[OPEN][BACKDATED] Stitch me back, one by one!

[chronomancer]

Characters: Jade!Eridan Ampora, and YOU!
Setting: Floor 15, the workshop.
Format: I'll start with action, but I'll match you.
Summary: In which Eridan pretends he knows how to sew. Spoilers, he doesn't. Backdated to before the Labyrinth event!
Warning: None? I'll add if necessary.

[It's really not that hard, he figures, to use his torn jacket as a pattern and make a new one with some scraps of red fabric lying around. It's just. Cutting fabric and sewing it together. How hard can it be?

Apparently, very hard and not really a project for the uninitiated.

He's left the whole mess on a workbench for now, focusing on patching up his other pair of pants. That, at least, he's relatively used to. It's not the neatest of stitch-work, but at least it'll hold.

At least, he thinks with grim amusement, he has two hands now, to do this. Otherwise it'd be well and truly hopeless.]

Comments

[chronomancer]

[He looks down and away for a moment.]

I'm sorry, it's not you. Honest. I'm just... used to company either trying to cull me or being me. Especially when it's anything bigger than me. I don't mean it that way.

[mamadonna]

[ She sighs, turning back to her work. ] Well, I suppose I could make an attempt on your life, if it would make you more comfortable, but I doubt either of us would enjoy it.

[chronomancer]

[Did you mean to make him shrink? Because he just shrunk at least two sizes and his head might get perpetually stuck between his shoulders.]

'm sorry.

[mamadonna]

[ She looks back up at him with a smile. ]

Eridan, that was a joke.

[chronomancer]

Oh.

[Awkward.]

...I'm really bad at this, aren't I.

[mamadonna]

[ Do not tempt her to ruffle your hair again. ]

Only a little.

[chronomancer]

...I'll get it.

[Pause.]

Eventually.

[mamadonna]

We'll make a proper connoisseur of comedic attempts out of you yet.

[ And then she pats him...on the shoulder. ]

[chronomancer]

I'll try my best.

[Yep, standing firmly here on the awkward side.]

[mamadonna]

[ She lets out a soft laugh. ]

The first step would be to consider relaxing a moment for once.

[chronomancer]

...errr.

[Does he have to?]

[mamadonna]

[ She just laughs again. ]

You'll grow accustomed to it eventually, but you will need to exert the effort to doing so.

[chronomancer]

I can try.

[A little shrug.]

I mean, I said I would and I will. Just. Yeah.

[mamadonna]

Yes, it will take time. I understand.

[chronomancer]

...you're really nice, you know.

[He smiles a little shyly.]

[mamadonna]

And you could do with someone being "really nice" in your direction, on occasion.

[chronomancer]

...I suppose.

[He bites the inside of his lip, before he shrugs. This... might be a joke. Maybe. He's not sure.]

I guess it's okay so long as I don't get used to it.

[mamadonna]

[ That elicits a frown from her. ]

And why shouldn't you be allowed to do that?

[chronomancer]

[A light shrug.]

Kiddin'.

[Supposedly.]

[mamadonna]

[ He expression changes tentatively. The frown is gone, but it doesn't quite settle into a smile. ]

Then I suppose we'll both need to grow better accustomed to the other's sense of humor.

[chronomancer]

...yeah, I guess morbid kinda comes with the territory.

[He hasn't gotten much of a chance to miss Jade, lately, but right now he does.]

Sorry.

[mamadonna]

I wouldn't define it as morbid so much as debasing to the self, which is a matter you seem to have no shortage of issues with already.

[chronomancer]

...also. Force of habit, I guess.

[mamadonna]

Worryingly so, if I can be honest here a moment.

[chronomancer]

[He shrinks a little.]

I call it being realistic.

[But he sounds like he knows you wouldn't approve of that.]

I mean, evidence supports the claim.