oh, the weather outside is frightful

[regenerated]

After the first few days in the new city make it abundantly clear that the new terrain isn't a mere weekend fixture, Claire finally decides that it's high time she sets out to explore whatever the place has to offer. Although she's opted, for the most part, to dress herself in clothes apparently meant for chimney sweeps, today she finally manages to get her hands on a dress that seems less likely to draw the attention of strangers and passerby, while still keeping Claire layered enough to protect her from the cold. A few days of being chilled to the bone may have proven enough for Mr. Muggles, who refuses to leave his post by the fire of her new apartment, but it isn't long before Claire lets the closest of her friends know that she plans on taking a long walk through the buildings and streets, come what may.

It doesn't surprise her that Zuko offers to come along. Claire's fondness is the only thing that keeps her from taking off on her own at once, her curiosity piqued and burning with every step; instead, she waits by the entrance of her building, an umbrella in hand to act as both staff to keep from falling and shield from any potential snowstorms that might start without warning.

"Zuko," she murmurs, singsong, her breath fogging as she waits. "Where are you?"

Comments

[irisewiththesun.livejournal.com]

"Right here," he says, all but materializing beside her. He's smiling, but it's a little bit strained, due to what he's got on. Zuko's not sure about the way the island's changed, and all the things that have come with that shift, including the clothing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changshan) he seems to be stuck in for the time being, or at least, that's all the clothes box and his own dresser seem to be offering up. It hinders his movement some, which he doesn't like. But at least it's familiar muted colors, the one he wears today black with red accents. "You look nice."

[regenerated]

"Waugh," Claire cries out, both hands raised in defense before she whirls around to find Zuko standing right by her side, her lips curving in an exasperated but genuine smile as she shakes her head, holding a hand over her heart. It's not unusual for Zuko to appear seemingly out of thin air— Claire's pretty sure that save for a few people whose abilities allowed them to slip around without notice, she's never known someone quite as adept at slipping around as Zuko. And no matter how often she's tried to remind herself that she should be expecting this by now, he still manages to surprise her every time. "You... have got to stop doing that," she laughs, pressing a gloved palm to her forehead before whapping him lightly on the shoulder. "Going to give me a heart attack, and I haven't even hit twenty yet, that'd be criminal."

With a puff of air, Claire crosses her arms and looks appraisingly over Zuko's own outfit. While she may not be quite so familiar with different styles of Chinese clothing— Fire Nation clothing, she reminds herself— she's pretty sure that she can guess that it's just as dated as everything else in the city. "Also, uh, wow. You're one to talk. I'm pretty sure that style fits you twice as well as this does me." She shifted uncomfortably, cringing at the whalebone that seemed intent on poking her whenever she turned. "Seriously, I am so not the ideal model for a corset."

[irisewiththesun.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," Zuko replies without much conviction, merely grinning softly at the whack to his shoulder. He doesn't mean to sneak, not usually, at least when it comes to Claire. It's just kind of second nature for him to move soundlessly from place to place. Plus it's kind of funny to make her jump like that. "You should stop being so easy to sneak up on."

He looks down at himself and shrugs slightly. "This is pretty much all I can find, for some reason." Then he frowns at Claire's next comment with confusion, looking back over at her. "What's a corset?"

[regenerated]

"Not all of us have been trained all our lives to sense these things, okay?" Claire replies in turn, pouting lightly at the smile on his face, although she can't help but offer her own in return. It's good to seem him smile, even if it's at her own expense; there are times when Zuko seems so wound up and tense that all Claire wants to do is to tell him to live a little. To be young and carefree. Lips parted with the effort to remind him yet again that he didn't need to be on edge all hours of the day, Claire's words suddenly fall into silence as she trips on his question at last, cheeks flushing pink.

"And, uh," she stammers, patting the side of her ribcage and trying to find a proper spot to feel out the whalebone. "A corset's kind of something that girls are made to wear to help... I don't know. Keep everything contained? Look nice and thin? Here, if you put your hand on my back, you'll be able to see what it does. There are these lengths of bone, basically, that they slip into the clothing to help keep women the right shape. I tried just sticking to guy clothing for a few days, but that got uncomfortable for other reasons."