7774/Let's Buy a Fancy Dress!!!

Let's Buy a Fancy Dress		!
Date of Scene:	10 September 2021
Location:	Clarice's Quarters
Synopsis:	Clarice ambushes her sister with a sudden demand to buy fancy dresses! And finds out her sister is a brother.
Cast of Characters:	Raven Darkholme, Clarice Ferguson

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Raven Darkholme has posed:
Real school books, that's what Cynthia had laid out around her on the floor. She was organizing her binder to line up the dividers for each class, first one, first tab, etc. Her phone was sitting there to her side as well, as she was apparently in a text conversation with Pete, Madison and Irie, not together mind you, just all three at the same time.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    The door slides open, and Clarice steps in - perhaps just a little buzzed after having had those drinks with Mystique - followed so soon after by yet another drink with Mystique during the phone call.
    "Thia!" she says with slightly forced cheer. "I'm glad you're here! We're going shopping. We need to get you a nice dress! And then you're going to help me plan a party. For Lydia."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia turns as she hears the door open, a smile on her face when she sees Clarice and then she freezes. Both eyes go slightly wider the smile shrinks. "What?" She asks, wanting to make sure she just heard what she thinks she heard and praying she didn't.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "A dress!" Clarice replies brightly. "Lydia's decided to join this coven she was visiting," she explains. "So we're going to throw a party to celebrate." Because, damnit, she needs to put a positive spin on this whole thing or she'll go insane. "Mystique and Lydia took me out to buy some fancy dresses - and I still haven't worn most of them - but I thought - well. If we rented out a fancy restaurant for the night, that could be a fun change of pace. But you don't have anything... fancy like that yet. Do you?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
It takes everything in Cynthia not to scream and run right then and there, anywhere but that room, and that topic.

"Uh....." she mutters. "N...not really fancy dress. I... have some nice clothes though?"

Was this really happening? Was she about to have to put on the most disgusting of feminine clothing on the planet? She had managed her whole life to avoid that, some how she had avoided anything that would have retired her to wear a dress, and the one time she had to dress up, she wore a suit. The most feminine thing she ever wore was her gymnastics body suit, but she always wore the leggings with it, and even that was too much sometimes.

"So... Lydia's joining the coven, that's great!" Comes the change of subject off the dress. She had no idea Lydia was even considering joining a coven, or what a coven was, but it might be the topic to derail Clarice.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I mean. She's excited about it - Raven and I are trying to, you know, be excited about it too. It just means she'll be away for a little while longer which-" she waves vaguely with one hand. "It is what it is."
    She settles down onto the floor next to Cynthia as she adds, "You know, I'll admitted, I wasn't that excited about going to buy a dress, either. But... It's not so bad. It was actually kind'f fun."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Don't whimper, do not whimper, it will not be a good thing... just accept it, like everything else.

"Sure," she says, sounding less that thrilled and maybe a little scared. "Ah... when di...did you want to go?"

She picks up her phone when it buzzes and sends a message back to Pete, her thumbs working like crazy fast over the keyboard to try and express everything she can't say to the one person who already knows.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I mean - we have a few days to find something for you," Clarice answers - watching Cynthia's fingers dancing across the phone. It could be Pete. It could be someone from her new school - but the question needed asking, anyways. "Should we invite Pete to this party as well - since he's our brother? Or do you think it would be too much for him? Because - I mean - we'd have to get something for him as well, yeah?" she asks.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
There is no hesitation to her answer and it's loud, too loud. "YES!"

Breathing in a deep breath, she fakes a laugh and tries to look like she was just joking. Really what she was thinking is that Pete there would be great to help her deal with the fact that she didn't want a dress, ever, for any reason. "I mean... I think he'd.... get a kick out of it," she then adds, thumbs still flying over the keyboard on her phone. "Should I ask him?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Sure," Clarice agrees. "Ask him. We can pick him up anytime," she offers. There's a few moments of silence as she watches Cynthia - her brow wrinkling with puzzlement. Even with a few whiskeys in her, and her concern over Lydia... Cynthia's behavior was a bit odd.
    "Thia?" she asks uncertainly. "...something wrong?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
This time she does whimper slightly, even as her thumbs keep going. Pete keeps typing over and over, -Just tell her.- She'll send him a book and he replies with the same thing. Three times so far, but it wasn't exactly an each thing to talk about, she never told her parents because they would have flipped a gasket... but Clarice? She's different, more accepting, but what if she wasn't?

"Uh..." she finally looks up from the phone, chewing at her lip. "Ye...s and no." She fidgets a little. "I... loath dresses. I've never worn them, I don't want to wear them, they don't belong on my body, ever."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Oh," Clarice answers. It's clear from her expression, and the slightly puzzled tone of her response, that she doesn't really get what Cynthia is telling her. "Okay," she agrees. "No dress. So what do we get you instead?" she asks - her brow furrowing. "A suit? Or... do you just not like the idea of dressing up?" she asks. She pulls her knees casually up towards her chest - her chin resting on her knees as she continues to study her sister.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia fidgets with her phone, even as it buzzes a few more times with Pete repeating himself over and over.

As Clarice mentions a suit, she seems to relax a little and actually smiles. "I'd /love/ to wear a suit," she says, now sounding a little excited. "Nice three piece suit, with a tie and smart lace up shoes." She taps her collar bone as she adds, "Nice stylish handkerchief in the pocket, in red or oh, blue, electric blue...."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Alright. We get you a suit. Do they sell suits for girls?" Clarice muses in an uncertain voice, her expression thoughtful.
    Yeah. Really not getting it.
    "Or do you think a men's suit would fit you? Or- well, we could get one tailored, right? People do that. Get custom clothes. But then we'd definitely have to do that today to make sure it's finished in time for Lydia's party," she remarks. "...do you think you could find a place? You're better with computer searches and the like. More than I am, anyways."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
This response causes an honest to goodness face palm. Cynthia rests her head in her own hands, right on her phone, knowing that each buzz was the same three words.

"A guys suit would fit me fine, Clarice," she says into her hands, then lifts her head and looks at her sister. "Um... Clare, have you ever noticed what I wear normally. I mean, have you ever really looked at it or just... it's clothes, next thing to look at?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It's just clothes," Clarice answers, giving a shrug of her shoulders. "...why?" she asks. "I'm missing something?" She does that sometimes - she knows. Missing her childhood the way she had, she knew she wasn't always the most socially intelligent person around.
    "Thia," she adds. "We been over this, yeah? Whatever you're trying to say - you can tell me anything. You're my sister, and I love you."
    Yeah. She's not making this easy, though that's clearly unintentional.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Another face palm happens, this time Cynthia thumps her head against her phone.

"There's some things that just aren't that easy to talk about Clare," she states to her hands. "Pete is the only person I've ever told this... because its /that/ personal. I never told mom or dad, I never told anyone else..."

She sort of turns her head slightly in her hands to look at Clarice, looking completely terrified and ready to bolt. "I love you, but I don't think you'd get it."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I want to, though," Clarice answers. That look - tension instantly grips her form, but it's all tension born of concern. She scoots closer and then carefully - if Cynthia allows her - pulls her into her arms. "I want to understand you. I want to know you. And if- if you're not ready to tell me this, whatever it is, that's okay. I wouldn't ever make you, but you've got me a worried now, and whatever's wrong, I want to help. I mean... What could scare you like this, Thia? I //kill people//," she reminds her sister. "And you accepted that. What do you think you could tell me that would ever drive me away? Ever? You're everything to me. There's //nothing// more important in this world than you. Nothing."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia accepts being pulled into a hug, wrapping her arms around Clarice in return. She's actually shaking a little, but it could be the last hug from her sister so she wasn't going to stop it.

"I'm not a girl," he whispers, maybe too quiet. "Not inside, never have been."

And now he waits to see what Clarice says or does, cause he's pretty sure that's it or that Clarice just won't get it and he'll have to go into detail and just thinking about that makes him shake even more.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice doesn't get it. She really doesn't, but she's trying to, because she can feel how important this is to Cynthia. "Okay," she agrees simply. She isn't a girl inside. ... That sentence, inherently, makes no sense. "So... if you're not a girl, then you're a boy?" she asks. Because honestly, she hasn't had much if any experience with non-binary genders. "...inside?"
    She tightens her arms around Cynthia as she repeats, "I love you. There's nothing more important to me in this world, no matter what. And if I don't really understand this yet, I will, because it's important to you. So it's important to me."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia clings, it's gone from hugging to clinging. He didn't get shoved away, and Clarice was trying. That was more than he expected, maybe Pete was right.

"I... was born in the wrong body," he says to try and explain a little. "I don't /feel/ like a girl. I don't... know how to explain it. I feel like I shoulda been a boy." If Pete was here... but no, Clarice doesn't allow telepathic connection.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Alight," Clarice agrees, still hugging her sister back. ...sister? Oh, God, this was confusing. "You're a boy," she states simply. "So I- does this change anything about how I should behave? Or... talk? I mean, if you're a boy, then..." Her brow wrinkles in puzzlement. "Do I have two brothers?" she asks in an uncertain voice. "Instead of two sisters? Or-" She lets out a sigh.
    "I want to understand. I'm trying to understand. I love you, and I want to understand, but you might have to be a little patient with me. Yeah? You can do that?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia finally loosens her hold on Clarice, in case her sister wants feeling back in her body.

"You don't have to stress it too much Clare," he says with a half smile, his eyes wet from tears. "I... I know this is /a lot/. I've been hiding it so long, trust me I get it. Just sorta take it a little at a time, it's the only way to keep from going insane. Be yourself though," she nods to this, cause it's important to her.

A little sigh finally escapes, like he'd been holding his breath even though he was just talking. "I've been patient my whole life Clare, you certainly can expect that much. I'm used to 'sister' and 'she/her', even if it doesn't feel right to me. So we'll ease into it, okay?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice reaches out towards her sister- brother? No, she still didn't understand it. She was unlikely to understand it anytime soon. She'd have to talk to someone about it. To Pete? To Lydia?
    She reaches out, and brushes her fingers across Cynthia's cheeks to brush away some of the tears, offering a reassuring smile. "Well. I think you're going to look amazing in your suit - you and Pete both. Yeah? We'll all go shopping together. It'll be fun. Great sister, brother, brother time."
    She hesitates a moment before asking, "Is this a secret? I mean- if Pete's the only one you ever told before, then..."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia shrugs and fidgets at the same time. "It shouldn't be a secret," he admits. "I want to tell people, but... I'm afraid. It's not exactly accepted fully in the world."

He snorts with a roll of his eyes, "Mutant... not accepted. Guy in a girls body... not accepted... except both are, in some ways by some people." He shifts again, chewing at his bottom lip. "What do you think? Ready to kick someone's ass for calling me a freakity freak freak with an extra layer of freak?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I will kick the ass of anyone who hurts you," Clarice promises fiercely. "Unequivocally. What should it matter to anyone else? What right do they have to judge? If they knew you - well. They'd know just how awesome you are. How strong, and brave, and smart. We've both been through hell - yeah? But here we are. No one's going to keep either of us down." She smiles at Cynthia as she adds, "I'll always fight for you. You know that, right?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A smile finally spreads across his face and he nods. "Yeah, I know that, I just... I had to make sure. Pete's been telling me to tell you for like... ever."

He holds up his phone and that's when Clarice sees the texts from Theo to Pete and from Pete to Theo. All of Pete's for the last ten minutes are three words, 'Just tell her.' over and over again. "See? He... he really thought you should know cause you're the only family I have. Still scared the every loving crap out of me to tell you."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Well... I guess I can understand that," Clarice admits. "I was afraid to tell you that I kill people. I can't imagine anything more painful than- well. If I did or said some that made you... turn away." Just thinking that, the ache in her heart was terrifying.
    She shoves that away, however, as she holds out her hand for Cynthia's phone. Taking it into her hand, she types out, 'She to-' before stopping, erasing, and starting again. 'He told me. Thanks, Pete.'
    He. That's right, isn't it?
    ...it still doesn't make sense to her, though. How can someone be a boy //inside//?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia leans over to rest his head again Clarice's shoulder.

"I can see where that would worry you, yes." he offers, looking at the screen as Clarice types. "But... I already knew. Like I said before, maybe it should bother me, but it doesn't, so I'm not going to work at finding reasons it should, cause it never will." He then looks up at Clarice with a grin over the she, then he thing. "See, you'll get there. Eventually it'll just be he without thinking and then I'll be giddy with joy."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice looks up at Cynthia - studying her face. His face? There's still confusion in Clarice's eyes - but perhaps the smallest hints of dawning understanding. What Cynthia had just said, at least. //That// made sense to her. "I want you to be happy," she replies. "So. I'll try to get this right. Because there's no one more important than my brother." A few tears spring to her eyes, though she'd be hard pressed to really explain why. She brushes them away quickly.
    Reaching out, she brushes her fingers across the bracelet that Cynthia wears. "I bought this because I thought you were my sister. Is it...? I mean... I know that you love it. I don't doubt that. It's just..." She trails off, not really sure what to ask, or what to say.
    Was the bracelet a mistake? Did Cynthia really //want// to wear it? Was there any way to fix or change that now? Was it too girly?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia hugs his own arm to his chest.

"I love this bracelet," he admits, which Clarice had just said. "I don't apply gender to jewelry, it doesn't appear to have a penis or a vijayjay, and trust me I'd notice. I'm your sibling, that's what it means, and there's no way I'm taking this off."

Then there is a laugh, and Clarice get nudges, "You accept, it doesn't matter how long it takes to get there, accepting is enough. I was soooo afraid you'd freak out and make me..." he shrugs. "... go back."

Taking his phone phone back, he shoves it in his pocket. "So um... when you're ready, I can tell you my /real/ name, but you don't have to remember or use it immediately, we're taking this one step at a time."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Go back?" Clarice asks. "To the orphange?" She shakes her head fiercely. "You're my world. Finding you - learning you were alive. Learning I had a-" Well. She didn't learn she had a brother, did she? "a sibling. A living, breathing sibling - I'd never been happier. What kind of monster would have I have to be to turn my back on you?"
    She brushes her hand across her eyes again - but now that confusion is back in her expression. "Your real name?" she repeats uncertainly. Because Cynthia is a girl's name? "Okay. What's your name?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia was honestly surprised at how quickly Clarice was adjusting to all this. He could tell there was still come confusion in there, things her sister just couldn't wrap her head around, and yet she was still finding the right words.

"There's lots of parents out there who throw their own kids out, or take em to shrinks to 'get their heads fixed'. You'd be surprised how heartless people can be toward their own blood."

He takes a slow breath then, letting that fear slide away since it didn't happen. "Theodore," he then says sheepishly. "Just Theo though."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Does your head need to be fixed?" Clarice asks - puzzlement in her tone. "Does it really matter, as long as your happy?" She smiles tightly. "I don't understand it. I don't understand how someone can feel like... they're different inside, than they are outside. It doesn't make sense to me. All I know is I want you to be happy, and that this is important to you, and- And that if I can't accept this, then I'll be hurting you. Yeah?" she asks.
    "I don't want to hurt you, so I'm going to try to understand." It's that simple. "So. You're my brother, and your name is Theodore Ferguson, and anyone who has a problem with that has to come through me to get to you," she says simply. "...do you want us to change your name at the school?" Is that a thing they can even do? Will the teachers and other kids understand? Pete seems to.
    Clarice's brow furrows in thought.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia shrugs, "I don't think my head needs to be fixed, I think my body does, but some parents out there are morons. They don't care about their kids being happy, only that their kids are who /they/ think they should be. I got part of that from mom and dad, it was to protect me, but still, it was there."

Starting to stack the school books up, he didn't want to think about school and telling people there and yet, he did. He wanted to go to school and scream out, 'I'M A BOY DAMN IT!'. "Uh... let me... ease into that," he finally says. "I want to talk to uh... the couple of people I met, see how they react before I decide that."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I'm following your lead on this," Clarice answers - even as her brow continues to furrow with thought. "If it's not a secret, though... We should probably tell Raven, and Rahne, and Lydia. I mean - especially if I'm going to be trying to call you 'he' and 'brother' and 'Theo.'" There's certainly no hiding it if she does that.
    "You want your body to be fixed?" she adds, going back to Cynthia- ...Theodore's statement. Is that even possible? "You're a boy on the inside - so you'd like to be a boy on the outside, too?" There's not a hint of anger, or hurt, or disgust in Clarice's voice or expression. Just... persistent confusion. Really, of the possible reactions, it's not a bad one.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia can't help but giggle, trying to follow Clarice's line of thinking was like ice skating on a snot covered frozen lake.

"Sure, telling the 'family' is a good idea, judge more reactions that way, though seriously if.. Raven," yep, still having troubles with that. "has a problem, I'm calling her out on it."

Regarding the second part of that he has to think, and chew on his bottom lip and then just sort of nod. "I don't think you're ready to go there just yet," he admits. "Cause yeah. This isn't the right body, it's never been the right body, it's always felt wrong to be in, so some day I'd like it to be the right body."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I want whatever makes you happy," Clarice insists - before abruptly hugging Cynthia again. "And I'm not even sure how we fix something like that." Hell. Maybe Cynthia knows? Since this is obviously something she- ...he's lived with a long time. "Don't you worry about what I am or am not ready for. I would do anything for you, and don't you ever forget that. //Anything//. Theo."
    She smiles wryly as she adds quietly, "You deserve to be happy."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Hugging Clarice back, Theo instantly starts crying upon hearing his sister say his name, f--king girl hormones, messing everything up, but the reality is they were tears of joy.

"Thank you," he whispers, a little sniffling. "That... felt good."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We Fergusons gotta stick together, yeah?" Clarice answers - even as tears streak silently down her own cheeks. She frees one of her hands to brush at her eyes as she adds, "And we need to pick up Pete at some point - and buy a couple suits. And don't think you're getting out of party planning. We are going to have a fancy party. Suits, dresses, fine dining, dancing...."