i have cut to the feeling on repeat

[keeptrucking]

[Scene: two losers go to a shopping mall, because Daichi was wandering around looking disappointed in himself yet again and Joe has Better Ideas Than That. Daichi can't remember if he was actually asked if he wanted to be here, or if he was simply dragged along for the ride again and couldn't refuse once they were already at the mall. Joe just happens so much at once, despite all of Daichi's half-hearted complaining, so... here they are.

At the mall. Daichi is, at least, not sulking about whatever he was feeling inadequate about before. Instead:]

Man, my feet hurt... [Here, he affects his best (worst) Joe Voice:] Let's go shopping, Daichi! It'll be fun! —It's been nearly three hours and all we have to show for it is one magazine. C'mon, you could have done this without me.

[This menace... Why is he here, Joe? Why??]

Comments

[keeptrucking]

Okay, I'm not that bad! Give me a little credit! [More credit than he just gave himself?! It's only cool when Daichi thinks Daichi is a loser.

He's holding still for the rest of this measuring, at least - so he can look down instead of staring at Joe in frustrated disbelief any more.]

...Look, I know you're trying to help, so... well, uh, you don't have to pay for it. I'll figure something out.

[armanyo]

C'mon. I put you up to this. Lemme help with the down payment at least.

[ listen to joe. listen to him. ]

The real question is ... black or grey?

[ and hat or no hat, but he's not ready to discuss that yet. he doesn't want to distract the man dutifully writing down measurements. ]

[keeptrucking]

[Stop trying to spend money on him!! Now Joe gets another Look, buuut.]

You c'mon! ...I'll think about it.

[........]

Black, I guess. That's classy, right? I'd just look miserable in grey.

[armanyo]

[ miserable in grey. grey can be very sharp! if done correctly, of course. but black is also sharp and it's an easy beginning suit color. ]

Aha! Black it is.

[ there's a lot of hues of black so they'll be here awhile, sorry. that, and the cuts are all different! when the man finishes his measurement joe is already wandering off to the racks of suits to start picking out black suits that are close to the measurements...... ]

[keeptrucking]

[No, he'd look like an exhausted cloud. He knows it. But Joe's finally not arguing with him about it, so he's just going to, uh... loiter over here?

Actually, he's going to sit down on one of these cushy chairs for the thirty seconds he'll be able to sit for the rest of this outing. Sit and wait. Joe is so excited about suits...]

So... am I going to have to learn how to tie a bow tie? [One Fear]

[armanyo]

[ WOW..... ]

Bow tie? You're a few years out from that. Heh.

[ and now joe is returning to the cluster of comfy chairs with a myriad of suits. honestly, it's only seven, but in terms of suits, that's a lot. ]

Let's see, we have a wool mix, and a then a lighter polyster mix. And then the classic cut and then a more modern one.

[ he's rambling, thumbing through the suits in utter amusement. ]

[keeptrucking]

[Hey, shut up??

Anyway, none of this suit stuff means anything to him. He's slouching lower in his seat the longer Joe talks at him about suits, warily eyeing that pile o' suits.]

So you're saying we're going to be here for another three hours? That's it, isn't it? They'll find me in a hundred years, buried in suit jackets, holding a tie...

[armanyo]

That's the dream.

[ no it isn't. still, joe tosses him an award-winning grin and unceremoniously dumps the suits into a pile on daichi's lap. that's probably bad for business? and wrinkle? ]

Now go try them on.

[keeptrucking]

Wha— hey! All of them?

[He wanted to get away with like, one. One would have been great. Lifting these all out of his lap at once as he gets up is going to wrinkle them, too, so really they should never have been allowed in here.]

Fine. I'll be back... eventually.

[There he goes, hobbling away with his suit pile into a changing room. It takes him a couple minutes to figure out what he's supposed to do with these in the meantime - hang them all up? dump them on the chair in here? help - and then a few minutes more to put one on and stare at himself in the mirror.

......yeah he looks about as uncomfortable as he feels. Wait for him to pop his head out of the room:] Are you sure you got the right size?

[armanyo]

Yup.

[ joe sounds awfully confident. he glances up from his phone - no, he doesn't have the audacity to start reading a manga in the middle of a suit store, thank god, he'll just scroll through one on his phone! ]

Come out so I can see what we need to change. Don't be shy, me and Jacques over here won't bite.

[ is that really the name of the stout old man? is it? who knows. ]

[keeptrucking]

[There's no way Daichi believes that's that old man's name, glancing over at him before he sighs and shuffles out of the changing room. He didn't put his shoes back on... but he's still wearing his scarf.

So that's where Daichi is as a person. Lamely, he holds his arms out from his sides. Check it out...]

So what's the verdict? It's terrible, isn't it?

[armanyo]

[ it's not terrible, but it isn't good either. its' definitely not the right cut and - and he's wearing that scarf. still. ]

Ah! You're burning my eyes. Jacques, call the police, quick.

[ ok joe but really. ]

[keeptrucking]

H-Hey! Come on, man! You could have just said "no, that one's no good"... Give me a break.

[There's nothing wrong with his scarf?? Anyway Joe, this is the worst review perhaps in the history... of reviews? Thanks for nothing.]

I'm going to change! [There he goes, marching back into the changing room. Spoilers: the next suit is going to feature a fucking neon yellow scarf, too.]

[armanyo]

[ oh my god. ]

Daichi. Daichi just take off the scarf. C'mon, it won't hurt ya. It won't get legs and walk away.

[ that'd be quite the sight? joe is leaning against the other changing room, fiddling with his phone. probably looking at manga updates.

nerd. ]

[keeptrucking]

But— it's kind of my thing. It's distinctive!

[He takes this moment to lean out of the changing room and wave the end of his scarf at Joe, for emphasis. This is his signature style, you know? Nobody thinks this except for Daichi.]

[armanyo]

[ what are you, a dancer? don't you wave that scarf at him, boy. ]

Not arguing with you. But it doesn't go with the suit.

[ he's going to grab the end of that scarf, you loser. scarf napping number 3. ]

[keeptrucking]

[Okay, he probably should have seen this one coming? Thanks for the Style Support, sort of, but hey.]

Joe, let go. Don't do this again. [in public.... in front of this old guy...]

[armanyo]

[ we can't keep doing this, daichi. ]

Are you decent? Semi-decent?

[ what are you wearing?????? ]

[keeptrucking]

[Joe!!!]

I'm— yes? I'm wearing pants that make me look like an idiot, so what?

[Semi-decent. He kept the scarf on while changing? Fun facts about Daichi.]

[armanyo]

[ the best facts. ]

One second.

[ he's abruptly letting go of the scarf and fetching a cravat. oh no. ]

Daichi. Here. [ he's knocking on the door again. ]

[keeptrucking]

[Thank god his scarf is free. It's still on when he pokes his head out again, and- uhhhh.]

Whaaaat is that? No. No way. You can't be serious!

[armanyo]

It's fancy. All the real men wear one.

[ says the guy looking at manga!!!

he's going to hand him the cravat and ... drop his hat on daichi. ]

[keeptrucking]

[He's too shook by this cravat to do anything but hold it and look at it in distaste... he's not putting this thing on... But ah, hat?? Hat.]

Uh, Joe? What are you doing? [how many accessories does he need—]

[armanyo]

[ hat. ]

Every good suit needs a hat.

[ he's making this rules up out of thin air can't you tell? ]

Ehhhh. Your hair's a little long, though.

[keeptrucking]

[Don't worry, he's known that the whole time. None of these suits go with Joe's ridiculous hat, and yet he's still wearing it?? It's fine.]

Oh, sorry. I'm not getting a haircut just to wear a hat, so don't even joke— my hair looks great.