xp_logs | Nathan and Moira, Thursday evening

They go shopping for clothes for the HeliX formal. Moira picks the most stunning dress in the whole wide world. Nathan drools. Then Moira gets to help him pick out a tuxedo. Being more dignified, she does not drool, although she does admire certain parts of his anatomy. Then Nathan decides she needs something shiny to go with the dress. No salesclerks were harmed in the making of this log - really, we promise!

Moira quirked an eyebrow at the mirror and sighed. "I look like a bloody peacock," she called out to Nathan, who was seated comfortably in the plush waiting chairs in the changing department. It wasn't a changing room, it had its own department. The dress she had one had looked perfectly sane and nice. On the hangar, anyway. On her, it suddenly revealed that instead of the light shade of green they had thought it was, it was actually several different shades of green.

"Let me see," he called back, grinning. There were far worse ways to spend an evening than watching the most beautiful woman in the world try on a succession of (mostly) exquisite dresses.

"Dinnae want ta come out." While she enjoyed, more than she should really, clothes shopping, there was a limit. "This is worse than th' gray one I tried on. Th' one wit' wha' looked like feathers." And, besides, Moira thought shifting slightly, a little cleavage was just fine. This dress went beyond fine and dove right into unacceptable. Too much skin.

The attendant, at Nathan's (mostly) gentle suggestion, had gone off to find something else to do with her time. Nathan sighed, grinning as he pushed himself up out of the chair. "Don't make me come in there after you," he warned her.

"Love, 'tis nay a threat when ye'd enjoy it," Moira retorted but still pushed aside the curtain. She stood, one hand planted on her hip as she glowered at him. "Nay. Gettin'. It."

"You'd be very red, if you wore that out in public," Nathan said with a perfect assessment of her likely reaction to being stared at. The dress, though very nice, was also very definitely meant to be stared at. "So you'd be red and green and look like a Christmas tree. Definitely not a keeper."

"I could 'ave told ye tha' from in 'ere." Turning around, Moira gestured to the rack with the remaining dresses on it. "Go on, pick one out for me ta try on next. They're all startin' ta become a blur at this point."

Nathan bit his lip as he examined the dresses on the rack. The one he selected was a simple, flowing gown of copper silk, much more conservatively cut than the last. "Try this," he suggested, passing it in to her.

"Wasnae this th' first one I picked out when we got in th' store?" she asked, teasing as she eyed the other dresses she had tried on. God only knows how many there actually were. Still, she backed into the dressing room and closed the curtains. Moira was grateful Nathan was here because otherwise those stupid things would not have stayed closed.

The "no" dress quickly came off and she rubbed at her skin for a second. It had also been itchy, a massive strike against it. With a grateful sigh, she hung it back up and reached for the other one. At least, she thought, tugging the dress over her head, the inside of this one was much nicer feeling than the other one. She paused and then sent #I know yer laughin' at me.#

"I am not," he protested mildly. "I'm having a very good time. Aren't you?" She came out in the copper silk, and he beamed. "I like that," he said happily. "You don't need a whole lot of adornment, you know. You have a perfect figure."

Nodding, Moira spun around slightly. It shimmered slightly in the light and that pleased her more than it probably should have. "I still think yer biased, but thank ye anyway. But yer right--dress is perfect." It clung in all the right places and showed off just enough but not too much. Not like that _other_ white dress did. That was not something that should be worn around students. No matter how much Nathan had begged and done the puppy dog face.

"But,too plain," Nathan said, trying to envision it with jewelry and not coming up with a pleasing combination. "Lovely, but too plain. Set it aside as a possible and try another?"

A raised eyebrow lowered when he sent over what he was trying to picture and grimaced. "Aye, yer right." Turning, she glanced at the pile again. "I'm jus' reachin' in an' pickin' one," she announced, sounding slightly grumpy. She was getting hungry, they hadn't had dinner yet. Moira did just as she had said she was going to and started rummaging around. Her hand stopped on one that was soft and yet there was a pattern...

Pulling that one out, a silver one with delicate embroidery, Moira waited until Nathan had tugged the curtain back before starting to change.

Nathan's eyes widened as she finished changing and stepped out. "Oh, wow," he said finally. The dress was cut almost as simply as the copper one had been, but the embroidery on the gauzy, almost irridescent fabric caught the eye in a way the plain copper sillk hadn't. "You look... um. Wow."

Laughing a little, she smoothed the dress down slightly. The dress meshed very well with her skin color, unlike the last dress, she realized. "Think this is it?" she asked, already knowing the answer. This was another design that knew what to show and how much and what to conceal and offset.

"You know," he said quietly, coming up behind her as she looked into the mirror and laying his hands on her shoulder. "I think this is actually better than the white dress." Not as drop-dead sexy, but even more elegant. Even in the bright lights here in the changing department, the dress shimmered.

Moira looked up him in a bit of surprise. He had been positively morose when she had told him that wearing the white dress would probably not be a wise idea. "Perfect for wha' we're goin' ta," she murmured, returning her gaze to the mirror. She couldn't help but smile at their reflections. "Th' white one is a--'us' dress, if tha' makes sense."

His eyes danced. "Just for me, huh? I think I could live with that." Since they were all alone - well, except for whoever might be watching over the security cameras - he pulled her hair back away from her neck and bent to kiss her. Just a brief, light, teasing kiss, but it was enough to make her shiver. "You look absolutely regal, you know," he murmured.

"Mmm...an' ye look positively delighted wit' yerself," Moira replied, leaning back against him. One touch...damn the man. "If'n I look regal...wha' are ye goin' ta look like?"

"Well, what do you think?" Nathan asked playfully. "All-black, to go with the silver?" He was liking that image. Let her glow, and he could just be there at her side. Her shadow...

Reaching behind her, she poked him solidly in the ribs. "Nay me shadow. But...oh, tha's a nice image in th' all black." Moira closed her eyes and thought for a second, trying to recall some of the styles that just might work on him. "Mandarin collar?" she suggested suddenly.

Nathan blinked, trying to imagine it. "That could work," he said, then chuckled. "This place has a men's department, no?"

"Wha' 'ighly priced department store wouldnae?" she asked, turning around. "Let me get changed..." She laughed at the thought that came down the link. "Nay, I cannae wear this out right now. Like I was sayin', I'll get changed an' we'll go work on ye, all right?"

Nathan took one last, long look at her in the dress, then smiled. "I'll wait out here," he said cheerfully, going back to his chair.
--

Moira couldn't help a satisfied smirk as she sank into the plush seats in the men's changing department. Her feet were rather relieved that it was her turn to sit and watch instead of trying on all those dresses. She peered around and stiffled a giggle as the attendant bustled around Nathan, measuring and muttering under his breath about large, impatient men.

#He's enjoying this far too much,# Nathan projected at her dourly, trying very hard not to move. It wasn't that he didn't like the tuxedo. It was quite nicely, actually. Suitably imposing. But the fussing around was going to drive him insane.

#O' course 'e is. When _else_ do ye let anyone boss ye around?# She paused and smiled at him. #Well, except for me, o' course.#

#So,# Nathan sent more dryly. #Please tell me this is all going to be worth it?#

#From wha' I can see so far, aye, 'tis goin' ta be verra wort' it.# Nathan had very nice shoulders, she mused, and from the back in that outfit, they were only nicer. Along with other certain areas.

He sent a snicker down the link. #I admire your cleavage, you admire my ass. Seems only fair.#

Moira smirked. #Aye, because we 'ave ta be verra fair in this. Ooo, 'e looks almost done, is 'e?#

Nathan agreed with the attendant that yes, he would come back for a last fitting on Saturday morning, and then retreated to change back into his own clothes. "At least your dress didn't need anything done with it," he muttered, not really all that displeased as he came back out and joined her, reaching out to take her hand and pull her back to her feet. "It does, however," he said with rather more enthusiasm, "need accessorizing. Shall we eat before, or after?"

"Before or else ye'll be down an arm." Leaning into him, she threaded her arm through his. "Accessorizin'?" she asked, grinning up at him.

"I'm buying you shiny things," he said blithely. "I like buying you shiny things."

"So I noticed," she murmured, squeezing his arm. "Nay tha' I mind, at all, I'm jus' curious--why?"

"Why?" He gave her a bemused look as they headed down the escalator towards the very nice restaurant that was handily located on the lower level. "Because you're beautiful and I love you and shiny is good."

"Tha's nay a real answer," she answered lightly, smiling as he stepped onto a lower step and turned around to face her. Leaning forward, she placed her arms on his shoulders and kissed him briefly. "A nice answer, though. But, nay, really, why?"

He gave it some serious thought, realizing she wanted a serious answer. "Because it tickles me," he finally said, more quietly. "I'm not in your league in terms of wealth, Moira, but I have a ridiculous amount of money stashed away here and there. More than I could spend in the next thirty, forty years, even with occasional bouts of splurging." He smiled up at her. "I'm not really fixated on buying you the shiny stuff, you know. Seeing your reaction to a book I pick out for you tickles me almost as much."

"Yer adorable, ye know tha'?" Moira proclaimed, leaning in for another kiss right before they had to step off the escalator. "I like bein' surprised, by anythin', though I normally willnae admit it." She blinked and then laughed, suddenly. "Speakin' o' surprises, I still 'ave tha' one gift I bought ye on our trip, squirreled away. Wit' everythin' tha' 'appened, I completely forgot 'bout it."

"Oh?" His eyes lit. "Were you saving it for some special occasion?"

She grinned at his reaction. "Nay really, jus' somethin' I'd brin' out out o' nowhere."

"Devious woman," he accused her cheerfully, but didn't bother poking the link. He had no intention of spoiling the surprise. "What do you feel like for dinner?"

Moira thought for a second, trying to gauge what her stomach was screeching at her. "...Thai?" she asked, looking up at him. "'avenae 'ad tha' in a while an' 'tis nay so spicy tha' it kills this old Scot."

"Well, given that the place in the lobby is an Asian fusion restaurant, I'm thinking they'll have Thai," Nathan said, grinning at her. "Aren't you glad I'm obsessive about noticing details?"

Snicking, she nodded and then snuggled under his arm as they walked. "One o' th' reasons I love ye," she announced cheerfully.

"Oh, is it on the list, too?" Nathan beamed at the doorman at the restaurant, who looked mildly intimidated as he opened the door for them.

"Course it is." Moira poked Nathan lightly in the back as they were walked towards a secluded table. #Ye enjoy tha' way ta much,# she sent, the link open at its fullest right now.

#Of course I do. And that's another reason you love me.#

---

Really, Moira couldn't have stopped giggling if she had wanted to. In part, it was due to the goodly amounts of ice cream they had just eaten but it didn't help that Nathan had her firmly by the wrist and was dragging her through the jewelry store. They had already hit the department store's jewelry sections but someone hadn't been satisfied with the selection. He was also grinning like a loon.

"Tacky, too big, too small, too dull," he rattled off, his eyes flickering back and forth as he scanned the contents of the cases. "I mean, diamonds are nice, yes, but that dress needs something more distinctive. Don't you think?"

"Ummm...aye?" she hazarded, trotting to keep up with his pace.

"Can't go for too much color, though. Wouldn't fit. Pearls?" he asked, stopping in front of one case and studying the various pearl necklaces and so forth inside. "No," he finally decided and pulled her onwards. "Doesn't fit."

Moira squeaked and nearly toppled over from the sudden motion. "Nathan!" she protested but still laughing. "Yer goin' ta tear me arm off!"

"Has to be something fairly simple," he decreed, but slowed his pace a little. "The dress is so elegant. Anything too fancy wouldn't work."

"Pardon...me? Sir?" one of the employees, an older man who was visibly nervous, ventured. "Perhaps... could I give you some assistance?"

"For th' love o' God, aye, _please_." Moira firmly planted herself in one spot and looked at Nathan.

Nathan blinked at her, then grinned at the man. "She just bought herself a lovely dress. Silver, embroidered, extremely elegant. She needs jewelry. I'm at a loss."

"Ah... yes, I see," the man said, settling down a bit and thinking rather loudly about 'attractive yet obviously insane couples'. "You're looking for something distinctive, yet simple, I gather, sir? From what I have, ah, overheard?"

"Exactly," Nathan said firmly.

It was probably better if she just the 'boys' handle this, Moira thought, utterly amused by the entire situation.

The man gave her an assessing look, as if trying to imagine her in the dress. "Silver, you said? Metallic?"

"Not really," Nathan said after a moment, sounding a little less 'hyperactive five-year-old on sugar' and more serious. "Well, the embroidery is metallic, but the dress itself is more white-silver... wouldn't you say, Moira?"

A second passed before she nodded. "Aye, I'd say so. It shimmers but isnae ta outrageous."

"Hmm," the man said, then turned away to one of the cabinets behind him. He fiddled with the lock on the door, finally getting it open and pulling out a large, flat black box. "You'll have to pardon me if this isn't what you had in mind - this is just a first attempt, of course."

He opened the box to reveal a necklace and earring set that made Nathan's jaw drop. "Moonstones," the man said rather more cheerfully at the sight of his face. "A very fine design, as well. Modeled after designs popular at the turn of the twentieth century - Art Deco, actually."

Moira peered around Nathan's arm and took in a deep breath. The moonstones, shimmering silver-white and set in white gold, glittered against the white pillowing. "They're goregous," she murmured.

"They are," Nathan said, his eyes narrowing. They glowed. Just like she had in the dress. The setting for both the necklace and the earrings were a delicate cascade design, not too ornate, but enough to show off the stones to their best advantage. Nathan looked up at Moira speculatively, imagining her in the moonstones and the dress. A slow smile spread across his face as he pondered the image and found it... well, rather heart-stopping. "Do you like them?" he asked quietly.

She beamed up and him and nodded. This wasn't something she didn't get to do all that often--shopping had been something she had never done. At least not for herself. Medical supplies and equipment simply didn't count. And she loved jewelry, she just couldn't wear it all that often because of her job.

"We'll take them, then," he said with a smile, then put his arm around Moira as the man, now beaming, nodded and closed the box again. "You're going to look unbelievable," Nathan murmured. "I'm going to need to be wearing sunglasses inside."

Laughing a little, she stood up on tip toe and kissed him on the cheek. "Ye flatter me ta much," Moira said, smiling.

#Not nearly enough. Not nearly,# Nathan sent back, hugging her. "Let's go give my credit card a workout, shall we?"