milliways_bar | (no subject)

"I shall order a meal from Dascon Elur for you at some point."

He looks up at her to give her a bright smile. It isn't a "planning something" smile, just a bright smile. He cleans his hands as well as possible before trying on clothing, and offers Faith napkins as well.

Faith takes the napkins, eyeing him a little warily.

"...OK."

"The food I grew up with."

Please remember that he was raised by the most powerful people on the splinter world of Dascon Elur, and trained to be a prince. He's not planning on doing anything nasty to her.

"OK," Faith says again, less reluctantly this time, and offers him her arm with a return smile.

After a brief moment (different culture, give him a second) he links his arm with her and allows her to lead him off into the concrete jungle.

Faith is merciful to Arithon. She doesn't take him into a department store.

She takes him to a proper tailor, a man who takes one look at Arithon, immediately knows the size of everything he wears down to the undergarments, and spirits him off to a back room go ~~grope~~ measure him for an exact fit.

~~This assumes that Arithon wears undergarments~~

By the time the tailor has taken Arithon's measure, Arithon has taken the shop's measure.

Has Faith ever seen him acting like a prince? Not one of those spoiled scions of nobility, but a real prince...the kind you can trust to give you every bit of credit you deserve, and then some, and only asks that you allow him to do everything he can for you?

He does it very well.

And then Faith has to make the call; the grey one (http://www.smokydiva.com/ebay/PICSfolder/DSCN2476E.jpg)? The modern one (http://www.cheaptux.com/images/img-tuxed7.jpg)? Or the old fashioned one (http://www.ys-masterchorale.net/images/tails.gif)?

Arithon is looking a little bemused at the whole thing, really.

Given the formality involved in going to an opera, Faith opts for the tie and tails, and if the tailor is left with the impression that Faith is Arithon's date for the event, well, she's not going to complicate things by correcting him.

Which comes to the next fun part of the outing.

Watching the tailor's eyes widen at the sight of all that cash, nicely worn bills, being carefully counted out by someone with limited understanding of American currency.

Funny how all of the confused looks at Arithon's scars stop when the money shows up, isn't it?

Faith pays very close attention - making sure Arithon doesn't overpay the tailor - and tries hard not to laugh at the tailor's reaction.

When the affair is concluded, with an appointment made to return for a final fitting and the offer of accompanying undergarments firmly but politely refused, Faith leads Arithon out of the shop with the air of one about to spring a lovely surprise. "There's something I wanna show you before we go."

He allows himself to be led, looking at her with wide eyes,

"More things? Ath, Jiask, what a world I have already seen."

Faith grins. "Just...trust me. You do trust me, right?"

"With my life, my dignity, and my very sanity."

He could be teasing. But he isn't.

Faith beams at him.

And leads him, as she led the Serenity crew, straight to Central Park.

Green eyes widen with pleasure, and it takes an act of will to keep from digging his fingers into the dirt or taking his shoes off to walk barefoot on the grass.

"How do you keep it green in the midst of all the stone?"

"I...have no idea, actually. Except that it involves a lot of work."

Faith shrugs. "I thought you'd like to see it."

"Yes."

He turns to glance back at her,

"I am fond of growing things. Almost as much as of the ocean. Thank you."

Faith smiles.

"I can show you that, too, on the way back, if you like. Manhattan is an island."

"Please."

He says it politely enough, but with a hunger that bleeds through his pores.

"It has been years since I even saw an ocean...I miss it."

Faith grins. "I can do that, then. There's lakes and stuff in the park here, too...and a zoo. Animals."

He doesn't flash money in Central Park. He's from an underpopulated world, not lacking in survival skills,

"Please? I would like to see...not all of it, but much of it. If not now than at some other time."

"'Course."

Faith grins. "Zoo's that way," she says, and points.

He turns, and then heads that way.

"Zoos hold animals, yes?"

Faith nods. "Yes. This one has a petting zoo, too, so you can touch some of them...and an aviary for the birds, they'll land on you and you can feed them."

"How strange."

He blinks up at her, lips quirked,

"We don't have anything like that at home either."

Which statement probably gets odd looks from passersby.