ArchivedLogs:Threadbare

Threadbare
Dramatis Personae Alison, Cage	2014-03-23 Cage needs some help getting proper clothes.
Location Out and about
It's Sunday afternoon, just after lunchtime, and Cage has a date with Alison. Rather than driving his hummer around though, he's hired a car service for the day, and the black limo has just pulled up in front of Alison's building. Hopping out, Luke crosses the sidewalk to ring her buzzer, waiting patiently for her to respond as people are decidedly unimpressed to see who gets out of the curious car. Rather than answering the buzzer, Alison appears at the door a scant few minutes after it's pressed. Uncertain exactly what the afternoon will hold, she's opted for stylish casual in her jeans and cowl-necked blue sweater that she sports under her white jacket. She seems to have eschewed a purse, leaving her arms more than free to wrap around Luke as soon as the door's closed behind her. "Hi, you," she murmurs, nestling into his warmth and offering a wan smile as she looks up at him. There's a bit of clicking from the nearby trash cans, but she ignores it as she tightens her embrace. "I've missed you, this week." Luke is fairly casual as well. He's wearing a pale yellow, tailored button-up, untucked, with dark jeans and black dress shoes. He holds Alison tight in a long hug, kisses her on the cheek, and picks her up briefly before setting her down again. "Good to see you," he says with a sigh. He frowns as he looks at the various cameras, and shrugs. "Wanna hop in the car?" He nods at the waiting limo with the open door. Alison is happily kissed, leaning her cheek into the buss and closing her eyes as she makes a contented sort of sound. Looping her arm through Luke's elbow, she leans into him as they approach the car. "Why the fancy wheels?" she asks, tipping her head curiously as she regards the shiny black limo. "Is yours acting up? Because I can totally ask Anton to look at it. He's a whiz with engines and stuff." "Oh um," Luke says, pausing at the car door to help Alison get in first. When she's situated, he lowers himself as well, and pulls the door shut, settling into the seat beside her. "Well, mine got a little cosmetic damage, helping out at the bomb site last week. So it's in the shop to get the dents banged out. But also," Cage shrugs, gesturing at the posh interior. "I thought it would help get us in the right mind set. I need you to help buy me a tux." Luke clears his throat, and seems to be in unfamiliar territory. "And... you'll need a gown, I think." Luke picks up his peacoat which was left in the car, and fishes an envelope out of the pocket. It looks new, and sports the mayor's official seal on the outside. Inside however is a letter that technically looks new, but the folds are worn, like it's been opened and closed a /bunch/ times, perhaps maybe to make sure it's real? Over and over. "Oh, gosh," Alison says, frowning as she climbs into the car. "I've been texting everyone about that. My friend Jax and his kids live in that building, you know." She settles into place, frowning. "The word is that they're up at the school, now, so I thought I would head up there tomorrow or the next day, and see how they're doing." She furrows her brow at the admission of the reason for their date, and settles back with a puzzled sort of expression. "A tux?" she echoes, eyes tracking to the envelope as it's produced. Then she's flashing a wide smile. "Sweetie, I know /just/ the guy -- he does all of Mel's tuxes, for events." The envelope gets eyed again, and her smile falters just a bit as she recognizes the seal. "What's going on?" "Oh, you know Jax too? God that family has been through so much..." Luke shakes his head and then nods when she mentions the school. "Yeah, sounds like they're all up there now." He smiles when she mentions the tux though, and puts his hand on her knee. "That sounds like the right man then. He's used to working with bigger guys. As for the 'why'... Well, go ahead and open it." "Oh, yes, I know Jax," Alison says, smiling fondly. "He and I have similar abilities, although I don't utilize light the way he does." She beams a bit (literally) at Cage's acceptance of her man, and reaches for the phone to give the driver the address. "He's the best," she says, hanging up the phone. "Plus, he'll see us on a Sunday, which is a definite bonus." She takes the envelope, easing it open and withdrawing the official-looking letter inside. She reads silently for a moment, and then gasps audibly -- first in pleasure, and then in horror. "Luke /Cage/," she says, slapping at him. "This says this is happening /tomorrow/." "I know, I know!" Luke says, chuckling with Alison's swatting at his arm and shoulder. "I'm sorry," he says in Spanish. "I had to make sure it was legit. I thought someone was setting me up or something, you know? Last week went all to hell, so I only confirmed it on Friday." Which means he had two whole days to tell her before today. "But anyway, are you free to come with me? I'm uh..." He looks out the window, and then back at Alison. "I'm nervous to go alone." "/Men/," Alison says, frowning deeply at Luke as she fishes her phone out of her pocket. "You're all just /terrible/ at this sort of thing. I swear." She doesn't answer the question, instead punching numbers into her phone and lifting it to her ear, watching Luke's face as she starts speaking as soon as the connection is made. "Mel, it's Ali. We have an event emergency. Call Lola and tell her to bring about four gowns suitable for a political function over tonight. They need to be good to dance in. And she can find shoes to match -- I'll take whatever goes with what I'm wearing. Then call Rudolf..." she continues to issue instructions into the phone, apparently assembling a /team/ to make ready. Eventually, she hangs up the phone, and sniffs as she re-pockets it. "I suppose I can make it." Luke winces as the full implication of his last minute notice sinks in. "I know, I shoulda told you earlier. But thank you, I'm glad you can come." The big man leans over to briefly press his lips to Alison's and then smiles. "So, how far away is this guy of yours?" Translated - how long do we have in the back seat of this car? "It's always good to give me more than twenty-four hours' notice," Alison agrees, her tone still a bit put out. She's totally up for kissing, though, wrapping her arms around Luke's neck and returning the kiss enthusiastically. "We have plenty of time," she murmurs against his lips, smiling gently. "He's across the bridge." Later on, when the car reaches the other side of the bridge, Luke smiles as the tailor's shop comes into view. "So, I guess it's safe to say you're not /that/ upset with me." When car comes to a stop, he grabs his coat and steps out, holding the door open for Alison before the driver can get out to do it. He nods to the man to just wait in the driver's seat. Apparently Luke considers this his job to take care of. "So what's this guy's story? How do you know him?" Alison takes a minute to fix her hair, giving Luke a dangerous sort of look as she skims her fingers through to shake it loose again. "I wouldn't get /too/ cocky, Mister," she says, hiking her eyebrows pointedly. It's ruined by her immediate smile, and she grabs her own coat as the car comes to a stop. Luke's assistance means she's able to exit the car gracefully, placing her hand in the big man's and easing out of the limo. "Oh, Mel actually introduced me to Ernie," she says, floating past Luke and wiggling fingers at the driver. "But I've used him for Anton, and he's a genius." Up a small flight of stone steps, and through a windowed door, the interior of Ernie's shop looks like the tailor has set up in his living room -- which he probably has. There's a kitchen visible through an archway, and there's the smell of cabbage soup floating through the air. The living room has a couch, two chairs, and a rack of suits that stretches across the front window like gloomy curtains. Ernie himself is a rotund little man of about sixty million years old, although he moves pretty spryly. He's beaming when Alison leads Luke into the living room, and approaches the actress with wide-spread arms. "Alison! It's so good to see you, even if it is on a Sunday." He catches the blonde in a warm embrace, squeezing her tightly enough that she squeaks a giggle. "And this must be the man Melvin was mentioning on the phone," he says, releasing Alison and looking Luke over critically. "What are you? A 52 long?" He wags a finger at Luke as he moves away. "I don't do the Puffy Dogg suits," he says preemptively. "Just good old-fashioned tuxedos and business apparel. Nothing fancy." Alison winces at Ernie's caveat, and glances up at Luke with an apologetic look. "He really /is/ the best." Luke follows Alison inside, and looks around. He's openly impressed, until Ernie makes his comment about what type of suits he makes. Alison gets a half frown, and a raised eyebrow, but then, he doesn't really get to argue given the events of the day so far. "Yeah, no problem Ernie. I'm going to a gala with the Mayor. I just want something classic. Classy." He takes his jacket off, hangs it on a hook nearby, and unbuttons his sleeves. "So how's this work, Ernie? I never been to a real tailor before." "Classy, I can do," Ernie says, bobbing his head as he digs in a sideboard for a measuring tape. This gets hung around his neck as he grabs a piece of paper and pencil. "How does it work?" he echoes, coming back to Luke and giving him a mildly incredulous look. "You take off your clothes, I measure you, and tomorrow morning, you pick up a suit. This is not a hard thing to understand." He shakes his head, clucking his tongue as he actually reaches for Luke's waistband as if he's going to help the big man get undressed. Alison, for her part, is trying very hard not to laugh, turning her attention to the rack of suits by the window. "I'm thinking something like the suit you made for Mel for the Tonys," she offers, which earns a snort from Ernie. "Listen to her," he says to Luke, shaking his head. "She bosses around three men in her life, she thinks she can boss me, too." He wags a finger in Alison's direction, frowning deeply. "This is a thing that I know how to do, Missy, so you can just keep your fancy ideas inside that pretty head of yours." Luke's eyes go wide and he starts to back away but stops himself before he gets too far. He does gently separate himself from Ernie though. "Ok, ok, I got it..." Luke says, unbuttoning his shirt. He pulls his boots off, and removes the rest of his clothes, leaving him in just black boxer-briefs. At least he doesn't seem too self-conscious about being in his skivvies. He just doesn't know what to do with half of Ernie's instructions. Once on the tailor's little platform, he's poked and prodded, and does his best to just be cool about it.