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The male could not have stood out more in the shop if he tried. His hair - dyed with streaks of green, did little to attribute him to the kind of person who would be looking through rows and rows of fabrics. Nor did his Metallica t-shirt, nor his slightly worn Iron Maiden hoodie. His jeans, torn and faded in places along with a pair of worn, grungy steel-toed boots rounded out the ensemble which was completed by a fairly sturdy backpack slung over his shoulder.

Yeah, he didn't look like he belonged in the fabric store at all.

But man was he vacillating between a large bolt of cotton and an equally large bolt of silk. Both were a nice, rich navy blue - but by and large the silk was the better quality fabric.

What had him standing there, doing the dance of the fence sitter - was the price tag.

The cotton was almost $5 cheaper a square foot.

Chewing his cheek, he groaned, feeling the difference between the two fabrics as he was trying to think.

The cotton was safer... he didn't even have her actual sizes he was just going off of what he'd eye-balled. Granted he'd been able to get a good look at things thanks to her knight form but...

WHY WAS IT SO HARD TO MAKE A DRESS FOR HIS GIRLFRIEND!

Darren jumped, dropping his hands from both fabrics and stepping aside. "Jesus," He gasped, placing a hand on his chest. "Warn a guy would you?" He'd been so lost in thought he hadn't even noticed her approach.

He looked a bit sheepish at her comment, before he continued. "It's not for me... it's for my girlfriend... I'm making her a dress."

He coughed a bit. "Want to make her something special for Valentines Day... I just can't decide if I should play it safe or go for broke..."

Wow, who pissed in her cheerios this morning? Darren desperately wanted to ask her but he thought better of it, managing a weak - if haggard smile. "I am actually pretty advanced, I make my bad's costumes from scratch... I've also done a few LARP costumes, period proper and everything."

"My problem is I don't know her exact size and I had to eyeball it. Can't really ask her to stand still for me to measure her up and keep this a surprise now can I?"

You know what - no - ******** this. He wasn't going to get hounded.

"You know what, sorry I got in your way." He stepped out of her way, grabbing the cotton and moving on. "But you might find that you get through life easier if you're less of a b***h..." If she wanted to be catty - fine, he could throw down with the best.

With that, he headed down the aisle, cotton under his arm as he moved to go see if any new needles came in. He had to replace a few of his old ones.

Why was she following him? Oh - the cotton? That's what she was after? He suppressed a growl and turning, he handed it to her. Why was she still talking - he was tempted to just ignore her and drown it out - but then she said something that he hadn't thought of before.

Then she threw in a little jab and he narrowed his eyes a little bit.

"Let's just say I'm not as intimate with it as I would like to be, but I respect that the time for such things has not yet come to pass. I had to eyeball measurements at best because it's rude to ask a lady what they are to being with, and I wasn't about to whip out the tape cause that ruins the surprise..."

It also outed him as a boy that did sewing.

"As far as the costumes are not the same as day clothing... I did my older sister's prom dress two years in a row. Yes - I KNOW mistakes on a loved one's clothing are unforgivable. I about bled my fingers dry to make sure those dresses were perfect, this one will be no different."

Looking away he took a deep breath and finally grabbed a few of the needles he needed.

"Look, I think we got off to a bad start - I'm sorry I've been snippy with you, I'm just under a lot of stress right now with school and work..." He rubbed his eyes with his empty hand for a moment. "I haven't gotten a decent night's sleep in weeks."

"I have not yet received the honor of either her dorm room or her room at home quite yet..." Darren admitted openly as he turned and followed Delilah. "I am hoping that this gift signals my intent for a more serious relationship." He frowned a little bit. "Is that weird?"

Shaking his head, he followed the other woman to the stretch fabrics to see if there might be something in a complimentary color to her hair or skin tone. Barring that he'd pick something close to his colors as Corinth because why not.

Darren nodded, looking over the fabric until he found a nice, dark shade of navy blue. It would compliment her hair if nothing else, and so that done, he turned to look at Delilah. "Thank you, for helping me."

He smiled then, a friendly gesture. "As I'm sure you can tell traditional doesn't really sit well with me very much." To be fair, there were some traditions he did like but for the most part he could do without.

Wasn't like they were important or anything.

"She's... not very traditional either," Darren said with a chuckle and a small nod, not sure what the girl was getting at but having a feeling that she was poking at him again.

He still didn't understand a woman's need to stomp all over a guy the moment she sensed that he might even be remotely wrong about something - in his 18 years growing up in a house full of them he still had not cracked that one nut.

He probably never would - to be fair.

Shaking his head he smiled at her placidly. "As far as wooing goes - I had to earn my first date... and I got a concussion for my trouble." He laughed dryly at that.

"So yeah - I'm pretty sure I'm safe with this idea."

"Well, yes, I guess that should go without saying huh?" Darren chuckled weakly as he scratched the back of his head. He'd figure that one out on his own - she seemed to be getting annoyed.

"Thank you - again - for helping me out." He said quietly, before turning to make his way to grab some other supplies. "I hope to see you again."