steampunk.

[likesboys]

So here's what you missed on Glee:

After a heart-to-heart with his BFF Grace about that boy Maxxie, Kurt determined that he may want to hold off on trying to find someone to date for the time being — ("The sort of thing that'd make me swear a vow of celibacy, or at least swear that my love is only meant for the stage.") — and is instead focusing on both self-defense — ("Just think of this as football practice or something; the guys certainly piled on each other enough, there.") — and considering another go at Rocky Horror, but this time auditioning for Jane Weiss — ("Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me, I wanna be dirty."). Oh, and did we mention that the island's turned into some strange version of Victorian London? But steampunk. Weird, but kinda cool.

And that's what you missed on... Glee!


Having considerably cheered since finding a rich, dark red velvet cloak in the Compound's clothing box, the halt of snow has Kurt feeling more energetic now than in the first few days of London. With the skies relatively clear, and a few heated stones tucked away in the linings of his pockets, Kurt finds that he can keep himself warm for a fair amount of time as he wanders about London, cheeks rosy with excitement and the cold alike. The long afternoons are made easier by hauling a friend out with him for the trip, and today the person of choice happens to be Billy Kaplan, practically dragged out of the Compound as soon as Kurt noticed that he'd worn the same outfit two days in a row. Which was, all things considered, already criminal on the island proper— but now, with actual shops around which carried respectful choices without the need to dig through improper sizes and neon colors? There was simply no excuse.

Whatsoever.

"This way, this way," Kurt announces, arm wrapped tightly around Billy's own as he spots the first of many clothing shops for the two of them to browse through, shooting Billy a quick look that allows for no argument as they step inside, suddenly awash in warmth and the scent of textiles. As seems to often be the case, the shopkeeper chooses that moment to head into the back, leaving them with the privacy needed to carefully work their way through the selection. "Right. Pick a color. Anything other than red," he instructs, glancing around with wide and approving eyes.

Comments

[halfscarlet]

As fascinating as he's starting to find the clothing (his fun with everything seems to be growing while Teddy's diminishes, and Billy's sure he'll find him wandering around looking like Oliver Twist soon enough), it's still not enough to live up to the lofty standards Kurt has, and Billy doesn't take offense at being grabbed and taken out on a shopping trip before he realizes what's going on.

The shop is dark and warm, at least, and Billy looks around as he pulls his scarf off and unbuttons his coat. "I wear things other than red," he protests weakly as he heads deeper into the shop. "What about something green?"

[likesboys]

"Yes, granted, you don't go around wearing a single hue, thank goodness— believe it or not, my friend Rachel's had days when she's walked around in every shade of indigo, with nothing else to break the monochrome. Just, if Britney and Justin couldn't pull it off all the way back in 2001, who on earth really thinks that they'd do better in anything other than grayscale?" Kurt rambles on, waving his hand dismissively at Billy's protest, although his tone falls more amused than derisive. He nearly loses himself in the racks of clothings, before belatedly remembering that Billy isn't necessarily the type of guy who'd follow at his heels (he's trained Finn to do so whenever the two of them are in clothing stores) and dropping a hand to Billy's shoulder, turning him in the proper direction.

"But of course you'd just head for the opposite color," he smiles, shaking his head. "I'm looking for pieces that will complement the red, not make you look like Father Christmas come in his handsome youth." Pulling a vest off a nearby hanger, he holds it up against Billy's torso, brow furrowed in thought.

[halfscarlet]

It's always easier when Kate shoves uniforms at them and tells them to put them on, much less overwhelming. Kurt at least seems to have some kind of higher fashion calling in mind, and Billy likes him enough to put his clothing choices in his hands.

"I don't know, I don't really think about color or stuff like that," he admits, as if one look at his wardrobe over a week wasn't proof enough. "Ooh, hey, I kinda like this."

[likesboys]

"As much as I understand and appreciate the fact that not all of us are walking clichés in this respect, Billy, I am having such a hard time comprehending how someone so naturally gifted with good looks doesn't at least take the time to look in a mirror and decide what suits him and what doesn't," Kurt sighs, although Billy's relatively positive response to the vest keeps him from showing too much frustration. While seeing someone completely incapable of dressing to their body and face type can be vexing, the effect is greatly ameliorated when said subject at least shows a willingness to learn. Or, at least, to don whatever Kurt happens to hand over.

Tugging the vest off of the hanger, Kurt gestured for Billy to hold his arms out to try. "I mean, all that time when you were reading about heroes and whatnot, did you never spare a second to think about their uniforms? The way they carried themselves? Not that superheroes are all about being figureheads, but it certainly doesn't hurt if their choices are easy on the general public's eye. Although I suppose Superman proves himself a huge exception to that rule."

[halfscarlet]

"Well, yeah, I thought about uniforms," Billy replies a second later, registering Kurt was actually asking him a question. Usually he talked on for a bit, which Billy didn't actually mind; Kurt was pleasant to listen to, even when gently chastising Billy's fashion choices and lack thereof.

"And anyone who wears underwear on the outside is a huge exception to the rule," he agrees. Despite how much he likes Clark, it's something he's been dying to ask him about. "But that's a superhero uniform, everyone's going to see me in it. I was too busy with other things in high school to care about clothes, and now I don't really notice what I'm wearing." Which is entirely the problem, of course.

[likesboys]

Blinking in slight surprise, Kurt hesitates over whether or not to point out the new information implied with that simple statement. While he knows that Billy has a bit of a thing for superheroes, made fairly obvious whenever the both of them come across any of the greats, to hear the suggestion that Billy himself often dons a uniform is new. Frightening, if Kurt's to be honest. While he trusts Billy completely, the idea that Billy might spend some of his time swinging from building to building, by line or by ability, is enough to cause Kurt to blanch. (Everyone here is remarkable. Everyone here is amazing. Except for the kids from that tiny little town of Lima, Ohio, it seems.)

(Then again, maybe he's reading too much into it. Maybe Billy's speaking in hypotheticals. Maybe Kurt just doesn't know how to ask.)

"I guess that's where we differ," he decides, finally able to smooth out the vest where it hangs smartly off Billy's shoulders, patting it once on the other boy's chest. "I wasn't really all that busy in high school. Except with the glee club. And, well, one's sense of fashion meant a great deal among a group like that."

[halfscarlet]

"If I could carry a tune I think I would have enjoyed something like a glee club," Billy says. Instead, he hadn't spent any more time on school property than he had to, doing his best to stay the hell away from taunts and the occasional pounding from dumber, less tolerant jocks. "I spent most of my time in school in survival mode."

He gives the vest another look and smiles, actually feeling like there's some hope for him yet if he likes something that Kurt approves of. "Can I keep this one?"

[likesboys]

The smile is quickly mirrored on Kurt's end as he happily claps, glad that their two styles seem to have merged, at least for the time being. The good thing, he thinks, about guys like Billy is that aside from the incredibly flamboyant, there usually isn't too much resistance to more handsome articles of clothing offered. "Of course you can keep that one. And if the shopkeeper strangely decides to demand payment, I can always offer an hour or two of my time to help better sort his inventory. Honestly, I'm not sure how people are supposed to navigate this place," he muses, pressing his lips together with a shrug.

Quickly glancing over his shoulder again, Kurt arches his brow. "And can't hold a tune, huh? You mean I didn't manage to pin you down for karaoke at my birthday party? We'll have to remedy that."