[sitting down with him, her fingers trace over the fabric. a shame to cut it up, but if heat's the problem...]
I could probably cut from the sides on these ones, and the back on this. It'll take a little while, since I'm doing it by hand, but as long as you don't need a perfect job, it'll be manageable.
[Ms. Nishimura would probably be best for this, but she sees his logic. she might scold him for cutting something up in the first place. still, even the scraps could be good.]
And I can err on the larger side, since if it's too much and you get cold, you could always wear layers.
[ six has no preference either way, as long as it's functional in the end. it's not like he ever cared much for fashion and that's why pretty clothes like these are getting the chop. ]
I don't mind if it'll take a while if you don't mind me waiting here.
[ he can always go back to his room if emily would rather he didn't. ]
[ six makes a noise as though he hadn't been expecting the request from emily, but of course it makes sense he needs to try them on so she knows where to cut. he obediently removes his cloak and starts to peel off the layers of his uniform, revealing all that muscle hidden underneath.
there are a few scars scattered all over pale skin, but those soon get covered up when he wears a smooth button-up shirt over them. he looks over at emily while he closes it up. ]
[reasonably, she knows Six's frame - she'd helped patch him up on the battlefield, she'd slept next to him that one time, and overall it's not hard to gauge. but there's a difference between analyzing someone in a professional context and seeing them in an entirely different one. thanks to years of self discipline, however, she pushes down any thoughts that simply exist to potentially embarrass her down and forces herself to look at the shirt.]
Yes - standing would be easier.
[okay, that sounded like a normal tone of voice. she'll brush it all out of her mind, and get up with the chalk in hand. if she thinks about what needs to be cut and hemmed critically, then the rest will fall into place. using his existing shirt as a baseline on how much needs to be removed, really. one of these might end up missing half the back, but if it works...]
[ if six notices the way emily is appraising him, then he isn't saying anything. he is pointedly staring at the wall so he doesn't make this awkward for either of them. there's also how he does his best to stand perfectly still, mostly to give her the best... surface? to draw where she's going to cut.
maybe he should have asked nishimura instead. ]
Um... Let me know if I need to move my hands or...
[ he really should have asked nishimura instead!!! ]
[using the shirt seams themselves as a guide, she draws the lines she needs to, straight angles that will be easy to complete and hem. it will look strange in the end, but no stranger than the outfits he's used to wearing, apparently. and it'll be easy to replicate this on the other ones, actually.
at least her hands are very steady, no matter how she feels - this is just helping out a friend, it shouldn't be awkward at all.]
Like that and... let me see.
[measuring tape gets briefly pressed against him so she can remember how much fabric she's working with - it would be no good to make it uneven when he's actually going to wear it.]
the measuring tape comes and now six is all the more aware of where her hands are. he's still refusing to say anything about it but his ears are trembling a little now. not exactly nervous, but close enough to be described as such.
he glances down at where she's planning to cut fabric out. ]
[it's hard to not notice the ears, but she can't discern the cause of their movement. it's just odd, and so, as she sits back down to copy the measurements on the other shirts, she looks up at him. maybe he didn't even realize. maybe it's imagined.]
[ these damned ears of his are the ones to always betray him first, doing it again by going pin-straight when emily asks if things are okay. there's really no point in trying to hide it, isn't there? ]
It's— [ his voice may have gone a pitch up or two. ] Everything's fine.
[ he does his best to keep his breathing even. ]
You can keep going.
[ the sooner this is over, the better, probably. ]
[with the measurements, she doesn't need him to put on the other two shirts, and can instead use the chalk and the tape to sketch out what she'll do to those. simple and straightforward - just removing a section or two to give him breathing room.]
All done with that. You can put your other shirt back on.
[and for his sake (and a little bit of hers) she'll keep her eyes down to the fabric on the table, picking up the scissors to start cutting. if she focuses solely on cutting a straight line, there will be no reason to look up, and no reason for him to feel awkward. or her.]
[ six doesn't know why he's so relieved when emily tells him that she's done. he starts unbuttoning the shirt, shrugging it off to pass it over to her, leaving his chest exposed long enough for him to grab his usual shirt.
he pauses midway to putting it back on mostly to watch her work, not quite realizing there's a chance their eyes could meet and then that'll just make things awkward. that's enough for him to pull the shirt down, working to fix his armor back on his hands. ]
[she does glance at him when he hands her the shirt, her eyes flicking over him on reflex before she goes back to the garment in her hands. focus. just focus, and she finishes cutting out the section, setting it aside before beginning to pin. it's a simple hem, if she keeps herself on a steady path, she should be able to finish these, but he might get bored before she does.
conversation, at least, will keep things moving.]
Of course. It's actually a nice change of pace...I would have ended up finding something mundane to do if there wasn't this.
[but, it also gives her an idea to pass the time with.]
Tell me something, Six. What kind of world do you live in? Everyone here seems to come from somewhere unique. Utterly unlike what I'm accustomed to.
[ six wonders if he's ever felt more perceived than he does right now. he doesn't know why, because it's not like emily is eyeing him at all, but he's a little bit more aware of her presence and can't help but make it a point to avoid looking at her while she works. ]
Where I'm from... [ where does he even begin with this. ] There are islands floating in the sky. It's a world that has been forsaken by the gods— there's no avoiding the tragedies that happen underneath the vast expanse of blue, but it is still a world that is bright and hopeful.
[ a beat, and then he's looking at her now. ]
I think it's hard to describe it properly in words, so it might be better if you ask me something specific. What would you like to know?
[she's not looking back, hands moving steadily from pins to an actual needle, and this she knows even better. it's not the same as sewing up skin, not at all, but something like this is almost comforting in how orderly it can be. a task set out to be done.
a world in the sky, that still had hope. what might such a place look like? if gods were real, and left their mark. Emily supposes they are, considering her experiences, but...
anyway. she smiles a little, and carries on.]
Tell me about something there that you sincerely enjoy. Something that you like, that doesn't exist here.
[ with this one, there's hardly any hesitation in his words. ]
Sailing through the skies. We're called skyfarers back home. The only way to get from one island to another is via airship, so...
[ just the feeling of the wind on your face as you zip through the clouds—there's nothing else quite like it. watching sunsets and sunrises hit differently when you're this close to that vast expanse of blue. ]
There was one point where I thought I would be alright if I never left my home, but I was given the chance to experience this and I've... never really looked back.
[and from the tone of her voice, she means it - even if her eyes are focused on the fabric, she's listening as she sews, since a basic hem only requires consistency, not one's absolute focus. it means she can think about a ship flying somehow from island to island, and be delighted.]
I don't blame you for not going back - something called an airship sounds like it'd open up the entire world to your wishes. Meanwhile there's nothing in the air where I come from but clouds overhead. Our ships only go on water.
[ there's a small misunderstanding he wants to correct— ]
No, I still... I still go back my hometown often. [ his guilt ties him to that place. there's no way he can simply leave it behind. ] However, you're right that becoming a skyfarer has opened up possibilities that would otherwise not be available to me had I stayed.
[ he thinks back to the man he now works for... and how he'd be delighted to hear him utter these words. six has spent most of his time as an eternal downplaying siete's contributions to the life he lives now, but it's true that he owes the man so much — for simply giving him another chance at life.
now that the awkwardness has all but melted away, he's back to watching her work. meticulous hands stitch away at fabric in a manner that's almost mesmerizing to him. ]
There must be something that's still amazing to you, in your world. It can be anything.
[she says it like she's mulling it over, but really, there's nothing as wonderful as crossing the skies to share. nothing as striking that doesn't cross the line into misery - no one wants to hear about the wretched game and the endless cycle. it's easier to speak about other people's hopes, dreams, their pasts and futures.
perhaps that's all she needs to bring up.]
The most amazing thing really is the variety of people I've had the chance to meet. They've gone through much to be where they are, who they are, and in general I've seen people endure through moments of great trial. Even so, lives are still being lived - happiness still exists, and every time, I feel glad in sympathy for them.
[almost done with this one. it doesn't take much to finish a basic hem like this.]
But if you were thinking about something less abstract, I've always been fascinated by herbalism.
[ six wasn't really looking for tales of how beautiful her world is, how grandiose it must be. as long as it's something that will make him feel closer to her, because it's something he didn't know before until now, then that's more than enough.
this, of course, is exactly what he wanted. he'll have to ask what kinds of people she's met, because right now the topic is shifting. what she says makes him curious. ]
Herbalism? I suppose that is related to your medical skills, isn't it? I know a little bit about it.
[to her credit, when she looks up enough to pull over the second shirt closer for when she finishes this one, she's not looking at him with any measure of disgust. curiosity, rather.]
They come from the same paths, you know. What can heal in small doses can harm in others. Give a person too much foxglove, and their heart won't know what to do, with the capacity to kill them. But restrict the amount, and it will strengthen their heart, keeping it consistent.
[the deathlike trances of the poppy numbed pain. from the bite of a spider came the cure for its sting. Asclepius had snakes to tell him the secrets of the earth.]
[her hands pause, and her eyes widen a little. it's much the same look she'd have if he had offered to bake her a cake instead of giving her a vial of deadly poison.]
Are you certain?
[somewhere in her mind, she knows that she should be more skeptical of this. that she'd have absolutely no use for it. but another part of her wants to see if he'll actually do it.]
I can't deny that it intrigues me from an herbalist's viewpoint, but surely that's something precious to you.
[some secret recipe that was meant to stay in their hands, or something.]
[ surprise, emily: six is actually going to do it. in fact, he's pulling out the vial right now. the purple liquid has an ethereal glow to it but that might be just because of the way it catches the light.
he places it on the table where she's working on his shirts. ]
You can have it.
[ he wouldn't say it's precious to him, because his connection to the karm clan wasn't the best anyway, but it's still a piece of his history. there's no way for him to remake it while he's here. ]
[carefully, she sets down her work on her lap, and picks up the vial. such a small thing. so much death contained in one object. it's almost frightening, and she doesn't think she'll ever use it as it was intended - yet, the intentions behind it are different. not given as a weapon, but as potential. if it could be made into a cure...
Emily studies it for a second, and then looks to Six with an honest smile.]
Thank you. I'll take good care of it, I promise.
[she'll make sure it doesn't fall into anyone else's hands, at the least.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I could probably cut from the sides on these ones, and the back on this. It'll take a little while, since I'm doing it by hand, but as long as you don't need a perfect job, it'll be manageable.
[Ms. Nishimura would probably be best for this, but she sees his logic. she might scold him for cutting something up in the first place. still, even the scraps could be good.]
And I can err on the larger side, since if it's too much and you get cold, you could always wear layers.
no subject
[ six has no preference either way, as long as it's functional in the end. it's not like he ever cared much for fashion and that's why pretty clothes like these are getting the chop. ]
I don't mind if it'll take a while if you don't mind me waiting here.
[ he can always go back to his room if emily would rather he didn't. ]
no subject
[she laughs a little and shakes her head - cracking open the sewing kit, there's a piece of chalk that'll suit her purposes for knowing what to cut.]
Try them on, and I'll mark out what needs to be removed.
no subject
[ six makes a noise as though he hadn't been expecting the request from emily, but of course it makes sense he needs to try them on so she knows where to cut. he obediently removes his cloak and starts to peel off the layers of his uniform, revealing all that muscle hidden underneath.
there are a few scars scattered all over pale skin, but those soon get covered up when he wears a smooth button-up shirt over them. he looks over at emily while he closes it up. ]
... Should I stand up?
[ would that be easier?? ]
no subject
Yes - standing would be easier.
[okay, that sounded like a normal tone of voice. she'll brush it all out of her mind, and get up with the chalk in hand. if she thinks about what needs to be cut and hemmed critically, then the rest will fall into place. using his existing shirt as a baseline on how much needs to be removed, really. one of these might end up missing half the back, but if it works...]
no subject
maybe he should have asked nishimura instead. ]
Um... Let me know if I need to move my hands or...
[ he really should have asked nishimura instead!!! ]
no subject
[using the shirt seams themselves as a guide, she draws the lines she needs to, straight angles that will be easy to complete and hem. it will look strange in the end, but no stranger than the outfits he's used to wearing, apparently. and it'll be easy to replicate this on the other ones, actually.
at least her hands are very steady, no matter how she feels - this is just helping out a friend, it shouldn't be awkward at all.]
Like that and... let me see.
[measuring tape gets briefly pressed against him so she can remember how much fabric she's working with - it would be no good to make it uneven when he's actually going to wear it.]
no subject
the measuring tape comes and now six is all the more aware of where her hands are. he's still refusing to say anything about it but his ears are trembling a little now. not exactly nervous, but close enough to be described as such.
he glances down at where she's planning to cut fabric out. ]
I think this should be just fine.
no subject
[it's hard to not notice the ears, but she can't discern the cause of their movement. it's just odd, and so, as she sits back down to copy the measurements on the other shirts, she looks up at him. maybe he didn't even realize. maybe it's imagined.]
...is everything alright, Six?
no subject
It's— [ his voice may have gone a pitch up or two. ] Everything's fine.
[ he does his best to keep his breathing even. ]
You can keep going.
[ the sooner this is over, the better, probably. ]
no subject
All done with that. You can put your other shirt back on.
[and for his sake (and a little bit of hers) she'll keep her eyes down to the fabric on the table, picking up the scissors to start cutting. if she focuses solely on cutting a straight line, there will be no reason to look up, and no reason for him to feel awkward. or her.]
no subject
he pauses midway to putting it back on mostly to watch her work, not quite realizing there's a chance their eyes could meet and then that'll just make things awkward. that's enough for him to pull the shirt down, working to fix his armor back on his hands. ]
... Thank you for doing this.
[ just to keep the silence at bay. ]
no subject
conversation, at least, will keep things moving.]
Of course. It's actually a nice change of pace...I would have ended up finding something mundane to do if there wasn't this.
[but, it also gives her an idea to pass the time with.]
Tell me something, Six. What kind of world do you live in? Everyone here seems to come from somewhere unique. Utterly unlike what I'm accustomed to.
no subject
Where I'm from... [ where does he even begin with this. ] There are islands floating in the sky. It's a world that has been forsaken by the gods— there's no avoiding the tragedies that happen underneath the vast expanse of blue, but it is still a world that is bright and hopeful.
[ a beat, and then he's looking at her now. ]
I think it's hard to describe it properly in words, so it might be better if you ask me something specific. What would you like to know?
no subject
a world in the sky, that still had hope. what might such a place look like? if gods were real, and left their mark. Emily supposes they are, considering her experiences, but...
anyway. she smiles a little, and carries on.]
Tell me about something there that you sincerely enjoy. Something that you like, that doesn't exist here.
no subject
Sailing through the skies. We're called skyfarers back home. The only way to get from one island to another is via airship, so...
[ just the feeling of the wind on your face as you zip through the clouds—there's nothing else quite like it. watching sunsets and sunrises hit differently when you're this close to that vast expanse of blue. ]
There was one point where I thought I would be alright if I never left my home, but I was given the chance to experience this and I've... never really looked back.
no subject
[and from the tone of her voice, she means it - even if her eyes are focused on the fabric, she's listening as she sews, since a basic hem only requires consistency, not one's absolute focus. it means she can think about a ship flying somehow from island to island, and be delighted.]
I don't blame you for not going back - something called an airship sounds like it'd open up the entire world to your wishes. Meanwhile there's nothing in the air where I come from but clouds overhead. Our ships only go on water.
no subject
No, I still... I still go back my hometown often. [ his guilt ties him to that place. there's no way he can simply leave it behind. ] However, you're right that becoming a skyfarer has opened up possibilities that would otherwise not be available to me had I stayed.
[ he thinks back to the man he now works for... and how he'd be delighted to hear him utter these words. six has spent most of his time as an eternal downplaying siete's contributions to the life he lives now, but it's true that he owes the man so much — for simply giving him another chance at life.
now that the awkwardness has all but melted away, he's back to watching her work. meticulous hands stitch away at fabric in a manner that's almost mesmerizing to him. ]
There must be something that's still amazing to you, in your world. It can be anything.
[ tell him more. ]
no subject
[she says it like she's mulling it over, but really, there's nothing as wonderful as crossing the skies to share. nothing as striking that doesn't cross the line into misery - no one wants to hear about the wretched game and the endless cycle. it's easier to speak about other people's hopes, dreams, their pasts and futures.
perhaps that's all she needs to bring up.]
The most amazing thing really is the variety of people I've had the chance to meet. They've gone through much to be where they are, who they are, and in general I've seen people endure through moments of great trial. Even so, lives are still being lived - happiness still exists, and every time, I feel glad in sympathy for them.
[almost done with this one. it doesn't take much to finish a basic hem like this.]
But if you were thinking about something less abstract, I've always been fascinated by herbalism.
no subject
this, of course, is exactly what he wanted. he'll have to ask what kinds of people she's met, because right now the topic is shifting. what she says makes him curious. ]
Herbalism? I suppose that is related to your medical skills, isn't it? I know a little bit about it.
[ ... ]
For poisons.
no subject
They come from the same paths, you know. What can heal in small doses can harm in others. Give a person too much foxglove, and their heart won't know what to do, with the capacity to kill them. But restrict the amount, and it will strengthen their heart, keeping it consistent.
[the deathlike trances of the poppy numbed pain. from the bite of a spider came the cure for its sting. Asclepius had snakes to tell him the secrets of the earth.]
Life and death are always intertwined like that.
no subject
Then, would you like a vial of this poison that was passed down through the Karm clan? Perhaps you can figure out how to make it useful for others.
[ to make it beneficial rather than deadly. ]
Of course, you're welcome to use it as it is too. One drop should be enough for a grown adult.
[ yes, he's serious. ]
no subject
Are you certain?
[somewhere in her mind, she knows that she should be more skeptical of this. that she'd have absolutely no use for it. but another part of her wants to see if he'll actually do it.]
I can't deny that it intrigues me from an herbalist's viewpoint, but surely that's something precious to you.
[some secret recipe that was meant to stay in their hands, or something.]
no subject
he places it on the table where she's working on his shirts. ]
You can have it.
[ he wouldn't say it's precious to him, because his connection to the karm clan wasn't the best anyway, but it's still a piece of his history. there's no way for him to remake it while he's here. ]
You'd find better uses for it, I'm sure.
no subject
Emily studies it for a second, and then looks to Six with an honest smile.]
Thank you. I'll take good care of it, I promise.
[she'll make sure it doesn't fall into anyone else's hands, at the least.]
(no subject)