15394/Rips and Tears!

Rips and Tears!
Date of Scene:	30 July 2023
Location:	Ivory's studio, New York
Synopsis:	Clark needs to have Lois Jacket fixed! Luckily he can ask the designer of the very piece to fix it.
Cast of Characters:	Ivory, Superman

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Ivory has posed:
The Studio that Ivory rents isn't the biggest or most prestigious. Just a huge room in a former industrial building acting as the main living space, with sofas, clothing racks, a huge sewing and cutting table and a kitchenette form a somewhat creative combination of living and work, while the walls have a lot of shelving but only few things on them and many of them quite out of reach for arms. The hint that they are not shelves but walkways only appears as one can spy the scratching post hanging over the sofa, with a perch for lounging in the sun under the skylight. Besides a door to the bathroom, there's another door that is marked private with a rainbow flag, though that is not the only such item in the workspace...

Superman has posed:
Clark eventually comes to said studio and knocks on the door. He stands slightly hunched, with a finger pushing up the glasses. He's wearing a grey suit with a bold blue tie. He has a matching bowtie at home, but elected to go with this instead. The man wats patiently for Ivory to answer the door. In his hand is Lois's coat. It just needs some mnor mending thanks to a mishap at work. And Clark's prepared to pay snce Lois is qute upset this happened. Thsi is one of the few times someone will throw lots of money, food chocolate at a problem to make someone else's world better.

Ivory has posed:
When the door opens, Ivory is wearing a slightly oversized T-shirt and jeans. "Come on in, come on in. I'm glad you called akead, so, what happened?" they ask, ushering Clark to the sofa while they reach to pick the jacket to inspect the damage...

There's no sign of a cat at the moment...

Superman has posed:
Clark looks about the place and he spots the rainbow flag, he gves a soft nod to it. "She was doing a report. She wasn't on camera yet, but it ended up getting ripped. She got really upset," he admits honestly.

"If you expedite ths, we can treat a double date. Us and you and your lovely lady," he gves a soft smile. Just tryng to add that as an incentive on top of the pay. Plus, a couples night out could be fun!

Ivory has posed:
Ivory sighs as they inspect the tear, but then nod, spreading the fabric. "I can cover it up, but it'll take a few minutes. I hope you have time? You can take some coffee while I try my best to... well, I guess another kitten would be not too apprechiated, especially since I know what the cats are meant to say... wait, me and my lovely lady?" Ivory blink twice as they are caught off guard.

Superman has posed:
Clark points at the rainbow depicition he sees on the wall. The rainbow, he thinks is an obvious sign that Ivory is a member of the LGBT community. That's what prompted his comment. A blush comes through his face, "I thought the rainbow meant you had a girlfriend," he looks down. "I'm sorry if that was a presumption."

Ivory has posed:
"Oh! Well, it means I would take a girlfriend or a boyfriend. I am just open like that. Which is also part of the flag. Plus I don't subscribe to gender the normal way. At least not for myself." Moving to the sewing table, they spread the jacket, seeking out the correct yarn and fabric to patch it up.

"Feel free to make a coffee for you, or ask questions while I work, ok?"

Superman has posed:
"You're right," Clark says remembering Ivory is non-binary. He gives a nod and it doesn't surprise him that Ivory is pansexual (or somethng close to it). It's actually wholesome in his mind. "Well, you and your lovely partner," he amends. "Well, how did you get started on your fashion?" he asks curiously. There's a story there. The humble humble beginning.

Ivory has posed:
"There's only little fashion out there that doesn't discriminate on gender. And so.. I started with making some clothes for myself and then sell such. T-shirts that are not distinctly male or female in cut and such. You ever noticed that there's a difference in pattern? They try to make shirts that are extra baggy or extra clingy, and I? Well, I go in between. Not too loose, not too tight, and to a good part made to just go in between for those that don't want to show. Like me."

As they talk, they also prepare the sewing machine, the fingers seeming to work almost automatically. "Well, I don't quite have a partner like... going together and all, but I might ask somebody if you really want to make it a double date."

Superman has posed:
"So, something truly unisex?" Clark asks as he is curious if the term is right. Since it's clothing not tied to a gender. Somthing to fit anyone, be open for all. "Well, Lois and I could just take -you- out? Lois and I work a lot," Clark admits. "It's hard to get freinds outside of work soemtimes. You mght be one of the few," it's not a sad admissin. It's just an honest one.

"What's your hope for your clothing?" Clark asks Ivory. Everyone has a dream, an end goal, something along those lines.

Ivory has posed:
Ivory says, "At least I strive for that, though cat shirts sell better than the more muted stuff. Though there actually is a subculture for it in Japan. Jendaresu, but that's not even the first time it came up. I mean, for someone to try and dress with a different gender expression. There was Bosozoku, which was jumpsuits, though most women went for Sukeban. And if you really want to dig deep, there's always been some kinds of subcultures that tried to conquer the dress of the other gender, or carve out the space in between. I'm just one of the latest."

"Ohhh? Menage a trois? I doubt that your lovely abessinian would be too kind on suggesting such without discussing it with her too. Or did you already?" The chuckle of Ivory is partially drowned out by the sewing machine coming to life, hammering the sharp needle through the fabric in rapid succession. It's mending the rip though, and after some minute, they turn around.

"Well, I have good news and bad news about the jacket. Which you want to hear first?""

Superman has posed:
By now, Clark has pulled out notes and starts to work at them. Making sure he has the proper terms, what they are and any other relevant info that Ivory gives him. "Where do you hope your clothes fall?"

"Only for a meal or drinks," Clark blushes. "Anything else, you'd have to talk to my warden," he's not used to someone using that term outside of any non-adult situation. "Foods, she would welcome you. We've talked about you here and there, she genuinely likes you," he says so Clark feels comfortable making an offer.

Then that last line causes him to openly wince. "Give it to me straight, the worst part?" He tries not to lunge for a paperbag to hyperventelate in.

Ivory has posed:
"Where I would class my style? In the Androgynous category. If you ask for inspirations... In part I would point to Polly Oliver and the Moga in post WW1 Japan, but in general? Just because I decide who I am every day multiple times, well, that's a special case. So I hope people see past if you got chest or not when wearing them, and try to see the person behind."

"Oh, I was just teasing. You know, after you started with a partner date, then just you and her and me, so... easy play. I'l ok with just food, and she is a very friendly girl. Though I might try to ask a friend for extra company, as you suggested. They're truely interesting people! Just need to figure out who has time when you invite, ok?" There's a teasing smile.

"The worst part? The bill of course. The bad news? You can't make it totally undone and it will always tell the story it was fixed. The good news? It is almost as good as new, and if you're not looking for it, you might not even notice."

Superman has posed:
"You're just trying to see me I end up wth three people instead of two," Clark tries to tease back. His dull blue eyes show mirth as he's trying to be comfy. Looking at Ivory with a soft smile. "Well, I look forward to meeting them," he says wth an honest smile.

"I'll pay. I'll pay whatever I need to," Clark says as this needs t be done in his book. So, he looks at her with relief coming over him. Honestly, he expected an entirely new jacket to be required. So, the fact that it can be repaired is nothiing -but- good news. Dull blue eyes dance with happiness as he watches Ivory. "Should I hug you now or late?"

Ivory has posed:
Ivory says, "Nownow, don't be greedy!" Ivory retorts with a wink. "But send me a time and day and we got a date. I figure out company then."

"Well, just let me calculate that a moment for sales tax and you get a reciept." Filling out the paper, they bring the jacket and the bill over a little later, nodding. "Hmmm, if you insist on hugs, any time, but give me a moment to prepare..."

To prepare meant pretty much shaking the head, and letting a pair of cat ears pop free. Why they hadn't been out already? Because sewing machines are horribly loud and annoying creatures of course. "Ok, ready.""

Superman has posed:
"Hey, you offered," Clark gives a soft smile. "As soong as I talk to her, I'll happily text you the details," then he smiles.

Oh, he waits for everything to be tallied. This is one of those rare times where as long as the price isn't through the roof, he'll pay it without thinking. And so he does.

Then the ears pop free. "You're a mutant? A meta?" Clark asks, it's not bad or accusatry. Just a little bit of shocked with some pleasantness.

Ivory has posed:
"A Magical Cat person that swaps gender like other people socks?" Ivory offers in rebuttal to the terms mutant and meta, a winking grin on the lips. "And part time cat."

Superman has posed:
"Were you a person first or a cat first?" Clark asks genuinely curious. Either seem equally possible in this day and age. The question begs to be asked, but he will still go in for that hug. Nothing has changed. To him this is a friend that just happens to be magical and cat-eared.

Ivory has posed:
Ivory chuckles, shrugging in the hug, but not leaning in to make nobody uncomfortable. "Ask my mum? She'll insist I wasn't a cat in the beginning, and that the whole thing started when I got that necklace."

Superman has posed:
"Necklace?" Clark asks as he tries to catch up thinking some kind f spot was missed. Those dull blue eyes focus on Ivory for a moment. He's tryng to see the necklace she speaks about. He wants to know if it looks different. Like obviously something special or just something so ordinary looking that it would be missed by so many people.

Ivory has posed:
The Necklace in question looks more like a flat band of woven fabric, a geometric pattern on it. But no magical glow on it or anything, in fact... besides it being quite linked to them, it was almost mundane. "Yes, a little gift handed down from some generations ago."

Superman has posed:
"Do you have a family journal explaing it? A story or fve that lineage in the family?" It's the standard questions he has about this. Clark's a reporter. So, he does try to dig for things. Learn about them. It's a force of habit. One that a few people can get annoyed with.

Ivory has posed:
Ivory says, "Nah, that would be too easy. I got an old box that contains pretty much the text that the third child of a third child of our family shall get to wear that neckband, and that's it. And that it has been passed down for more than 7 generations due to, you know, a couple having less than three children in that line. But that's about it. And don't ask me how it is to grow up with two siblings when you hop the fence: I can't tell you. The twins are like... 17 years older than me." Ivory chuckles a moment as they sort the jacket over the sofa's backrest before walking to the kitchen to make a hot beverage of their own. "Does that still the curiosity?""

Superman has posed:
Clark just listens for a few moments as Ivory speaks. Sky blue eyes just watch as Ivory explains. "How does it feel to know your art is starting to gain traction?" It's the reporter in him and he will try to look at th ecoat as best as possible. "And my curiousity will never still. It's the reporter's nature. You can always tell me that's enough questions and I'll respect that," he gives a soft smile.

Ivory has posed:
"How does it feel to have a somewhat steady income that can pay for a place like this with a few spots to sunbath? Great. Though I probably won't get the traction to unify the two sizing categories into a single system ever. After all, for some reaoson people want to by 'girlie shirts'." Ivory answers as they pour themselves cup of tea, gesuring to the kettle and coffee maker. "What's your poison?"

Superman has posed:
"Weak, if it's tea. Strong if it's coffee," Clark says knowing it sounds like a contradiction. Dull blue eyes looking toward Ivory as they pour themself a cup. "I'm sorry you may nt be able to unify the sizing categories," he says softly. It's soomething he feels a little sad about. Like people being too stuck in their ways to adapt.

Ivory has posed:
"It's no biggie. I mean, did you notice that US sizing and asian sizing differ a lot with the same size names?" Ivory replies as they prepare a cup of tea, the very same they poured themselves. "I would need to convince about 3 dozen standardisation companies and every clothing manufacturer and several billion consumers to change their sizing categories for one that is not intrinsicly better, just totally unisex."

Superman has posed:
"I've seen that. I thought the same for British sizes, too," Clark isn't sure with that and then he smiles at the tea being reppared. Dull blue eyes watch with anticipation. He waits for the cup. "So, it's almost Herculean change?" he asks with a raised brow, making sure they are on the same page.

Ivory has posed:
"Herculean tasks can be done. This would be a task for Sisiphos." Ivory notes as they return to give Clark the cup. It's not a speck of tealeaves in it, so technically a herbal infusion. A little on the bitter and minty side. Catnip.

Superman has posed:
Clark winces and then smacks his lips after tasting the tea. He gives a nod, enjying it. "This is good," he admits and smiles. "You make a fine cup of tea," he says softly. "Well, I hope it becomes something less on par with Sisiphos," he admits, because that's so out of this world. "John Wick did an impossible task, you could too," he offers. Yes, it's a leap to go from Greek Mythology to Keanu Reeves. It's the best parallel he can give with such a comparison.

Ivory has posed:
"John Wick was out for revenge for his dog and had nothing to lose. Plus, he was armed to the teeth and a killer." Ivory contends, laughing a moment. "You want me to fix the problem of sizing by killing all that don't agree?"

Superman has posed:
"True, but he was tasked the impossible task," Clark doesn't disagree then clarifies. "Well, you can smash down walls, so you're killing barriers?" he asks curiusly. It's him grasping at straws, but they could work.