3379/Mallrats

Mallrats
Date of Scene:	15 September 2020
Location:	Westchester County Mall
Synopsis:	Julian buys Ruth a dress and they have a good talk
Cast of Characters:	Julian Keller, Ruth Aldine

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Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller had decided to take a break from thinking too much about his recent torments. He remembers when he used to not give a damn, when he used to spend most of his time thinking about fun. Part of him misses that Julian, even if he isn't sure how he'll get back to him.

One of the simplest ways is to indulge in a little retail therapy. He's brought Ruth along to keep him company, his lack of hands mostly hidden by keeping his wrists in his pockets as they stroll around, looking idly in shop windows. His hair is recently shorn, shaved on the sides and slicked back a bit.

"God, this place is so cheap," he shakes his head, "I should've taken you to New York. At least the stores there don't play this god awful music," he says, sneering at the sound of Harry Styles crooning from the speakers.

Ruth Aldine has posed:
Watermelon song.. whatever it was that played on the radio..

Ruth actually liked the song, for once showing a little bit of humanity by bopping her head along to the beat. This time, instead of her usual blindfold, she wears a pair of shades, attempting to make herself look at least a bit cooler standing next to her best friend. The manner of dress was all the same, light wash blue-jeans that were ripping at the seams, which thankfully, seemed to be the style. A pair of chucks that were all beated, faded and busted, along with a regular white shirt which was faded in itself. The jacket she wore was tiny, yet covered up by the ruana she chose for the day.

She was skinny and always cold; sue her.

"I like the song, yes." Ruth confesses, a little smile drawing upon her lips. "And I like the store. Thank you. My aunt gave me enough money to buy things, no. To try to buy things. I am okay with buying food, but not clothes. Sorry."

Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller shakes his head, "I will buy the clothes and you'll take them as a favor to me, because I feel like spending money and watching the look on the clerk's face when they have an actual black card in front of them," he sighs.

He finally chooses a boutique that isn't entirely embarrassing, perusing the wares, "Of course, I'm not sure how you can pick what you like. Does your psychic vision thingy let you perceive color? Style? Or does it matter to you?" he says.

With the clerks momentarily distracted, he TKs a hangar, pulling a dress out to rotate it, "Do you even like to wear dresses?"

Ruth Aldine has posed:
That was weird; perhaps it was something Ruth saw coming. She also could see her refusal and his insistence. He was a lot more headstrong than she was.

"Okay."

Moving from store to store was simple, Ruth following along behind, her head tilting to listen to the sounds even though the come in somewhat echoed.

"I do not know what I like." She admits. "I can see color. Yes. Through your eyes, and through the eyes of others. I can see color, yes, by looking into the future to see what was, is, and will be." She nods faintly. "By seconds. To walk." She gestures, then leans against the rack to 'look' at the dress exactly how she explains it.

"I like dresses." She confesses, her own little secret. "But I am skinny, sorry. That will not look good on me."

Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller hmmmmmmmmmms, "Maybe. It depends on your personal style. Some women like their clothes blousy and loose-fitting. It might even accent your skinniness, if that's something you wanted to accent. But I hear you. You want something trim, something fitted," he says.

He goes over to a different section, "You're small enough to still shop in the teen section, at least. Well, you are a teen. I suppose I am still, too, although it doesn't feel like it much," he admits, finallys electing something more fitted, a gold and yellow affair.

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"I do not know if I have a personal style." Ruth never really thought about looking good. She never really looked into her future, but she could clearly see she wouldn't be anyones catch to dress up for. But.. god.. the eternal girl in her wanted to so bad.

She keeps it calm as he moves again, following close behind. The gold and yellow dress, causes a tilt of her head. "You have been though more than any adult has, and you are thriving. Pardon."

A moment more upon the dress, and her head immediately shakes. "No one looks good in yellow."

Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller raises an eyebrow, "Thriving. Well. I would argue with you, but you always end up winning and pissing me off, so I'm just gonna nod and go along with that one," he says.

"Not true. Uma Thurman in Kill Bill," he says in regards to yellow. "Style is all about in how you want to present yourself. What you want people to think when they look at you. My style is about drip, class and comfort. I'm a baller, so I wear expensive sneakers, but I look good in a tux."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"I lose when you lash out."

But, Ruth never had a chance or even though about her own personal style. Her style was rooted in what she wore to cover up her face to hide the fact that she had no eyes. "I like comfort." She admits, then moves away from the pretty dress, onto another that was pulled out. Royal blue, with a little bit of a shimmer. Heavier than any other clothing item she's held, but pressed against herself to 'see'. And then pulled away immediately.

"Everything costs so much."

Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller tsks, "Please, I have socks more expensive than anything in this store," he says. "I like that dress on you. You should try it on," he says in regard to the royal blue.

"I'm trying not to lash out as much. I was pretty...raw for a while. I still have a lot of anger. But I'm finding ways to use it," he says. "I'm going to start learning how to fight, use my power along with my body. And I'm going to get hands, one way or another. I need to find who to ask."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
For once Ruth hesitated, her lips nearly balled up in resistance, but finally she relents. Her shoulders droop, and as she makes her way back towards the dressing room, she could still hear his words, whether he chooses to follow her or not. If not, her voice would trasmit into his mind:

"I will join you." This was certain. "When we fought in the woods with those people, it felt.." There wasn't a way that she could properly describe it. But if she were in his mind, a blast of imagery and exhiliration would follow. It wasn't peaceful, but.. it gave off the feeling and the sense that she felt alive. And guilty because of this..

"Moira was researching. Let her work."

Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller sighs, "I don't do patience well. Not one of my virtues. Good looks, decisiveness, debauchery, rebellion - those I have in spades. Patience, not so much."

But I know. It felt right. Being a student was like being on a leash, having to play the good kid and stay in the lines, play by the rules. Now that I'm out, I feel free. Maybe part of that's having my soul back. I didn't know how much I was missing. But yeah - we got some more fools to fuck up, you and me. Maybe we'll bring some friends next time."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
Ruth emerges from the dressing room, both fingers clutching the dress to hold it up to keep it from dragging. It was a very good fit, one that adds five more years to her person, but in all the right ways instead of her being worn out, aged and tired. And this is without makeup!

She doesn't do a march, more like a teeter towards Julian, the visible brows over sunglasses frowning and lips forming a thin line.

"I will teach you patience."

"You are missing being happy." But, she was the pot calling the kettle black. There were no times where Ruth could remember being happy, even though she became self aware at such a young age due to survival. And that's all it was, survival.

Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller assesses her, "I like it. It looks good. Might be a little long, but, again, that's my taste stepping in. Which is exquisite, but you should do what you want," he says.

He approaches a sales girl to make the necessary arrangements, letting her retrieve the price tag so that he can pay while Ruth is changing. "All yours," he says. "That's a good start. And yeah. I miss being happy. And I wonder, sometimes, if I ever really was. But I'm working on it."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
If Ruth felt uncomfortable about spending his money, she wasn't going to say anything about it. -THIS- is a fight that he'd definitely win. A little smile goes a long way, and soon she was turning to head back into the dressing room, changing her clothes quick enough to return the dress to Julian so that it could be properly bagged.

"Maybe with the money, sorry, my aunt gave me, I can show you happiness." Ruth offers. Hers would probably be a little bit different than retail therapy. Besides, she doesn't know what to wear the fancy dress to, but at least she'd look pretty. "What I see on TV and in the minds of people. Yes."

Julian Keller has posed:
Julian Keller shakes his head, "Spending my money is what makes me feel better, not getting stuff. Well, some stuff, but nothing you could afford," he says. Harsh but fair.

"You give me happiness by listening and just letting me be. Not trying to fix me, not trying to talk me into things. You offer advice sometimes, but if I take it or not, you don't harass me. I'm sort of left alone with you without having to actually be alone."