[PRP] Bitter Honey [Bee Sweet x Catwalk][FIN]

[Chrystali]

Catwalk could not wait to be done with schooling. It was the most inane thing, filled with 'teaching' things that would never serve any purpose in life -- math, history, sharing -- and it put them up to ridiculous things like dances and plays and being social. Ugh.

But, the bab was gifted in her craft of fashion, creation, tailoring -- and she had generously donated her time to helping out behind the scenes at school (gonna get that credit and do what she loves doing anyway, yes and thank you). She sniffed indignantly at a poorly done wig (not her problem), outright ignored some horrifically applied make up (not her monkey), and slinked around a hair-perm that was sure to crack someone over the head if the Pone moved too quickly (not her circus). It was all a glorious mess and not a single part of it was in her jurisdiction.

She almost hummed with delight as she let a plea for help with a fake eyelash stuck to a nostril go unanswered. "Costumes only. Good luck." No 'sorry,' no 'let me direct you to the right Phony,' just a winning, empty smile and a jaunt onwards. This would be the easiest credit yet!

Yushika with FIN edit

please forgive me for this horrible child

 

[NymiiNym]

You know, Bee Sweet never asked for this gig, really. It wasn't his thing. Costumes just didn't do it for him, no matter how he tried. Sure, it was easy to stitch now that he had better control of his magic, but it was long and tedious. He didn't have an eye for design, and it showed. The brown dress in his lap wasn't the prettiest, but it wasn't the worst, either, and he took some vague pride in that. The dress was covered in black stripes and at the breast was stitched in yellow lines leading to the outline of a bee, which he was slowly working on in his little corner. It wasn't the gaudiest, but it represented him and would get him the extra credit he needed.

He just needed a model for it, really, and he was about to get up and find one when another foal caught his eye, and not in the best way. He caught the exchange (or lack of!) between her and the poor foal with misplaced lashes on their nose, his own nose wrinkling as he fought to suppress the frown. Wasn't she brought on to help the other kids with their costumes? Wait. Costumes. Instantly, Bee Sweet stepped in-front of his dress, cheeks heating as he hoped she'd just meander by.

Chrystali

I love her??? Catwalk why you do this

 

[Chrystali]

Catwalk could have told him that 'hope' was a four letter word and thus shouldn't be spoken or thought, but it was too late, as her critical dark eyes slid in his direction - and then paused there. Was that -- was that a dress? Behind a foal??

The pale bab trotted over to him, squinting a little. She couldn't even be bummed out that she had to actually work, because... "Is that your dress? And you better say yes or I'm going to be very disappointed." Her words held no ill-will or negativity - yet - peeking around him to try and get a better look.

"Hey, look, we can all get out of here as soon as we're all done, so..." She motioned with a hoof to the outfit. "Try it on and lemme see." She paused, and then, as though exasperated by the whole 'social niceties' thing, she added, "I'm Catwalk. I'll help if it's needed."

Yushika

*CRIES* YOU'RE TOO SWEET

 

[NymiiNym]

She saw him.

Not only had she seen him, but her body had turned completely to direct her undivided attention to him. His head canted back, looking at his dress and then her before, with a reluctant internal sigh masked with a bright external smile, Bee Sweet stepped aside for her to see. Yes, it was a dress. Yes, it was his. Yes, it was probably terrible, but there was a smidgen of hope that perhaps she'd actually like it.

"I made it. My mom helped a little." He admitted, lifting it with wobbly, still developing unicorn magic. Try it on? He was a bit bigger than most foals — something about being like his dad or whatever his mom had once said — but he could fit if he didn't zip it up too high. Delicately, he stepped one hoof and then another through the dress before it was neatly on, sitting high for her to see as he examined the dress.

"What do you think?"

Chrystali

emotion_kirakira

 

[Chrystali]

"Mm," was her only response, watching critically as the large foal maneuvered himself and the dress to get it where it needed to be. She circled around the stranger, dark eyes sharp and critical, silent for a solid two minutes as she took it all in and passed her final judgment.

"I think it's awful. There's a stitch over here that hikes the fabric too high and the lines are all sorts of janky." Catwalk's words were spoken in a sort of bland manner, dark eyes still turning over the fabric. "If you've got ten minutes, I can fix it." She paused, and then frowned a little, the expression slow and critical. "Or if you have an hour, I can teach you instead."

Yushika

-drags horrible Phony into the Time Out Corner-

 

[NymiiNym]

He had begun to fool himself at one point or another. As the minutes ticked by and she circled him he assumed something had interested her. Maybe he wasn't the worst at this, after all? Now, it absolutely wasn't his purpose — although he had to wonder if he'd ever find his purpose at this rate — but as he looked down and examined his dress he had to say it wasn't the worst! A vague sense of pride washed over him, only to be violently thrown to the ground and smothered when Catwalk opened her mouth next.

"Oh." He breathed, voice hitching softly at the realization that not only was it, apparently, awful, but also so was maybe this filly. He looked back down at the fabric he had just prided himself in, feeling an uncomfortable disappointment well in his chest. It was bad, she was right. He shouldn't have bothered.

Except — He had just liked it a minute ago, and then she had destroyed it. How had the others felt? Sure, she was right; the stitches were a little messy and this obviously wasn't his talent, but he shouldn't feel bad right now! This was supposed to be fun. He looked up at her, mouth opening to tell her just how her words had stung before they snapped shut. He... he couldn't do that! What if.... what if she got mad? Or he upset her? Oh, he couldn't do that.

"Can you... teach me? I like to learn how to fix things myself so I can do it next time."

Chrystali

As Bee just !!!!! at the audacity of Catwalk. If you want her to go at him one more time I can see Bee speaking up after that point!

 

[Chrystali]

The small filly let out a slow, measured exhale, dark eyes unblinkingly on the other. "Fine. But if you don't understand something, speak up. I don't like wasting time."

Catwalk reached behind and tugged some needles out from a tie around her tail, putting them on a dresser with her teeth and using the very same to start picking at the stitching in the dress. It was coming out rather rapidly for a Phony with no magic. "Do you have any straight surfaces to work on - like, at home? Because you should keep practicing, even after this." The words were spoken through clenched teeth, sliding out the threads until she was about halfway around the dress.

"Pay attention. This should be easy for you, being a unicorn and all." Her eyes flit to his horn, frowning, and then back to the dress he wore. Retrieving one of the needles, she put it on the ground in front of him (he had magic, he could figure it out) and used her teeth to seize the other. "Thread your needle. You'll work on the other side so we don't blow an entire hour on this thing."

Yushika

Sorry darlin', life got a little hectic for a bit -- this week is still spotty but I'll try to respond more timely again. ;v;

 

[NymiiNym]

He felt his jaw clench under the pressure to maintain that polite smile after her slow exhale. Was he such a burden? Why was she bothering, then? He nodded towards her first question, carefully threading the needle with a shimmer of golden magic. He stayed quiet, measuring how best to approach what stayed at the corner of his mind. Should he? Would she snip back? Throw a fit? Did it matter at this point? She already was upset, and Bee was sure it didn't matter if he did or didn't; she'd still find disdain for the dress.

"Thank you for your help," He began, eyebrows knitting together once his needle was properly prepared.

"Err, though... are you... are you aware that sometimes what you say does more damage than good?" He internally winced. Not worded correctly, oh no. Biting back the flip of anxiety, the quiet phony focused intently on his side of the dress, hoping almost she hadn't heard him.

Chrystali

It's totally fine! c:

 

[Chrystali]

Her eyes were so dark in the lighting, it was almost easy to mistake them for completely black. She stared at him, unmoving, needle between her lips, and said nothing. Did he -- did he really just -- ?

"Make an 'x' pattern over the seam," she said between her clenched teeth, using her head to maneuver the needle. Despite the fact it looked like she was jabbing the dress, the needle slid through and was plucked up effortlessly. She showed him how to make sure the lines were even and matched with the eye-holes and how to double through the corners of the stitch, and worked at it for several more minutes before she spoke up again.

"Did you realize you didn't give me your name?" The words were said with slight accusation. "Probably not. And I bet you didn't mean anything by it. But I noticed, and didn't bring it up, because I'm sure you're distracted." She didn't look up while she talked, and indeed, didn't stop sewing, either, words spoken expertly around each thread and turn. "I wont assume to know you, your story, or what makes you what you are. That being said? It's up to you how you're choosing to take what's being said. If you don't like it, if you let it sting, you give power to those words, you make it damaging. But."

She did pause then, lifting her head to look him dead in the face, irregardless of if he'd return the stare. "If you know they're just words, and that your skin is thicker than that, you'll be a lot happier. I'm not trying to be a pissant. I'm getting my point across the best way I know how, 'cause fluff and tender do nothin' but make phonies not take you seriously because you're not a threat to their small little world. That's no way to live. And that's now how I choose to function."

Snorting softly, she deftly resumed the bob and weave with the needle, eyes shrewdly watching her work -- and his. "So yeah. I'm aware. Didn't mean no harm - and believe me, you'll know if I do. But if you want to really learn something from this, if not sewing, then take this: you are greater than the sum of anyone else's thoughts or opinions. Got it? 'cause I'm not gonna repeat myself." The last part was growled to punctuate her point.

This? This was positively nice for Catwalk, and no, it would never happen again.

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

Silence followed as she stared at him and then abruptly returned to her duties. He focused intently on the dress, feeling his stomach flip with each breath before she, finally, spoke. His mouth dried as she pointed out his impoliteness, guilt sweeping his features as their eyes met. However, his expression faltered, morphing from shame to wonder as she lectured.

He hadn't... thought about that. He hadn't considered it, even. Words were just words, and while it was her choice to speak the way she did, he didn't have to take it to heart. He had a choice to make, as well. He didn't agree with how she spoke, or her reasoning behind it, but her words were taken to heart. Perhaps, if he was older and able to articulate what was happening to him, he'd admit this was possibly life changing. She had just taught him something he'd always hold onto. Always remember when things were spoken too harshly; whenever someone threatened to break him down by tongue. His head cocked to the side, returning to his work quietly once she had finished. If Catwalk was watching, and he was sure she was, she might notice his sewing had gotten perhaps a little better. Maybe he had watched her enough, or perhaps she had refocused his attention. Either way, it wasn't perfect, but better.

"Thank you." Was all he offered, and it was sincere. She had said something that had stuck, and he mulled over her words carefully. 'You are greater than the sum of anyone else's thoughts or opinions.' Huh.

Chrystali

Wow he took that differently than I thought he would

 

[Chrystali]

"Better," she said simply, either not acknowledging the 'thank you' or...perhaps that was just her way. Catwalk eyed the stitching and nodded, pointing with a hoof. "See that? It's tighter. It'll help you keep your lines straight."

Catwalk finished her portion, watching him work for a bit between putting away her needle and thread, exhaling slowly. She had done her work, and then some. "The rest is up to you," she remarked, words reaching beyond the sewing.

Nymphiea

HE'S SO SWEET I CRY. Can end it there if you want, or you can close? :'3