Clothes Make the Man
Notes: Usual disclaimers apply, for fun, not for profit.
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"Ah-hah-ha," Lavi wriggles a bit laughing.
"Oh-ho, so you're ticklish huh?"
"Just hurry up with it," even if they are the only two of them in the spacious and well lit room, Lavi is still slightly embarrassed. He'd never been fitted before for clothes before. Once Johnny's done though, Lavi asks to stay to watch a little. Johnny is not fussed one way or another.
The fitting room is actually quite large. Shelves of bolts of dark and light material line one side of the wall. Cloths of cotton, linen and wool mixes. A variety unbleached calico and heavy dark twill. Drawers with buttons, hooks and eyes, zips, belts, clasps and the like line another wall. There strips of leather and accompanying tools and accoutrements for leatherworking.
"If there's only one to be made," Johnny explains, "I often do it. I enjoy it as a break from the Science Division."
Lavi observes with awe as Johnny's hands fly with the drawing, the cutting and pinning. This was all done on a huge worktable at the free wall and in the far corner between the shelves of bits-n-bobs is a huge treadle machine which Johnny fondly calls 'the Singer'.
"Although that IS the inventor's name," Johnny laughs sheepishly, "I call it the Singer because the sound it makes is a soothing click-clack, and it is a song of sorts."
Johnny's hands expertly, threads needle and he tacks and sews. Lavi is familiar with Bookman's skill with acupuncture and he's watched the elder practice with his newly forged Heaven's Compass, but here is an expertise that is amazing in it's own right. Here in front of his eyes, Lavi is witness to something being made. Not pulled apart, destroyed, but being put together, lovingly almost, and it IS for him. Lavi is not sure what he thinks or feels about this because this is something that IS solely his. Being made. It is nothing short of wondrous and magical almost, and there is a childlike glee bubbling up from inside him as he itches to try it on.
"Ahh, Lavi, you'll have to wait awhile yet." Johnny is apologetic. "It won't be complete for another few hours." "Don't worry," Johnny assures him. "I'll have to call you down here for a final fitting before I put in the finishing touches."
"Oh but, Lavi," there's a tone of warning in the tailor's voice, "don't do anything that'll make you perspire though."
Lavi's face falls a little, he was after all going to practice some more with his hammer while waiting. Then he shrugs, maybe he'll go find Yuu instead and bother him. Bothering Yuu was actually akin to bear-baiting without the safety of a pit, but still a lot of fun.
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By the evening, Lavi is all kitted out with his new uniform. Johnny even gifts him with a new cotton shirt in pale green with a printed bandana to match. He stands in front of the mirror, turning this way and that and trying to look over his shoulder to see himself from all angles.
"Whoa! Thanks Johnny!" He laughs, and drawls, "Ahah-aha! I thought I looked good before," he pauses and grins, " but I look even better now!"
If Lavi thought the man was happy just with the idea of making him a uniform, Johnny was even more overjoyed with the finished product. Lavi is pretty chipper himself too.
"Why are you so happy? You've spent hours on this, and it must be more work - you can probably do without - for you?" Lavi thinks of the piles of data analysis and reports the Science Division always seem to be buckling under.
"Oh but you're mistaken!" Johnny beams at him. "I'm making something, something that will make the life of an exorcist more comfortable. Something that fits you properly means you might move just that much more smoother, it could mean those precious seconds between life and death."
Lavi, thinks it's too early to pass judgement on that just yet, since he's newly minted into his uniform, but appreciates, how well it does fit him even with a shirt underneath. Snug on the waist and across the chest, but not too tight in the shoulders with a flattering hem. He flexes his arms and is amazed at how the cloth moves to accommodate each movement. He thumbs over the Silver Rose Cross, emblem of the Dark Order. He cranes his neck further still trying to look at the large cross on the back and the white on the lapels. True to what Johnny previously remarked his jacket is much shorter than Yuu's, it sits below the waist, skimming his hips. He smirks to himself, appraising the cut he makes in the coat. In short, these new togs feel amazing to wear, and he might just never take them off!
"It's not complete yet of course," Johnny claims. There are trousers and other little trim and details that needs to be addressed, as befits his Innocence, but Lavi is already not listening, he wants to show off and wonders if he would be able to get the bloodstains out if he went to annoy Yuu some more.
..
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As it turns out, it was a close thing. Yuu does not kill him, although he was sorely tempted to. Lavi reckons this is why bear-baiting is outlawed - possibly due to too many deaths that plus the publicans' cleaning bills were probably far too hefty and ate into profits.
..
There are other things too to think about.
Since coming to the order, Lavi is finding out that it is quite the simplest things that make people happy. Having had to witness, death and destruction and quickly moving on to the next battlefield, he never truly appreciates that there are things that folk might celebrate in the aftermath. Just being alive and having others to cling to, even though there are those that did not make it through is reason enough for celebration. Just being alive.
Here this evening Lavi witnesses the knock-on effect of just the one thing. Johnny's happy, Lavi is gleeful and even Yuu - who would never admit it even on pain of death, simply because he cannot die - is somewhat not unhappy. Yu gets to draw his sword, but he does not have to kill anything this day. That's reason enough to not be unhappy about.
.
Lavi does have quite a bit to muse about that evening as he lies in his bed, trying to grasp at thoughts as he contemplates the Bookman code at the same time, whilst catching sleep.
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FIN
Notes: This is for posting date 27 Aug. If it was your birthday then, Happy Belated Birthday! So very sorry this is late.
As will the next few pieces. It's been a hard week.
The proverb as it is recorded in Latin by Erasmus is: "vestis virum facit" meaning "clothes makes the man." (If I got this wrong, apologies and I'll set it right)
A few other notes. The Singer treadle machines have been around since 1850/51.
In 1835 Baiting was abolished. The keeping of any house, pit, or other place for baiting or fighting any bear, bull, dog, or other animal was forbidden.
I am as someone pointed out more than halfway through. I have a lot to catch up on though, I reckon this will be the hardest three weeks! Wish me luck people!
As ever thank you everyone who comes to read. You are all so loved - Zan
Part 29 of the 49 Days series