[Mini-Mingle] A Shopping Trip

[henchgal]

Given that those who're staying at the ADI housing are getting a clothing allowance, Meredith has taken it upon herself to organize a shopping trip to the Marshalls at Gloucester Crossing. The store is full of surprising deals, and a wide enough variety of clothing that people of all genders might find something interesting. There's even some of the new fall selections in stock already.

While Meredith's been sure to grab those who obviously need a little help, and those who'll obviously enjoy the chance to get out of ADI territory, everyone's welcome to come along for the trip.

(ooc: feel free to tag around with one another as well as me, this is just a fun way to introduce our characters to one another)

Comments

Meredith Idlewild - OC

[henchgal]

For her own part, Meredith gravitates toward the business casual attire, making sure she's well-outfitted for the office with neutral skirts and slacks that'll mix and match with blouses in a few different colors. Despite the fact that she walks with a cane, she's relatively energetic as she flits around the store, offering an opinion on a shirt here, pointing out a display of sweaters there, helping someone find a bargain over by there.

Perhaps she's asking your character if they've seen any ankle boots in the shoe section, or debating between a pair of blouses. Or perhaps you've asked her for help she's glad to offer. Today, at least, there's no worry on her face.

[ployboy]

Marshalls doesn't sell Brioni.

Which is fine, and totally something that Tim knew, and it seriously doesn't matter, but it's... weird, anyway. It's weird because he might have literally woken up on the wrong side of the bed today, trying to will himself to face this entirely mundane field trip with good spirits. The store is decently packed, and Tim had given the sliding doors one last mournful look before trudging inside.

He wants a car.

But jeans and sneakers will have to do.

Eventually he floats back to Meredith, almost entirely on accident. (It's not his fault the aisles can get so crowded.) Tim resists the boyish urge to bump her. He raises a brow. "I'm obligated to inform you that you have your eyes on a ridiculous amount of khaki."

[henchgal]

"Not just khakis. Greys and blacks as well. Good neutrals that can go with anything, that's the secret to making a limited wardrobe work."

Meredith is leaning on the cart by this point, the cane resting in the basket.

"This is an oasis of normalcy for me."

[ployboy]

You know what, they're both leaning on the cart by this point. Tim's at the nose of it, one hand braced against it as he feigns nodding off because ohmygod he really is getting a small lesson in appropriate workwear color palettes.

This really is his life.

"You know we don't have a dress code, right?" He perks up again and removes himself from the immediate danger zone of, like, getting run over or something. "And also that your oasis had a four-year-old stuffing their hand down a jar of some really pretentious looking jellybeans?"

[henchgal]

"We're working in an office space, we ought to look presentable." She shrugs. "You can wear what you'd like. I feel more confident when I look sharp. I can't stand looking like a slouch."

[ployboy]

His hands come up instinctively, and he even has the good grace to look apologetic. Thankfully, all he has is a pair of jeans hanging from his arm and nothing is at risk for clattering to the floor. Which is good. The floor's sticky sometimes. "Point. Do you think anyone would mind if I go around dressed in a trenchcoat fedora? Do they sell that here?"

[henchgal]

"You'll look like the Midnight Detective if you do that, but knock yourself out." She gestures vaguely toward the outerwear section.

"Just don't grab a trilby when you're looking for a fedora."

[ployboy]

Tim turns to where she points, immediately pulling a face. Why are there fluffy jackets. It's summer. More specifically, it's-- well, anyway.

"Sorry, who? The Midnight Detective?" And here he had been, a fool, fantasizing about '40s noir flicks and lamenting the gross lack of Green Lantern or Booster Gold graphic tees. Tim shoots Meredith a pleading sort of look. He knows he's being a pain, but being a pain in someone's side is a good distraction.

He's only somewhat sorry.

"Who's his arch nemesis? Le Femme Fatale? Blackjack? Poker Face?"

[henchgal]

"The Torch Singer and the Five Diamond Gang, but close." She lets out a bit of a laugh. "So close enough, honestly."

[lowficharm]

This is at least a slightly normal thing, after being dropped in to another universe. He's not really sure what this store is, and isn't necessarily keen on being too far from his partner, but they're going to need more clothes than the absolutely beat up stuff they arrived in. For all things jeans are durable against, they can only take so many apocalypses.

He ends up close to Meredith just because it seems like she's talking to everyone, and that makes him look a little less weird talking to her. "You, uh-- you sure seem to know a lot about this place. Do they have one of these back where you come from?" He gestures vaguely in the air, as if that helps somehow to make him sound less like a fool.

[henchgal]

"A Marshalls? Yeah. Discounted name-brand, usually overstock or clothes out of season. They're great for situations like this, where price and presentation both matter, at least a little."

Meredith nods, glancing at Martin. There's a pause, as she tries to decide if the question is rude or not. "Pardon the presumption, but I really am curious--are you from the UK, or is your accent from another world and the translation thing is only making it sound that way?"

[lowficharm]

Alright, well that was a pretty good breakdown. Discount store but with a good selection. He doesn't have much time to think about it though, more distracted by her immediate follow-up about him.

"Wh-- oh, uh, no, I mean-- yes, yes I am. I... I guess I used to live in London." 'Used to' feels very weird to say, with the thought that he technically was just there... or what was left of it. "This is my first time in America, actually. Provided it's the same one. Uhm, what about you, you uh-- I mean, you seem to know England exists, so!"

What did that mean? Something. He will not elaborate.

[henchgal]

"I'm from an Earth, most of the countries seem to line up, though the city I live in isn't on the map here. Hightower, Delaware--is it a thing in your world?"

They're similar worlds, at least. Not like the difference between her world and wherever Caduceus came from. It's a point of stability to build on.

[lowficharm]

"Uhh, I mean, Delaware probably exists? I don't know much about the States, sorry."

He shifts his weight between his feet, trying to come up with some kind of excuse for sounding like a dope here and coming up pretty empty. "Wait, are there people here who aren't, like, actually from Earth? Like another planet entirely?"

[henchgal]

"Some aren't even human. Ask around sometime about Caduceus; he calls himself a firbolg. He's big and pink and shaggy. But not threatening, at least, whatever he is."

At least, not physically. He gets right to the heart of people, though.

[lowficharm]

"A what?" Okay! That's news to him! That's very news to him! Martin's beginning to feel like he needs a reset on this entire conversation, and clears his throat in a way that hopefully makes him sound less rude.

"Sorry, sorry, that's-- that's not an American thing, right? Isn't someone going to notice?"

[henchgal]

"I think ADI has a solution for those who are...conspicuous, in the field. Some sort of illusion, but I don't know the exact details." She shrugs.

"He's a good guy, though, so if you do run into him...don't be weird about it."

[abrightboy]

Reading through the information on the clothing allowance, Malcolm looks over at Meredith. "I'm not sure how this clothing allowance is actually supposed to allow us to buy clothes."

It might buy a button from one of his usual bespoke suits.

[henchgal]

"There's a reason we're here at Marshalls. Be glad I didn't decide to round everyone up for a trip to Goodwill instead. Or the Salvation Army." At least these clothes are brand new, and brand name.

Meredith holds up a blouse to the light to see how sheer it is. "Besides, if we earn bonuses for missions, you can save up for nicer stuff with a little effort. Right?"

[abrightboy]

Save. Up.

Ew.

Okay. He's been through tougher trials.

"Right. Um. Maybe they have something in a... business casual," he says, glancing around and heading to a rack of men's shirts. "Or... at least pyjamas."

[henchgal]

"It looks like there's some plaid flannel pajama pants in. They're out of season, so they're on sale."

Meredith may already have a couple of pairs in her cart.

"And you can look a little less disappointed. Some of us actually live like this."

[abrightboy]

He looks over. "I know," he informs her. But that knowledge is shaky at best. While he works with normal working people all the time, he's never exactly shopped with them.

He pulls out a short sleeve button down shirt and peers at it for a moment.

"I'm going to need to invest in undershirts," he declares.

[henchgal]

"Buy them in bulk online, you'll save that way. Amazon, Walmart." She shrugs, holding up the blouse in her hand to a skirt on the rack. "Hm, this might make a cute outfit, and the skirt would also go with that vest I found. The trick to building a wardrobe like this is making sure you can mix-and-match."

[abrightboy]

“So get everything in black,” is what he gets from that advice. He puts the shirt back and picks up another. “Or grey.”

[henchgal]

"Staple pieces, yes. With occasional pops of color in shirts and ties. It's a solid strategy. I like to bring in khaki and chocolate browns, I know they work for me."

She offers Malcolm a small smirk. "You've really never had to do bargain hunting at all?"