Inez and Tatiana - Mysterious Boxes

[x-tatiana.livejournal.com]

Inez and Tat talk while Tat opens her mysterious package.

Inez laid back on her bed, an open textbook lay ignored next to her while she balanced a pad of paper on her stomach, doodling idly instead of completing yet another boring set of algebra problems. When she heard the door open, she glanced up at her roommate, then over at the large wrapped package sitting on the other bed. "Someone left that for you," she said curiously. "Your birthday or something?"

Tat stared at the box - she'd seen the LJ entry, but that didn't mean that it made any sort of sense. She shook her head as she dropped her bag, toeing off her shoes. "Not my birthday, and nobody'd send me anything." She paused, a brow quirked as she looked at her roommate. "Isn't this how it happens in horror movies? Random box, has like... dead roses or something else horrible in it?"

"If a creepy little clown jumps out," Inez said, picking up her textbook and shaking it mockingly, "I'll swat it, you smother it with a pillow."

"Do not even joke about that," Tat said, even as her mouth quirked with a smile. She tugged on the bow, and after a second she lifted off the lid.

And a creepy little clown, it was not. "Inez-" Tat's voice was totally weird, all strained and quiet, like she'd just found a body or something. But nestled in the box, iridescent and the bow matching the bow on the box, was a dress.

A really, really gorgeous dress.

Inez just stared into the box. "...wow," she finally breathed. "That is a beautiful dress. I mean... wow, all Cinderella and stuff. So, do you want me to smack it?" She said with a grin, waving her algebra book. "Because it could totally be part of a horror movie or something. First they send you dresses, then... flowers! And chocolate! Oh my god, we're doomed!" Her eyes were wide with feigned horror.

"I... This can't be for me." She looked at Inez. "Maybe it's for you?" She reached down and tugged out the dress, the skirt ballooning once it was free of the tissue paper - and revealing what it'd been hiding. Jewelry. Shoes. Stockings. Even a matching bra and panty set, all neatly packed under where the dress had been.

"I can't believe this." She looked back up at Inez, her eyes wide.

Inez backed away, holding up her hands. "Not mine, roomie. You're the one who was asking about Prom and stuff. This girl here is not Prom material. Dress up all fancy just for the boys? Not going to happen in this lifetime."

Inwardly, though, a part of her felt really jealous looking at the dress. Someone had obviously taken the time to pick it out especially for Tatiana. "So are you going to try it on?" she asked.

"Do you think I should? And you should come, Inez. I mean-" Tatiana flushed. If you'd asked her five minutes ago if she was going to prom, she would have said no - she'd already told Marius that she had to work.

Which was a total lie. "I don't want to go alone, and I'm not friends with anyone else who's our age. Please?"

"I don't have a dress," Inez replied before she could stop herself. She sighed and sat down hard on her bed. "I don't even own a skirt. I've never done one of these Prom things before. Never been at a school long enough to before."

"We can get you a dress tomorrow. Please? We can go look, and- and I didn't think I'd ever be able to go, and I can't go alone." Her mouth twisted, and she rolled her eyes. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really have friends or whatever beating down the doors. It'll be fun?" She looked at the box, then lay the dress on her bed, before shrugging off her shirt, and picking up the strapless bra.

... That was exactly her size.

"So, uh. Tell anybody my bra size lately?" Otherwise? Kind of creepy.

Inez blinked in astonishment. "Nooo..." she drawled, then pouted. "I kinda don't have any money. I didn't really think I'd be here long enough to even think about it. No point in getting a job if I'm just going to turn around and leave. You think someone might have a dress I could borrow or something?"

"I... that's why I wasn't going to go." Tat said it quickly, and looked down at the box. "Don't have a dress. Totally broke. I mean, I started working for Monet, and I work for Elpis, but I try and pay most of what I make to the people here, so..." She trailed off, then looked at Inez. "Really?! We can probably find something. I mean, I don't think it'd be that big of a deal? I want you to come. Seriously. I'd totally owe you." She switched bras, and... it fit. She skipped the rest for now, shrugging off her jeans before she unzipped the dress, and slid it over her head. "Some help?"


"Alright, alright," Inez sighed resignedly, dropping her book on the bed and walking around to adjust Tatiana's dress. "You win. If you can find me something to wear, I'll go to the Prom. After all, with you in this dress, someone's going to have to be the one keeping all the boys in line..."

"You didn't get hit in the head with the box, did you? I mean, it's not like they're crawling all over to talk to me." Honestly, Tat was only just now starting to get out of her shell and really meet people. "And besides, no matter what you're in, they're all going to pay attention to you." Inez was... well. Inez.

She dropped the shoes on the floor with twin clunks, then slid her feet into the strappy sandals, only wobbling for a minute. "Well?" She bit her lip, self consciously smoothing the dress.


Inez bit her lip slightly. Whoever had picked the dress out for Tatiana really had spared no expense. "We've got to get you a stick. You'll need it to beat the boys off with. Totally." She smiled brightly and turned her roommate to face the mirror. "There is no way I am going to find something this perfect. You plus this dress equals awesome, yo."

"You're really sweet," Tat said as she smiled at Inez in the mirror. "Wrong, but sweet." She looked down at it, and then her eyes widened, her face turning bright red. "So. Uh. Please tell me you don't think my boss bought me this." She turned, looking at the back of it. "I mean, I don't know who else has this kind of money, you know? But that means he totally figured out my bra size." She made a face, trying to think of someone, anyone else.

"Maybe someone has the mutant power to figure out bra sizes?" Inez ventured wryly, then wrinkled her nose. "Then again, I think all boys try and practice that one."

Tat's nose wrinkled. "But he's- I mean- There's underwear." She bit her lip. "I... I don't know. Maybe I should call him. Or something. But I mean. What if he did? What do I do? I mean, he was probably just being nice-" She cut off, and shook her head. "So nobody's been like... asking around or anything? I mean, this doesn't even need alterations."

"Maybe it was elves," Inez shrugged and dropped back down onto her bed. "There's a saying about not looking a gift horse in the mouth, you know? Enjoy it, don't ask questions, go to Prom, have fun, right?"

Tat pressed her lips together, still trying to figure it out. "Right," she said absentmindedly, as she reached back and managed to get the zipper. "I have more important things to do. Like finding you a dress."