You're okay with everything. You should give zen lessons or something. [That was a pretty terrible read of Elliot, but somewhat understandable with all the different ways he had of subsuming his severe anxiety, which gave him that placid appearance with only the telltale power line hum of taut nerves all around him.
John didn't really mean that he was calm, anyway: more that nothing external seemed to get under his skin, which was different.]
Doesn't anyone ever follow you around stores or anything, like the staff? Ask if they can help you a billion times? I always get that. Yeah, I'm usually stealing, but still.
[Elliot looked at John like he was the crazy one for once. (Me? Give zen lessons?) He gave a quick shake of his head he was the least zen person he knew, aside from maybe Darlene.]
I don't pay attention... [That wasn't true. He paid a lot of attention and those particular shopping trips didn't always end really well for him. But he didn't want to think about that right now.
Not when he was about to enter a store with John.]
Okay, fine, not zen. Just - not giving a fuck lessons.
[He pulled open the door to the Goodwill, reaching back to prop it open for long enough that it wouldn't slam in Elliot's face, and walked in with a nostalgic sigh. Ah, the department store of his childhood, and the reason for most of the schoolyard beatings that weren't about his attitude.
He was barely five steps in the door when someone walked up and asked if he needed help with anything. Glancing over his shoulder, he flashed Elliot a deadpan "look into the camera like I'm on the Office" expression before looking back at the volunteer.]
Nah, I'm good. I'm getting a new wardrobe, and he's paying for it. Think what you want about that, but you'll get your money. [With that, he kept walking, letting out an aggrieved sigh.] Even at the Goodwill.
Whatever. [Elliot muttered and tossed his cigarette in the little pillar outside for such things before following him into the store. He didn't pay any mind to the volunteer and he knew he looked shifty. He couldn't help it. He hated shopping and generally most anything that was in public.
He did roll his eyes when he heard John's exchange with the volunteer and he shrugged afterward, but he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lip when the other looked at him. Instead of following him he was more leisurely, reluctantly pulling down his hood and rubbing his fingers over his hair as he looked toward the electronics corner. John didn't really need him to help him pick out clothes. He wasn't a girl.]
[Even as small as it was, that crooked smile felt like a victory. John was bolstered by it as he walked up and down the racks and pulled things out and two things began to dawn on him: he had no idea what size he was in anything, but he was definitely even smaller than he'd realized. Every pair of pants he held up to his waist overlapped his shoes, something you didn't exactly notice when clothing just meant cover from the elements. Was this something about malnutrition in his formative years? His dad had been six feet two inches tall; yeah, his mom had been tiny, but surely that kind of thing ran down male genetic lines.
Like mutation.
Once he had a few pieces slung over one arm, he went to find Elliot in electronics before going to try anything on. He had a question to ask, because Elliot was only a bit taller than him.]
Like 5'9. [Elliot answered, glancing at John and then the clothes over his arm.
He had some archaic appliance in his hand that he actually wasn't even sure what it did. Maybe it was some ancient toaster device of some sort. He set it back on the shelf, his eyes moving over the other items there, a completely eclectic selection and nothing that he was actually considering taking home.]
Five-nine. [John repeated dully, as if Elliot had just gravely disappointed him.] Not even in the double digit inches, huh. Great. I'm a goddamn midget.
[How had John's thoughts even gotten to that point? Maybe Elliot would never find out, because he stormed away with the same strong sense of purpose in his strides. He had to buy something, even if it all fit strangely.
He kept the selection minimal out of respect for Elliot's budget (which he didn't actually know, but his choice of neighborhood said a lot), just the absolute basics for the season, since he probably wouldn't be able to pack much around for the future when he left. Deep down, he still didn't really trust that this set up would last very long, so he refused to plan even as far ahead as a month or two. The most important find of the day was a pair of boots that were somehow at the perfect point of being broken in but without having lost most of their tread; John would have killed a man for them several times over in the past few years.]
Done. [He appeared behind Elliot again, his few items lining the bottom of a cart.] Find anything cool?
[Elliot looked after John when the other left, raising a brow and then shrugging. He shoved his hands back into his pockets as he walked slowly along the wall, in search of that magical item find that might just happen if he wasn't looking too hard.
But alas, he'd found nothing and had been tempted to drop into one of the recliners that were for sale when John came up by him again.]
Oh yeah, tons. I'll be good for awhile. [His cart was not full of tons by a longshot, but he had at least two of everything he'd need to allow for laundry days, and even a decent set of pyjamas.
Frowning, he blew a stream of breath at one of the long sheafs of golden brown hair that perpetually hung in his face, only to have it fall right back into his face as anyone could've guessed.]
I gotta get this shit cut sometime, but that's not life or death.
[Elliot looked at the cart and his brow furrowed but he didn't say anything. They could always make another trip to get more clothes later. It's not like he was the type to get a shit load of clothes himself. His wardrobe was pretty one dimensional.]
Could do that soon... [Elliot said, half mumbling and he moved past John to walk toward the checkout, about ready to be out of the too bright store and outside where he could smoke again.]
[John shrugged, raking the hair out of his face with a hand, but it was too clean now to stay in place when he did that and just flopped right back again.]
Fuck. Hair's so annoying. You've got the right idea. [He glanced pointedly at Elliot's hair, nearly shaved clean off but for the strip down the middle; kind of a weird hairstyle, but he could see the practicality of it now.
Not all that interested in seeing the total of what he'd bought - he was an odd blend of opportunistic and proud, the sort of person who felt better about stealing than being given charity like this - John stood back and out of the way while Elliot bought his new clothes. Not until he'd watched a financial exchange happen from a great enough distance to miss the numbers did he move closer again, grabbing the bags to carry himself.]
Thanks, Dad. [Just one more little game to play with the volunteers, this time the cashier, who tried to hide the massive double-take she did at the exchange and failed. John snorted loudly, then led the way out of the store.]
[Elliot couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips as the other complained again about his hair and couldn't seem to get it to cooperate. Even so, he didn't say anything else about it as he took the clothes to be rang up.
The purchases didn't really add up to much given that it was Goodwill and in general everything there was dirt cheap. He paid in cash and then John's comment made him look up confused. Elliot shrugged and left the store too. Apparently John just liked fucking with people and it fucked with Elliot a bit too. He pulled out a smoke the moment he stepped outside, lighting it as they started to walk back the way they came.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-23 09:37 pm (UTC)John didn't really mean that he was calm, anyway: more that nothing external seemed to get under his skin, which was different.]
Doesn't anyone ever follow you around stores or anything, like the staff? Ask if they can help you a billion times? I always get that. Yeah, I'm usually stealing, but still.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-23 09:53 pm (UTC)I don't pay attention... [That wasn't true. He paid a lot of attention and those particular shopping trips didn't always end really well for him. But he didn't want to think about that right now.
Not when he was about to enter a store with John.]
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-24 05:53 am (UTC)[He pulled open the door to the Goodwill, reaching back to prop it open for long enough that it wouldn't slam in Elliot's face, and walked in with a nostalgic sigh. Ah, the department store of his childhood, and the reason for most of the schoolyard beatings that weren't about his attitude.
He was barely five steps in the door when someone walked up and asked if he needed help with anything. Glancing over his shoulder, he flashed Elliot a deadpan "look into the camera like I'm on the Office" expression before looking back at the volunteer.]
Nah, I'm good. I'm getting a new wardrobe, and he's paying for it. Think what you want about that, but you'll get your money. [With that, he kept walking, letting out an aggrieved sigh.] Even at the Goodwill.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-24 05:58 am (UTC)He did roll his eyes when he heard John's exchange with the volunteer and he shrugged afterward, but he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lip when the other looked at him. Instead of following him he was more leisurely, reluctantly pulling down his hood and rubbing his fingers over his hair as he looked toward the electronics corner. John didn't really need him to help him pick out clothes. He wasn't a girl.]
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-24 06:17 am (UTC)Like mutation.
Once he had a few pieces slung over one arm, he went to find Elliot in electronics before going to try anything on. He had a question to ask, because Elliot was only a bit taller than him.]
How tall are you?
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 04:24 am (UTC)He had some archaic appliance in his hand that he actually wasn't even sure what it did. Maybe it was some ancient toaster device of some sort. He set it back on the shelf, his eyes moving over the other items there, a completely eclectic selection and nothing that he was actually considering taking home.]
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 04:38 am (UTC)[How had John's thoughts even gotten to that point? Maybe Elliot would never find out, because he stormed away with the same strong sense of purpose in his strides. He had to buy something, even if it all fit strangely.
He kept the selection minimal out of respect for Elliot's budget (which he didn't actually know, but his choice of neighborhood said a lot), just the absolute basics for the season, since he probably wouldn't be able to pack much around for the future when he left. Deep down, he still didn't really trust that this set up would last very long, so he refused to plan even as far ahead as a month or two. The most important find of the day was a pair of boots that were somehow at the perfect point of being broken in but without having lost most of their tread; John would have killed a man for them several times over in the past few years.]
Done. [He appeared behind Elliot again, his few items lining the bottom of a cart.] Find anything cool?
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 07:49 am (UTC)But alas, he'd found nothing and had been tempted to drop into one of the recliners that were for sale when John came up by him again.]
No. You find enough?
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 07:56 am (UTC)Frowning, he blew a stream of breath at one of the long sheafs of golden brown hair that perpetually hung in his face, only to have it fall right back into his face as anyone could've guessed.]
I gotta get this shit cut sometime, but that's not life or death.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 10:05 am (UTC)Could do that soon... [Elliot said, half mumbling and he moved past John to walk toward the checkout, about ready to be out of the too bright store and outside where he could smoke again.]
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 05:29 pm (UTC)Fuck. Hair's so annoying. You've got the right idea. [He glanced pointedly at Elliot's hair, nearly shaved clean off but for the strip down the middle; kind of a weird hairstyle, but he could see the practicality of it now.
Not all that interested in seeing the total of what he'd bought - he was an odd blend of opportunistic and proud, the sort of person who felt better about stealing than being given charity like this - John stood back and out of the way while Elliot bought his new clothes. Not until he'd watched a financial exchange happen from a great enough distance to miss the numbers did he move closer again, grabbing the bags to carry himself.]
Thanks, Dad. [Just one more little game to play with the volunteers, this time the cashier, who tried to hide the massive double-take she did at the exchange and failed. John snorted loudly, then led the way out of the store.]
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 08:22 pm (UTC)The purchases didn't really add up to much given that it was Goodwill and in general everything there was dirt cheap. He paid in cash and then John's comment made him look up confused. Elliot shrugged and left the store too. Apparently John just liked fucking with people and it fucked with Elliot a bit too. He pulled out a smoke the moment he stepped outside, lighting it as they started to walk back the way they came.]
We can get some food on the way back if you want.