Private The Long Talk...

[Sergeant Omen]

Omen's chuckle matched Elias's as he followed up with, "He is a professional, you know. People can beat you in things other than tech and overworking yourself." The Clone didn't doubt he could find Aren exactly what she wanted. The only answer he didn't have was if Aren would be patient enough to let Elias find a dress made for her.

The "you are no fun" look that Aren recieved told her that he would totally would buy her some in her favorite style if she liked this enough. Still, he settled for saying thanks to Elias for dealing with them and their shanagians before letting Aren guide him over to the seat. Plopping down on a chair, Omen tried to not to be blinded by the snow of white in front of him. "Well... You think they can get it right the first time without any other options?" The Clone had his doubts.

Grabbing ahold of her hand to ground hand, Omen gave her a reassuring smile."Hey, all day for a one of a kind day is a fair trade off. Besides, think how you will feel with this monkey off your back." As his thumb smoothed over the top of her hand, all they both could do is wait for Elais to come back with his selection.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren looked around the boutique once more, taking in row after row of gowns that all somehow managed to look both identical and completely different. The sheer number of choices was beginning to make her appreciate engineering. Machines, at least, generally came with specifications. Wedding dresses apparently came with opinions.

"I don't know," she admitted, giving Omen's hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm hoping he gets close."

She leaned lightly against his shoulder, her expression thoughtful rather than anxious. "If nothing else, he's listening." That, more than anything, inspired confidence. Elias hadn't once tried to convince her she wanted something extravagant. He'd simply listened to what she didn't want, then started narrowing the field. It was a refreshingly practical approach.

A few minutes later, Elias returned carrying several garment bags draped carefully over one arm. Rather than the mountain of lace Aren had feared, there were only four dresses.

"I think these are a good place to start," he said with an encouraging smile. "There's a bit of variety between them, but they all stay true to what you've described." He turned toward the fitting rooms at the rear of the boutique before glancing back at Omen. "If you'll come with me, Miss D'Shade, we'll get you settled. Your fiancé is more than welcome to wait just outside the dressing area. Once you're comfortable in each dress, you can step out and let him have a look."

Aren rose from her chair with a quiet sigh, adjusting the strap of her tool bag before remembering where she was. She looked down at it for a moment, then over to Elias.

"...I'm guessing this stays out here?"

"It probably would make changing a little easier," Elias replied with a smile.

She handed the bag to Omen and fixed him with a serious look. "Guard it with your life," she said, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "Everything important is in there." Only then did she follow Elias toward the dressing rooms, pausing just long enough to glance back at him. "...If you wolf whistle before I've even stepped out," she warned, "...I'm leaving."

Sergeant Omen

 

[Sergeant Omen]

"I'm sure he will, Love." It was all the assurance Omen could give to her to get her nerves to settle. "I'm sure you will look perfect in whatever he brings." And bring he did. As Aren got up, Omen knew she would have to give her baby away and place it in his hands. "Don't worry, your baby will be safe with me; just focus on getting into that dream dress. And I promise won't do a wolf whistle." But as she turned to let Elias lead her away, she heard a rooster crow from behind her. When she turned around to see what it was, she saw some of the other customers and attendants letting out a giggle while he just sat there with the same devious twinkle in his eye that she knew so well. "Huh, wonder what that was. A rooster must have looked through the window and appreciated all of those workouts you've done." The Clone was certain that he did.

After Aren had probably torn him a new one and stomped into the changing room, Omen sighed. On one hand, he was excited to see her in something new, to have a change of pace. He was excited for her to see the beauty that Aren was but would never admit to herself. But he was also terrified that if none of the dresses were for her, she might blame herself for not fitting them. And that's the last thing they needed while trying to figure out this wedding. All he could hope is one of those 4 coin flips gave a favorable result.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

The rooster's crow echoed across the boutique, earning more than a few stifled laughs from nearby customers and even one of the attendants behind the counter. Aren stopped halfway into the dressing area and slowly turned her head toward Omen. She didn't say anything at first. She simply stared at him, expression perfectly level, giving him every opportunity to reconsider the choices that had led him to this exact moment. After several long seconds, she sighed through her nose and shook her head ever so slightly. "...You're lucky we're getting married." Whether it was meant as affection or a warning remained entirely open to interpretation.

Fortunately, Elias possessed the instincts of a man who had shepherded countless nervous brides through the same process. Without so much as acknowledging the exchange, he smiled politely and ushered Aren farther into the dressing suite. The first dress appeared a few minutes later. It fit remarkably well, the tailoring nearly perfect, but the moment Aren stepped out she reached instinctively for one of the lace sleeves, pinching the delicate fabric between her fingers as though trying to understand why anyone would voluntarily wear it. Her eyes drifted from the sleeve to the embroidered bodice before finally settling on Omen. "I feel like I'm pretending to be someone." Elias only nodded thoughtfully, making a quiet note before helping her back inside without the slightest hint of disappointment.

The second gown abandoned the lace entirely in favor of clean satin and a gently flowing skirt. It was noticeably closer. Aren walked a slow circle before the mirror, smoothing the fabric over her hips and studying how it moved as she turned. She didn't immediately reject it this time. Instead, she stood there for several thoughtful moments before looking toward Omen. "I don't hate it," she admitted honestly. Elias smiled, remarking that it was unusually high praise. Aren answered with the faintest twitch of her mouth. "It also doesn't feel like me." The salesman accepted the verdict just as calmly as the first, quietly hanging the dress aside as another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

The third dress drew a noticeably longer silence. The bodice was structured without being restrictive, the cap sleeves understated, the lines clean and elegant without drifting into extravagance. Aren found herself standing before the mirror far longer than she had with the others, absentmindedly smoothing the skirt while she imagined, perhaps for the first time, what it would actually feel like to walk toward Omen wearing something like this. The thought lingered. "...It's close," she finally admitted. "Really close." Elias's smile grew a little wider. "I think we're learning something." Aren gave a small nod without taking her eyes off her reflection. "So am I."

The fourth gown was beautiful. Anyone else in the boutique would probably have declared the search finished the moment Aren stepped out wearing it. It suited her figure perfectly, balanced simplicity with elegance, and lacked every feature she had insisted she didn't want. Yet after studying herself for another long moment, she slowly shook her head. It wasn't wrong. It simply wasn't right. A few minutes later she emerged once more wearing her familiar jeans, worn boots, leather jacket, and white shirt, looking noticeably more comfortable despite having just worn four expertly tailored gowns. She rested one hand on the strap of her tool bag and looked toward Elias. "I think we've narrowed it down."

"I agree," Elias replied without hesitation. He gathered the dresses over one arm before looking thoughtfully at Aren for a moment longer. "I wasn't really looking for your dress yet. I was trying to understand why the others weren't." His eyes briefly settled on her purple hair, then the leather jacket draped comfortably over her shoulders, before something seemed to click into place. "I have three more in mind." Aren raised an eyebrow. "You didn't start with those?" His smile became almost apologetic. "I wanted to make sure I understood you first." That answer earned a quiet nod from Aren. As he disappeared back into the rows of gowns, she let out an amused breath and glanced over at Omen. "...I think he's better at this than I gave him credit for."

Sergeant Omen

 

[Sergeant Omen]

Ah, the custom "You screwed up." Aren stare down. His day wouldn't be complete without it. Omen just met her with a smile and replied. "Yes I am lucky I'm getting married to you." before watching her as her boots slapped against the shop's tile and the Elias closed the curtain behind them. And so he did what most men did when them and their women went shopping, try to entertain themselves til the shopping was over.

When she came back out again, Aren would find Omen with his head back and eyes close, trying to catch up on his rest. That slapping he knew all too well made his eyes come open and made him straighten up as he looked to see if Aren had found the dress of her dreams. Unfortunatly for him, she hadn't. Omen let her have her tool bag back as he gave her a smile and Elias went off for the next three dresses. Holding her hand, he pulled her into his lap, trying to settle her for the time being. "I think you should have some faith. The right dress will find you. You just need to reconize it when you see it." He could say the same thing about finding her.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren resisted for all of half a second before allowing herself to be pulled into Omen's lap, settling there with a quiet sigh that suggested she had already decided fighting him wasn't worth the effort. She shifted until she was comfortable, one arm resting loosely around his shoulders while her tool bag found its familiar place against her side once again.

"You look bored." It wasn't an accusation. Just an observation.

She had caught him trying to nap between dresses, which honestly struck her as an entirely reasonable use of the downtime.

"I suppose sitting outside a dressing room while your fiancée changes into expensive fabric isn't exactly thrilling."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she absentmindedly straightened the collar of his shirt.

"I appreciate you being here anyway."

She leaned her forehead lightly against his for a moment before looking back toward the rows of dresses where Elias had disappeared.

"When we're done here..." Another small smile appeared. "Next stop is your choice."

Her eyebrow lifted slightly.

"I've monopolized enough of the day."

For a brief moment she studied him with quiet amusement.

"Though if your answer somehow involves embarrassing me again, I'm revoking that privilege before you've even used it."

Sergeant Omen

 

[Sergeant Omen]

Omen only shrugged with a small smile on his face. "I just wish I could see what you are changing into." He managed to tease her as a hand came up from behind her head, sliding his fingers through her hair. "Not like I would see anything that I haven't seen before." Then a thought came up into his head, the usual chaotic situation came into his head. "Think I should find my own dress here?" He already knew the answer who be Aren shaking her head while resisting trying to groan in public. Still, he wanted to be there for her just like she had always been there for him.

Looking at the clock, the Clone estimated what time they would be headed out of here. "Well... it should be lunch time by the time we go out. Maybe we could go get ice cream. Its either that or we go home and I hold you like this for the rest of the day." Omen's smile tried to blind her as he said "I'm okay with either." Which was the truth. Whether she went, he would go too. Guess this was what marriage meant. Always being together, no matter what.

At Aren's notion that she would take away his privledges as soon as he did something embarressing made him laugh. "You ever thought that I embarress you so I don't have to choose what comes next?" It was nice not having the pressure of choosing what came next. But as the squeking wheels of Elias's trolley of dresses came closer, he figured Aren would have that experience soon enough.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren rolled her eyes so dramatically it was almost theatrical.

"You are absolutely not buying a dress."

She didn't even dignify the suggestion with further discussion. Experience had taught her that the less attention she gave Omen's more ridiculous ideas, the sooner he found a new one. Usually.

When he mentioned lunch, however, she nodded almost immediately. "No, food is needed." The admission came with complete sincerity. Between the anticipation, the trying on of dresses, and the sheer mental effort involved in evaluating something so unfamiliar, she was discovering that shopping was surprisingly exhausting. "Ice cream afterward sounds fair."

She leaned forward just enough to press a quick kiss against his cheek before lowering her voice so only he could hear.

"...I hate shopping."

There wasn't any real venom in the words, only the weary resignation of someone who had spent the morning doing something far outside her comfort zone. Still, there was the faintest hint of a smile as she stood.

"But..."

Her eyes drifted toward Elias, who had returned carrying another trio of garment bags.

"...I think I hate not finding the right dress even more."

With one last squeeze of Omen's hand, she turned and followed Elias back toward the fitting rooms, already preparing herself for round two.

Sergeant Omen

 

[Sergeant Omen]

She wasn't gonna let him have any fun, wasn't he? Omen sighed as he leaned his head against the wall. Still, he couldn't blame her for being uptight. This was her day, and she was under a lot of stress. So for now, he put off getting the dress of his dreams.

Yes, food was needed. It would take Aren's mind off the stress of this whole thing for an hour or two at least. Or at least he hoped that's how long it would take to untie her from the knot she was in.

When Aren kissed his cheek and whispered that she hated shopping, Omen chuckled as he shook his head. "You didn't need to tell me that. Your closet tells the story well enough on its own." At her admission that she wanted to find the right dress, though made his grin expand out as he pulled her back down for a quick kiss before Elias whisked her away again. "It makes me happy that marrying me means so much to you. And I'm sure you'll find something that fits you well enough to actually show me this time." And with that last squeeze of her hand, he let her go to find her destiny, silently hoping that getting this perfect dress wouldn't take all day.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

The next two dresses did little to improve Aren's opinion of shopping. One was too elaborate despite Elias's best efforts, while the other looked considerably better on the hanger than it did once she actually put it on. By the time she disappeared behind the curtain with the final dress, she was beginning to wonder whether finding something she liked was going to require building the thing herself. Sewing couldn't possibly be that difficult to learn.

Then she looked in the mirror.

"Oh."

For once, Aren didn't immediately find something she disliked. The dress was simple without being plain, flattering without making her feel as though she had been wrapped in lace and decorations for someone else's idea of a bride. Her hands smoothed experimentally over the fabric before she turned slightly, studying herself from another angle. There was only one obvious problem. The skirt pooled around her feet in enough excess fabric that walking would probably result in her falling flat on her face. Apparently, bridal designers had collectively decided women getting married were supposed to be considerably taller than she was.

"Elias?" Aren called, waiting until he came closer before gesturing toward the bottom. "This one. Except there's about..." She looked down at the fabric surrounding her boots and nudged some of it with one foot. "...that much too much of it." Fortunately, Elias assured her that shortening the skirt and making a few adjustments to tailor the dress properly to her frame would be simple enough. Aren looked at herself one more time before a slow smile appeared. Finally.

A moment later, the curtain opened, and Aren stepped out carefully, gathering enough of the excess skirt in one hand to avoid tripping over it. Unlike every previous attempt, she actually came far enough out for Omen to see her properly. "Try not to say anything stupid," she warned immediately, though the smile she was trying unsuccessfully to suppress undermined the threat considerably. She glanced down at herself and then back at him. "It needs to be shortened and fitted a little, but..." Her smile finally won. "I think this is it."

Sergeant Omen

 

[Sergeant Omen]

Omen was doing his best to try to not go insane in this sea of white when Aren stepped out. And she was actually in a dress... and looked actually happy... While Omen didn't expect this. He also didn't expect for her to look as beautiful as she was. Then again, she was always beautiful even if the purple haired silencer didn't see it.

As she waddled forward with the dress in her hands, Omen gave a small apporpiate whistle before getting up to look at her. "Excuse me Miss, you look just like my Fiance. Except she doesn't like dresses and girly things like you do. Funny conicedence no?" The Clone walked around the slicer, examining her with an appreciative gaze. "I think this is it too. If any dress in here represents you, its this." Leaning in to whisper before gently pressing his lips to her cheek, he only said. "And I can't wait to see you come down the aisle in it."

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

For a moment, Aren simply stood there, one hand still gathering the extra fabric at her feet, the other resting lightly against the bodice. She had expected Omen to say something ridiculous. That much had been inevitable. The whistle earned him an automatic roll of her eyes, and the comment about her enjoying dresses was so absurd that she didn't even bother dignifying it with a response.

Instead, she watched him.

She watched the teasing slowly give way to something quieter as he looked at her, the humor in his expression replaced by the unmistakable warmth that had never once failed to make her wonder what exactly he saw whenever he looked at her. When he kissed her cheek and whispered about waiting to see her walk down the aisle, she found herself smiling before she even realized it.

"I suppose..." she said softly, glancing down at the dress once more, "...I'll have to make sure you don't cry."

Her eyes lifted back to his.

"Because if you do..." The familiar hint of mischief returned. "...I'll remind you about it for the rest of our lives."

She slipped her hand into his, giving it a gentle squeeze before looking toward Elias with an appreciative smile.

"I think we're done."

Turning back to Omen, she rested her head lightly against his shoulder, feeling a surprising sense of relief settle over her now that one more unknown had become certain.

"We found it."

For someone who had never imagined herself looking forward to wedding planning, those three words carried far more meaning than she expected. The dress wasn't simply another item to check off a list. It made the day feel real.

And for the first time, she could genuinely picture herself walking toward him in it.

Sergeant Omen

 

[Sergeant Omen]

Omen just shook his head at Aren's zinger, knowing that she actually would hold it against him for the rest of their lives. But it couldn't keep the smile off his face. Gently squeezing back, he only responded with something sweet. "No, we found each other." And that they had. With Aren wearing that dress, he was looking forward to this wedding more and more. His wallet, though... he was dreading what was on the dress's price tag. Still, his love was worth every credit.

Aren D'Shade