Who do you think you are? (LauKi)

Question VI

Lau was perfectly content throwing himself into designing for the day. Looking through boxes upon bags of fabrics, sifting through an odd assortment of purchased and hand-drafted patterns, laying out samples from goodness knows where, and trying to hunt down that one cut he knew he bloody has somewhere and can't bloody find; the "creative" process after drawing the initial design is very time consuming. And Lau was, in addition to time, also consuming large quantities of various substances as well. No one ever made their best piece sober, right? Just a typical Tuesday, just not Tuesday. Besides, what better way to distract oneself from the overwhelming responsibility of existing and needing to make contact than to just not. That's what Lau's plans were. Today, he just wasn't. Instead of thinking of the advice he had gotten or figuring out how to proceed, he just wasn't. Nothing new. Actually, there came a time every few days that Lau just needed to stop being a functional member of society- if he could even be considered one normally- and become a recluse. A hermit, maybe. Many famous Chinese philosophers became hermits, Lau just so happened to be one of lewd philosophies, making him just as okay.
Unfortunately, after about seven hours of working in the open shop while listening to Lau upstairs, Ran Mao had a different idea to his continued drowning in work. She made a phone call and locked the shop doors, then climbed the stairs in the back. Ran Mao observed the scene in front of her apathetically. The bells she liked to wear on her ankles jingled softly as she picked her way around the "creative" carnage and discarded garbage to get to Lau, who was sitting on the floor with an ungodly number of precarious piles of fabric around him. They were all sorted very neatly in what was almost okay as trim, what was nice as trim, what the lining could be, what might make an okay outside, what was an outstanding shell, and two others that Lau couldn't quite remember but they were still important damnit. Currently, instead of thinking, Lau was leaning his head on his hands, eyes closed, and watching Ran mao. Doing something like this, he usually had some sort of music playing to quiet all the unnecessary thoughts clouding his mind, but today, he didn't. There was no smooth jazz, no classic nor alt rock, not even some kind of weird asian underground or vaperwave music where no one has even heard of the genre, much less anything else. Lau usually needs some noise, something playing, which is why he listened to everything from lofi chillhop to viking metal. Everything except American Country. Too much objectifying for his tastes. 

"You're avoiding something." Ran Mao put simply. Her voice didn't hold much emotion but he was fairly sure she was getting a bit irritating with him not having done anything all day. He usually helped out downstairs, but the day was nearly over and he hadn't done anything, not even allowed Ran Mao a break by relieving her of her duties for a moment. 

"Ah, Mao Mao, have I been having a day," Lau exhaled, smiling a little. "But you know, I feel I've been falling behind on my work. I should do more of what makes me money." He knew it wasn't the truth, but it also wasn't totally a lie. He had drawn the design a whole week ago, and was just now getting around to concocting a draft of it or something. Lucky for him, this was more of a hobby than anything serious and he didn't need to do useless things like create a whole new line of clothing for four times a year for the different seasons. He sold all his designs at all times on a mostly commission-based system of leaving out samples and then making the garment for the person themselves, so it was tailored exactly to that person's body in the most flattering way, instead of "These ten sizes will fit everyone on the broad range of body shapes". Put simply, Lau didn't believe in sizes like Small, Medium, and Large, and instead worked on a primarily number-based sizing chart that no one really understands except himself and Ran Mao; something he always found very sad. How was it no one saw the genius in having the numerical value as sizing? Men's jeans saw it, European sizing almost saw it, but those were still too "these sizes fit all". What did Lau have to do to get the fashion world to revert back to making unique and one-of-a-kind clothes for people? No one would ever have to worry about wearing the same dress as another to a gathering, and no one would have to worry about whether or not something fit right because it would be made for them specifically. It would make things so much easier on people, especially all the people who aren't cis but still need to wear clothing befitting of who they are or are presenting. So many poor transfeminine beauties who receive a crash course in the ways of flattering clothing the cruel and humiliating way... 

Ran Mao slammed her heel into Lau's head. While Lau had been staring off into the void behind her head and contemplating the society and the role clothing has in it, Ran Mao had been asking questions. Lau's head hit the floor with a sick thud. Lau's response to this was a very dull "Hmm? Yes?" as he picked his head back up and grinned dopily.  

"Tell me." Ran Mao repeated, narrowing her eyes. Such pretty eyes, very gorgeous, Lau quite liked them. Kiku's eyes were pretty too... 

"Tell you what?" Lau pretended to be idiotic. Well, he was already a bit imbecilic, but this time is pretending. He knew what she meant. Her glare said everything her sharp kick didn't. 

'Tell me what is going on with you!' She sighed, leaning her weight on one foot. One movement of her brow continued her interrogation. 'You're usually not like this. Something is wrong. Tell me what.' Ran Mao is smart. She knew he understood her Look. It was an odd connection they had, but it was useful. But, Lau wasn't admitting anything. He would say nothing. 

"Mao Mao, there isn't anything to know. This is just a Nothing day," Lau shrugged, raising his hands in a mockery of surrender. Ran Mao snapped. Snapped her fingers, not anyone's neck. She was close to the neck-snapping point but not yet. With a snap of her fingers, the door to the room opened. Pushing her large glasses back, a certain red-head entered, fidgeting with her flouncy top. Mey-Rin always was one for girly flowing dresses, since she didn't get to wear them as a child. 

"The girlfriend is here too? Are we having ourselves another fun time?" Lau asked, like the absolute ass he is. When Mey-Rin was questioning her sexuality, she and her girlfriend of then and now had gone to Lau, the most no-strings-attached person they knew, and the three had done some bedtime dances before Mey-Rin's glasses fell off her face and she nearly ended Lau's entire sexual career as a giver instead of a taker.  

"No, no, no, Lau, I'm only here to help my beloved get what she wants, I'm not really-" Mey-Rin's fast speaking mouth was soon occupied by a Hello kiss from Ran Mao. While distracted, Mey-Rin was also stripped of her glasses. Immediately, Lau had a foot on his chest and a hand on his throat. 

"Rin." Ran Mao reminded her that she still needed words to come from the guy. The hand was removed from his throat. "The man yesterday angrily left. He's responsible. How." Ran Mao was okay at getting her words across in as little words as possible while still being understood. While this left many people to think she was somehow mentally disabled, she actually just hated talking. She learn sign language for the express reason of never needing to speak again, but that proved far too bothersome, since so little people understood her hand movements. One customer had actually gotten angry and demanded to talk to Lau because "his stupid employee wasn't responding and just flapped her hands at [him]". Lau was happy to flip that guy off. 

"Well, let's say that guy from yesterday won't be coming around anymore," Lau said it as lighthearted as possible, even though it made his chest hurt. Dumbass, his chest hurt because there was the shoe being pushed into it, not because he liked someone. "Don't give me that look, Mao Mao. I'm the most no-strings person ever, remember? I'm the one who never catches any pesky feelings. I'm Mr One-Night-Stand. Don't look at me with that look. I don't like anyone, nor did I take an interest in anyone and mess it up royally by looking for information on them and then telling them this and thereby angering them so that they hate me now-" Lau what the hell that's exactly what happened. 

Ran Mao nodded in understanding, gesturing for Mey-Rin to get off him. Having what they wanted, the two turned around and walked out hand in hand. Lau sat up and rubbed his chest. Did Mey-Rin have to wear low wedge heels today? Granted, they were adorable, but they hurt like a bitch. Luckily, not as much as stilettos. Lau sat in his circle of fabric and depression and contemplated his life. Did he really enjoy Kiku? Granted, he was entertaining, but to actually like? Him? Who needs that?