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Apparently even while drunk, Lux doesn't forget a deal. They'd poked Gal until he comes out shopping, as promised. They're waiting outside the shop--which apparently is a thrift store. Hideous clothes at cheap prices! What can go wrong!?
Gallowglass knows where the thrift shop is! He hops off the bus at the corner, big shoulders hunched as he ambles across to Lux. He gives the Bright One a scowl, but there's no real venom in it. "I was bettin' against th'odds you would forget."
"Do you really think I would give up the chance to dress you up?" Lux replies, brows raising with a smug smirk. "Come on, you're not getting out of this so easy." They turn to push the door open, holding it for him with a 'come oooon' gesture. "How are you?"
He wrinkles his nose at Lux, but a grin creeps onto his lips all the same. "Oh, pretty good. How're you doin'? How's your boyfriend?"
He scoots into the shop obediently.
"I assume you mean the one who was in the hospital. He's doing better. Got out, made bail. Still waiting to see how the trail goes." Lux frowns briefly, then shakes their head. "I'm sure he'll be fine though."
"Oh good," he nods, amends: "Well, except the trial part. Those are a real pain in th'ass."
"Yeah." They grimace. "Just trying not to think about it too much right now. The fucking DA is really making a mess out of this whole thing. Just... fuck. Wish I could go break someone's windshield in. Anyway. What's your favorite colors?"
"Well, yeah. That's what the DA does, they're a bunch of pricks." He stares blankly at Lux for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh....it's....blue," he lands on. "Yeah. Yeah, it's blue."
Lux pauses and stares for a moment. "Why are you lying to me about your favorite color?"
Gallowglass puffs out a sigh, regarding Lux with a flat look. "Why do you think? I just...it was a reflex, or about t'be. My favorite color can be blue."
Their mouth opens and closes, lips twisting into a brief frown. "...I mean... If you like green, it's okay, Gal. If you want to wear green, then wear green."
"Probably not the greatest idea we've ever had," Gal replies, clapping once. "Nope! It's blue now. I fuckin' love blue, I'm nuts about it." He gives Lux a grin, spreading his arms wide. "Dress me. I like black, too. And...tan. Khaki? Is that a color?"
Lux stares at him for a long second or two, then turns away. "Sure. Blue. No black or tan, though. The whole point of this is to get you wearing color. No neutrals. Lets just... see what we can find in your size." Lux starts walking through the racks, poking through things on hangers. "What's been new with you?"
He's quiet a moment, trotting along after his fashion muse. "Uh..well, I got another job that pays pretty great, I think I told you about that? But uh. My...boss, or my client, sorta both - she got real pissed at me last week. Felt like I leveled up in bein' an ass."
"Another job besides the tattoo gig? No, I don't think so." They glance back, brow arching. "What'd you do?"
He sighs, dropping his chin to stare at the floor. "I took Drake's advice," he admits meekly. "He told me to find someone and tell them I thought they were attractive, so I told her she was attractive. It went downhill from there."
Lux grimaces. "You told your boss you think they're attractive?"
"She IS attractive!" He lifts a hand, pointing. "And hold up! I clarified that it wasn't sexual harrassment after I said it," he informs Lux. He folds his arms, nodding once.
They groan, rubbing a hand over their face. "God, you're an idiot. You don't tell your boss you think they're hot! Clarifying after that you don't mean it in a harrassing way doesn't mean anything."
His brow furrows, hands moving to his hips. He thinks on this new information for a moment. "She tells me I'm hot, though," he points out.
Lux eyes him. "Did she call you hot first? Does this gig involve you wearing skimpy clothes?" Lux ain't judging.
"Nah, I jsut wear my regular clothes. I mean, we were...kinda friends, first. All I do is walk her to class, make sure nobody hassles her. She uh...been through some pretty bad shit, so her dad just wants t'make sure she's safe."
"So you're like... her bodyguard?" Lux frowns disapprovingly. "Okay, well... Do you like her or do you just think she's hot?"
"I mean...yeah, kind of. Nobody messes with her, I just keep an eye out. I don't got an earpiece of nothin'." His mouth pinches together; he rocks on his heels. "....She's pretty neat, yeah. I mean hot, yes, but..I think I like her, yeah."
"Dooo... you think she likes yooou...?" Their brows climb. Then they snatch a pink button up shirt to hold up against his chest.
He holds his arms out dutifully, as if he's endured playing dress up before. "...I dunno. Sometimes I think she does, but then she gets really mad at me."
"What sort of things do you do, that makes her mad?" Lux eyes the shirt, then tosses it over their shoulder and goes back to digging. Soon a bright cheery yellow polo shirt is dug out.
"I say stuff and it just sort of..." he twists his hands, moving them forward in an arc - like he's barfing. "pukes out before ican think straight, and she gets pissed."
"You do say some dumb things sometimes," Lux replies idly, head tilting as they eye the shirt. "Have you asked her, point blank, how she feels about you?"
"Hell no," he retorts, eyeing Lux like he's grown a second head. "I mean, I said I was sorry about our fight, and we kinda....got back to neutral. Agreed that, y'know, everythin' is good the way it is. No need to change anything."
"She agreed to that too?"
"Yeah," he mutters, jaw sliding to one side.
Lux considers him a moment, then puffs out a breath. "Alright. Well. You're her body guard--its your job to make her feel safe. So probably best not to hit on her again unless she makes a move first."
Gallowglass listens intently, gaze slightly wide-eyed as Lux drops some knowledge. "Okay, I can do that. No hitting on her."
"Good." They pat-pat him on the chest. "This job paying well enough for you to get your own place yet?"
More clothes are dug out--this time a hideous lime green t-shirt with some faded print on it that they hold up.
"-This- close," he exclaims, holding his thumb and forefinger up. "Probably next week, I think. I can't wait. I'm so tired of that fuckin' cot."
"Where are you sleeping right now?" Lux frowns.
"My boss at th'shop lets me sleep there," he confirms, eyeing a few shirts on the rack with a wary eye. "Just 'till I can get on my feet. But! Almost there."
"That's good then." Lux smiles, then grabs a couple more things--including a pair of red slacks and some blue pin-stripped pants to shove into Gal's arms and shoo off to the dressing rooms. "Here, try these on and see if anything fits."
He gives Lux a salute and pivots on a heel, marching to the fitting room. There's a few bumps as he tries to get changed in the little booth, but he eventually pokes his head out. "Okay. Here's one." He steps out in the yellow polo shirt and the red pants.
"Ooh!" Lux's eyes brighten--literally--looking him up and down a moment. They step closer and circle around him, then stop in front to tug at the shirt. "This looks awesome. Shirt is a bit snug, but you know... that works for you. Your butt looks great in these pants."
Gallowglass looks down at the shirt, and then cranes his neck to get a look at his ass. "Huh. That's good, right? And yellow and red - I can wear them together? It just makes me think of ketchup and mustard."
"Very good." Lux smirks up at him. "And yeah, I think it works! The pants are a dark red, so doesn't look too bright all over." Not that that stops Lux, all their clothes are bright. "But you can wear them with a different shirt too. Go try something else on."
"Oh, okay." He glances down again; a faint smile touches his features, and he ducks back into the fitting room. He wrangles together another outfit; sadly, he inherited his sense of fashion from his player, who has no idea what clothing should look like. So he steps back out, leaving it up to Lux!
Lux tilts their head, chewing their lip as they look him up and down. "Okay... with that shirt you totally could get away with khakis. Also, pink? Looks really good on you. It softens you up a lot. I kinda wanna just give you a hug now."
Hands on hips, he squints down at his attire. "...I kinda like knowin' I can rock pink," he admits, fingering the shirt. He glances at Lux with a smirk, one brow aloft. "Especially if it turns me hug-worthy."
"I mean, it turns you more-than-hug-worthy." They smirk. "But figured I'd stick to being polite."
"You're definitely getting this one."
He snorts a laugh, lifting both hands. "Okay. So, this one, and the yellow and red. But I can wear this one with khakis?"
"Yep. Deal." They grin. "Are you tired of trying things on already?"
"Oh shit! Wait!" They pull out their phone to snap a picture of him. "I forgot I promised Fox I'd send pics. You gotta put the other outfit on again so I can take a picture of your butt."
"I mean...how- oh, okay," he nods, dutifully returning to the fitting booth. He puts on the ketchup-mustard combo and steps back out. Hesitating a moment, he turns around to point his ass at Lux's camera, half-turning so he can give Fox a smiley, dimpled grin as well. The thumbs-up really pulls the portrait together.
Lux snorts in amusement, and snaps a few pictures before lowering the phone, grinning. "Thanks. She'll be appeased."
"Oh good, I liked her," he laughs. "Okay, so...two shirts, two pairs of pants. That's almost a whole week!"
"Mhmm." They look him over a moment, pleased, then waves a hand. "Alright, change back if you want. I'll buy them."
Gallowglass gives him a scowl, flipping a hand at him. "You don't gotta buy 'em." He pauses, then amends: "Actually, nah. You can buy, you drank your weight in top shelf the other night." He grins, ducking into the fitting room.
"It was also my idea. They're pretty cheap, I don't mind." They shrug, waiting for him to change--then snatches the clothes from him to head for the counter to pay. The bag is tossed to him as Lux returns. "There. Now you have a hot outfit to show off in. That isn't just black."
"Okay okay," he snorts, shaking his head. "No more black, I got it." He swings the bag over one shoulder, rubbing a hand over his beard. "If I was gonna take someone out, I could wear some'a this, yeah?"
"Someone other than your boss?" Lux presses, head tilting.
Gallowglass lets his shoulders sad, giving Lux a full-on pout. "But I mean - if she makes a move!"
Their eyes roll. "Wear the pink shirt and jacket with some khakis next time you see her. See if she swoons or oogles or anything."
"Yeah?" He brightens, smoothing a hand over his shirt. "And - okay, this is typically where I blow it. How do I know she made a move. What is the move, and what do I do when she does?"
Lux stops and stares up at him for a moment, then sighs heavily. "I don't know her, Gal. People react differently... And even if she is checking you out, that doesn't necessarily mean she wants to make a move." They eye him. "If you want, I could hang out with you both and see how she's reacting to you. ...Or be invisible around you two." Cause THAT isn't creepy...
He drops his head back to stare upward with a groan. "It used t'be way more easy when you just ran into people and fucked. Movies make it look so easy." He straightens, expression thoughtful. "I'll just...play it cool awhile, and then try to maybe invite her around? Maybe just see how things shake out."
"I mean sometimes it is that easy if you find someone who is down to fuck?" Lux shrugs. "That works too. Going with the flow is usually my go to."
"Yeah, but you're...you," Gal retorts, not unkindly; he waves a hand in their general direction. "Go with the flow. I can do that. I'm cool. I'm hip, go with the flow." He rolls his shoulders, nodding sagely.
Lux gives him a really look, arms crossing, looking him up and down. "Gal, I could help you get laid in five minutes, if that is really your concern."
"No no," he says quickly, sobering. "I swear, it's not. That's - it's fine."
They give him a more sympathetic look. "So you're wanting a relationship."
He drops his gaze, taking a deep breath; he toes at a crack in the sidewalk. "I don't know," he admits. "I waffle on it. I don't pull that lone-wolf shit some do, but...I wouldn't even know where t'start. And the physical part, uh..." he clears his throat. "I don't know, uh...I just ain't real sure about that."
Lux opens their mouth to speak, then stops, watching him quietly for a moment before glancing aside. "Sorry. It's none of my business, really."
"No no, you're just tryin' t'help. S'fine, Lux, it's just...complicated." He brightens, holding up the bag. "But I appreciate this, I really do. S'nice, lookin' nice."
Lux's smile turns a little strained, but they give a sincere nod. "You're welcome, Gal. You really do look nice in them. But you look nice all the time."
"Baah," he scoffs, waving a hand dismissively at Lux. "Go on, y'charmer. See you around?"
"Yeah. I'll see you. Take care, okay?"
"Yeah, of course." He flips Lux a wave, turning to head off. He makes it a few steps before he turns back, takes three giant steps, and scoops Lux up in a hug with one arm. "You're pretty all right," he informs Lux, and sets the glowbug back on his feet.
Lux had turned to walk off as well. When Gal scoops them up they gasp in surprise, tensing a split-second before they puff out a breath, flashing a small smile to him. "Thanks. You too, Gal."
He lifts his whole arm to wave, and then turns to amble off down the street.
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