn't have seen it. He needed to be smarter. But either way, if this was what he was going to be dealing with, he was abruptly positive that this was not the job for him.

Vera still wanted to smack her. Did this woman have no sense? Why did they let her out at social functions? Vera hoped Rachel behaved far better than this when out or she’d be out of a job before she could open her mouth again. There was a response, something catty that she almost couldn’t hold back but then Charlie was actually backing away from them and she was forced to hold her tongue in order to hold on to him. That was what was important here. She’d just step on Rachel’s dress later and steal her date. Easily done with this ungraceful wench. Taking a step back from Rachel and Charlie she ducked her head. “Maybe I’ll just leave you to it then Rachel. Since apparently I’m just here to ruin everyone.” It was a flat statement, the only thing giving away how she felt was the burn in her eyes directed towards Rachel. Looking back at Charlie she gave him her best apologetic look. “The suit really does look nice Charlie. Very handsome. Something gray, a charcoal, that’d be nice for other events, but it’s your choice in the end.” She took another step back then turned, headed for the door.

Rachel just returned Vera’s words and burning eyes with a mild, calm look of her own as she watched the woman back away and start to leave. “I’m not very good at holding my tongue when something wrong is going on,” she apologized softly to Charlie. “But I just could not stand watching her pull your strings like a puppet.”

Jesus. Charlie watched the exchange, and wondered what the hell world he'd wandered into. Because it sure as hell wasn't the one he was used to. He opened his mouth, and shut it again a few times before he sighed and shook his head. "I am out of my league." he told Rachel. "Thanks for..." he trailed off, because he wasn't sure what he was grateful for, he just knew she'd stepped up to try and protect him. So, that warranted a thanks. "Guess we should just...what, purchase this then get going?" he asked, not sure.

She gave him a nudge with her shoulder and smiled at him. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen now but it had felt good and so she wasn’t going to complain. “Don’t worry, I think I’m a little out of my league too.”