The cold doesn't bother me. It doesn't get cold enough here in the city to even warrant a cloak in the North.
( Sansa gives him a little smile, a little bolder than she'd been before. She isn't good at this like Margaery was but she did observe her and how bold she'd been and Sansa has always been a quick learner. )
Are you concerned for my delicate constitution? If so, I'll allow you to drive me.
[ He smiles at her smile, her words, and nods, reaching over the counter for the store's keys and Otis' leash. The dog gets up and is all tail-waggling the second he sees it, and lets Baby clip it on to his collar without fuss. It all takes no more than a couple of seconds, and then Baby is grinning at Sansa again, offering her a hand. ]
I am, indeed, very concerned. Who would I be to let a lady walk around in this weather?
[ He motions for Otis. ]
I'm taking him to the park, if you want to join us?
I would like to but, as you said, perhaps a change of clothing is in order. If you drive me home, it won't take long to change into something more suitable.
( Sansa eyes him and smirks a bit, feeling just a little more confident than she'd felt before their earlier, more serious, conversation. )
Will you forgive me if I dress in one of the dresses Kimberly has informed me are so dreadfully prudish and dull?
[ Seeing her more relaxed is so good Baby can't help the way he smirks right back, but what makes him laugh is the mention of Kimberly's influence on Sansa's current outfit. Baby feels like he should have known. ]
I'll drive you home, of course. And Kimberly's opinion is her own, but I personally would rather you're warm and comfortable.
[ Aka, he's a dude, he doesn't really care what Sansa wears. Sure, the shorts are showing off her legs and they are beautiful, but it's also highly impractical, and he's pretty sure she's feeling all sorts of uncomfortable. And while he's sure Kimberly would say that being cute is more important than being comfortable, Baby wouldn't agree. At all. ]
Yes, well, I wanted to impress you. ( Sansa has no issues admitting that - not at all. She very much wants to impress Baby and is willing to concede to a bit of cold weather to do so. )
But if you'd prefer me comfortable, I would like to be in a gown and cloak. I promise I won't take long to change. I've become adept at lacing my corset by myself at this point.
[ If she has no issues admitting it, the words still surprise Baby, who looks at Sansa with the feeling showing all over his face. He still doesn't think he's someone that anyone would want to impress, let alone someone like Sansa, so regal, so proper. ]
You wear... corsets.
[ It's not a question, because she stated it as fact and he's sure she's not lying, but if he needed another reminder that they come from such different times, that would be it.
Still, that is neither here nor there. Offering her a hand again, Baby leads both Sansa and Otis out of B-Sides, locking behind him after unlocking his car, parked just down the street. ]
Go sit in there, at least you'll be out of the wind. I'll be a sec, need to lock up.
[ And he is only a moment before he's at his car, opening the backseat door for Otis to jump in, settling behind the passenger seat, and then Baby's behind the wheel, turning on the heating in the car. ]
( Sansa gives Baby a mild look, a smile playing at her lips that he’s surprised she wears corsets. She’s not aware of what else she could wear - the shirt she’s wearing now has nothing beneath it because a corset didn’t look right and she looked better without. Is there another option to be had? She doesn’t know about it. At any rate, she’s glad the warmth of the car staves off the chill. )
Of course I wear corsets. I wouldn’t fit into my dresses if I didn’t. This shirt is loose enough that I don’t have to wear anything but my dresses are sized under the assumption that I’ve been laced into stays to make my waist smaller. Oh, and my house is in the Central District.
[ Baby blinks at he takes in what Sansa's saying, his eyes drifting down without his brain's input. He swallows hard, forcing himself to avert his eyes, looking down at the console as he plugs in his iPod, letting his playlist pick the song, which fits him just fine - a perfect driving tune, even if he might go a smidge faster than he usually would with someone not used to driving in the car.
Focus, Baby. ]
Did you not like the starter apartments?
[ He can't imagine moving to a place alone, and it's partly why he's moved in with Robbie as quickly as he did. ]
I'd never lived alone before arriving here. I didn't like it much...
I needed a place with a garden and I didn't have that in the apartments. In the North, we worship the gods in a Godswood but there's no weirwood trees here. I decided that a garden would be the closest I could get.
( Sansa warms her hands against the heater for a few moments before putting one over Baby's where it rests on the shifter. )
I've never lived alone either. It's strange. I'm used to a castle full of servants and now I have a house alone.
[ The thing about servants is another throwaway comment that startles Baby, even though it shouldn't, but here it is - despite knowing now that their lives are entirely, completely different, on every single level he can think of, it still surprises him. There's so much to learn about Sansa, he feels. ]
There's not much to tell, really. The Old Gods don't require for you to do a lot of service to them, not like the Faith of the Seven. The Faith of the Seven is really elaborate and pretty but I don't think it has as much substance under all that.
( Sansa had wanted to follow it, like her mother and the south she'd so idealized, but now that she's come north again she only wants the gods of her people, of the Starks. )
It's easier to worship my gods because I only need a garden. Those gods require septons and ceremonies.
But - what do your prayers do? What do your Gods bring you? Do they help you, in any way? Protect you?
[ Because from what he'd heard, she needed much more protection than whatever her Gods were offering. Baby wasn't sure where he stood on faith, in general - but he had no issue with other people's. He just didn't know what he believed in. ]
( What have the Gods brought her? Nothing, really. Sansa isn't terribly convinced they listen to prayers any longer but she still keeps the traditions anyway. It's what her lord father would have wanted. )
Between the two of us, I don't think they listen very much. Still, my Lord Father believed in them and my brother Jon believes in them and it seems wrong not to honor the gods the way they do.
Right, it's the tradition more than anything else. I'm glad you can understand that, at least. Tradition is something we think highly of in the North. We keep the old ways of doing things and we value honor and plain speaking. It's a lot different than the politics in the south.
( Sansa looks out the window for a moment, momentarily distracted by just how quickly a car moves compared to a horse or a carriage. )
[ He does understand. The South is full of tradition, or at least, it is for him. He's got a million and one little things he does to uphold them, in his own way.
He finally parks, turning his hand over to squeeze her fingers with his. ]
( It doesn't take Sansa very long to exchange the shorts and blouse for a gown in a muted purple color and a long, dark cloak. Perhaps it's not the normal style of dress in Cadelle but it's what makes her comfortable so she's happy to be back in it. She checks her face in the mirror quickly and smooths down her hair before coming back outside and sliding back into the car. )
Sorry about that. I should have dressed more warmly to begin with. I was simply trying to take Kimberly's advice to heart on how best to impress you since she said I dressed like her grandmother and that this wouldn't be of interest to you.
[ It's not in Baby's nature to diss his friends, but he can't help wanting to when he hears Sansa repeat what Kimberly told her. He knows it comes from a good place, from Kimberly, but there's a part of him slightly miffed with the idea that she'd think he is this shallow.
But instead of saying that, he smiles gently, shaking his head. ]
She means well, and while I'm pleased you'd want to impress me, as I said... I don't care what you wear. That you're comfortable and warm and happy is more important to me.
( The compliment lands well and Sansa gives him a soft, sweet smile at the thought that he would rather her happy than fashionable. She will continue to wear what she likes, then, and occasionally go outside that if she feels particularly bold. Now that she's in the car again, she reaches for his hand. She likes touching his hand, innocent touch that it is, and hopes he doesn't mind it. )
Perhaps I can reach some compromise between shorts and these long skirts eventually. For now, though, I thank you for looking to the comfort of my person and not wanting me to feel like I've done something outside of who I am.
[ As she speaks, Baby turns his hand so that they are palm to palm, her hand smaller against his. He slots their fingers together, thumb brushing along the side of her hand. ]
The person I'm interested in getting to know is you. Not someone you think you need to be to impress me. You, as yourself, is impressive. And more than enough.
[ There's also the fact that he's really not that special. ]
And out of the two of us, I should be the one working hard to impress you, not the other way around.
Perhaps we simply want to impress one another because we are fond of one another. It wouldn't be unheard of.
( Sansa grins a little, utterly amused at the thought of it. She feels lighthearted whenever she's around him and she is trying desperately not to lose her head in this. )
I want to be the best version of myself when I'm around you.
[ Reluctantly, Baby has to take his hand back to be able to get the back in gear. He smiles, though, reaching out to brush his thumb against Sansa's cheek before he does so. ]
Yeah. I think we do.
[ And then, looking up in the rearview mirror for Otis. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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( Sansa gives him a little smile, a little bolder than she'd been before. She isn't good at this like Margaery was but she did observe her and how bold she'd been and Sansa has always been a quick learner. )
Are you concerned for my delicate constitution? If so, I'll allow you to drive me.
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]
I am, indeed, very concerned. Who would I be to let a lady walk around in this weather?
[ He motions for Otis. ]
I'm taking him to the park, if you want to join us?
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( Sansa eyes him and smirks a bit, feeling just a little more confident than she'd felt before their earlier, more serious, conversation. )
Will you forgive me if I dress in one of the dresses Kimberly has informed me are so dreadfully prudish and dull?
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I'll drive you home, of course. And Kimberly's opinion is her own, but I personally would rather you're warm and comfortable.
[ Aka, he's a dude, he doesn't really care what Sansa wears. Sure, the shorts are showing off her legs and they are beautiful, but it's also highly impractical, and he's pretty sure she's feeling all sorts of uncomfortable. And while he's sure Kimberly would say that being cute is more important than being comfortable, Baby wouldn't agree. At all. ]
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But if you'd prefer me comfortable, I would like to be in a gown and cloak. I promise I won't take long to change. I've become adept at lacing my corset by myself at this point.
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You wear... corsets.
[ It's not a question, because she stated it as fact and he's sure she's not lying, but if he needed another reminder that they come from such different times, that would be it.
Still, that is neither here nor there. Offering her a hand again, Baby leads both Sansa and Otis out of B-Sides, locking behind him after unlocking his car, parked just down the street. ]
Go sit in there, at least you'll be out of the wind. I'll be a sec, need to lock up.
[ And he is only a moment before he's at his car, opening the backseat door for Otis to jump in, settling behind the passenger seat, and then Baby's behind the wheel, turning on the heating in the car. ]
All right, where to?
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Of course I wear corsets. I wouldn’t fit into my dresses if I didn’t. This shirt is loose enough that I don’t have to wear anything but my dresses are sized under the assumption that I’ve been laced into stays to make my waist smaller. Oh, and my house is in the Central District.
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Focus, Baby. ]
Did you not like the starter apartments?
[ He can't imagine moving to a place alone, and it's partly why he's moved in with Robbie as quickly as he did. ]
I'd never lived alone before arriving here. I didn't like it much...
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( Sansa warms her hands against the heater for a few moments before putting one over Baby's where it rests on the shifter. )
I've never lived alone either. It's strange. I'm used to a castle full of servants and now I have a house alone.
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So, your faith is important to you?
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It’s how I remain close to the North, yes. The old gods don’t require much in the way of tribute but you do need a godswood to pray to them.
( Since coming here, Sansa prays again. She feels like the gods have started to listen to her once more. )
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[ Not that he's going to become devout himself, but he is interested. All that makes Sansa Sansa is fascinating, to him. ]
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( Sansa had wanted to follow it, like her mother and the south she'd so idealized, but now that she's come north again she only wants the gods of her people, of the Starks. )
It's easier to worship my gods because I only need a garden. Those gods require septons and ceremonies.
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[ Because from what he'd heard, she needed much more protection than whatever her Gods were offering. Baby wasn't sure where he stood on faith, in general - but he had no issue with other people's. He just didn't know what he believed in. ]
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Between the two of us, I don't think they listen very much. Still, my Lord Father believed in them and my brother Jon believes in them and it seems wrong not to honor the gods the way they do.
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Yeah, I get that. There are a few things I try to keep doing for the sake of some people back home, too. It matters to them, so it matters to me.
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( Sansa looks out the window for a moment, momentarily distracted by just how quickly a car moves compared to a horse or a carriage. )
I like that you understand it.
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He finally parks, turning his hand over to squeeze her fingers with his. ]
We'll wait out here for you.
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Sorry about that. I should have dressed more warmly to begin with. I was simply trying to take Kimberly's advice to heart on how best to impress you since she said I dressed like her grandmother and that this wouldn't be of interest to you.
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But instead of saying that, he smiles gently, shaking his head. ]
She means well, and while I'm pleased you'd want to impress me, as I said... I don't care what you wear. That you're comfortable and warm and happy is more important to me.
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Perhaps I can reach some compromise between shorts and these long skirts eventually. For now, though, I thank you for looking to the comfort of my person and not wanting me to feel like I've done something outside of who I am.
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The person I'm interested in getting to know is you. Not someone you think you need to be to impress me. You, as yourself, is impressive. And more than enough.
[ There's also the fact that he's really not that special. ]
And out of the two of us, I should be the one working hard to impress you, not the other way around.
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( Sansa grins a little, utterly amused at the thought of it. She feels lighthearted whenever she's around him and she is trying desperately not to lose her head in this. )
I want to be the best version of myself when I'm around you.
/scene?
Yeah. I think we do.
[ And then, looking up in the rearview mirror for Otis. ]
And so does Otis, huh, boy? Let's go!