Professor, Professor

Blue n' Red

"I understand the purpose of going to the mall for the ball, but please enlighten me as to why we're coming in here?" Placid questioned his assistant—no, girlfriend, he wouldn't call her such a thing outside of work—as he carried the bags from miscellaneous stores for the both of them. Under the request of the Commissioner, what would have been a busy work day was now a busy shopping day as Lucy needed a formal dress. To most individuals—like Lucy—it was probably a wonderful occasion to be able to get a free shopping spree while ditching work. It was hardly anything like that for the Prof. Nonetheless, as her protector, he couldn't just leave her to her devices while he stayed in the Mystery Room. He followed at a controlled pace, trying to allow his temper to remain in check.

"Those reports haven't given me any time to go shopping and I really need a new dress." She explained, deciding to walk into a store of interest, pop music of today blasting on weak speakers. With his lab coat and sweater, he definitely felt out of place in such a store as other women younger that Lucy passed by. The Prof frowned, a light exhale coming from his nostrils. For a man who dealt with eccentric criminals and understood their motives, neither side could really understand shopping. He bit back responding along the lines of, 'You rarely wear anything different!' and shook his head.

"But we already have one here." He lifted up one of the bags, which, if he could recall correctly, had a green dress inside. Lucy shook her head as she browsed the rack.

"Right, but..." She sighed, shaking her head. "Never mind Prof, I won't be long. Just sit down near the dressing room and wait." As if he didn't exist, she placed a dress over her shoulder and continued, small sounds of awe or disappointment coming out of her lips with each dress she pulled out.

"She's quite difficult when she wants to be. We should be back in the Mystery Room. Can't she see that murder is afoot at all times? The blood stains won't get out on their own."

"Let's leave her be. If she sees something she desires, perhaps we may be able to leave faster. Our complaints will only renew her vigor to continue torturing us this way." A rare truce came between the two, even if it was for the briefest of moments. Placid took control, making his way over to the seats Lucy mentioned and slumped onto one, a stress lifting from him as he dropped the bags on the floor.

"What did you think of her choice of dress?"

"We've barely sat down for a moment, are you truly that bored to converse?" Placid raised an eyebrow, the mental image that reminded him of what exactly she was wearing in that high-end store. Emerald sheets of velvet that that had a lace-like pattern that was long-sleeve, long enough that her legs weren't visible. Like some lover, it seduced the senses, but both Profs felt no change when they looked. Flashy clothing was never their type of game and besides, Lucy always looked so beautiful, a femme beauty that was simplistic yet pleasing to the senses. Flashy wasn't what worked in their eyes."It's alright. I wouldn't have personally chose it. Though, we've never seen her in anything but that green coat and white jeans. Not much of a comparison when you think about it."

"There's just something wrong with it, but I cannot put my finger on it. Perhaps it was too flashy?"

"The palettes of green suit her, though the lace felt out of place."

"It's too long, don't you suppose that maybe she shall fall if she is required to dance?"

"I would have much preferred if it was matte emerald." A brief discussion came to point over her dress for the occasion, they barely even noticed that Lucy had slipped by and was now trying something completely different on—something that could fit much more to the senses of those two. Finally, their thoughts reached a mere conclusion when they were determining which colors would be effective on her creamy white skin.

"Imagine her in blood red." An image came to mind of Lucy in a dress with a plunging neckline, one that hugged tight the curves that Potty was sure she had. Satin delight, matte crimson that overflowed, a slip that allowed her short legs to show. Revealing by all means, in the eyes of Placid.

"Or in sea blue." The previous image of the crimson dress wiped away, instead another taking its place. Matte navy bateau dress, split between velvet and silk. The top part that was velvet was beaded with pearls, hugging her chest tightly. The other portion flowed freely, an a-line type of dress that covered her legs to the ankles. Potty scoffed at what Placid desired, wiping that away too.

"Like a navy? That isn't quite a sea blue."

"That sounds more like it."

"You find blue attractive?"

"Both are equally as wonderful. What are you to judge anyway, you always wore blue in the past. That coat that we rarely take out."

"For good reason."

"Prof?" A snap of the head brought him staring directly towards Lucy in a sweater dress with a pattern of blue and red, similar to his own clothes when he would work the Mystery Room. It stopped above her knees, the sleeves just over her fingertips. Her hat was forgone, leaving her to, quite frankly, live up to what they wanted from her in the beginning: casual. It hugged the curves that Potty imagined, though his imagination was off by a little. "I found this in the back and it reminded me of you. What do you think?"

"I...uhm..." Placid attempted to offer an answer, but his mouth felt dry before he could even come up with one. How was it possible that her legs were paler than her face? Not to say that it was impossible, but it was most certainly off-putting. Their idealized images altered to fit what they saw in front of them and to be frank, seeing her this way was definitely better than whatever they had in their shared mind. A switch of the hair and Potty momentarily cursed at Placid under his breath and looked up to Lucy's awaiting eyes.

"If you wanted a sweater dress, you could have just gotten my own. You're of smaller stature, so it'd fit you in a similar fashion." Potty attempted to dismiss, though Lucy only giggled instead. "What?"

"So you're telling me it's alright for me to raid your closet?" She asked, twirling around in the dress.

"Not at all. I just find it pointless for you to wear an overpriced sweater when you can have mine." Potty attempted to remain calm, looking away, a flush rising to his cheeks.

"Oh Prof, it's just a dress! I woulda thought the other one would have given you more of a reaction." Placid took the wheel, shaking his head to her.

"Simplicity, Lucy, is sometimes better than eccentricity." He responded, though he still couldn't control the blush that almost rivaled Potty's hair. Lucy analyzed him for a moment, like an incredibly juicy crime scene before clapping her hands together as though she had reached her conclusion.

"Then it's settled then."

"Hm?" Placid raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to return that emerald dress and find something simplistic. I'm also going to buy this, though I will consider your offer on your closet." She did another twirl, pecking him on the lips briefly before making her way to the fitting room. Lucy turned around, winked at her beau and closed the door shut, humming.

"I believe we just grounded ourselves to a few more hours in the store." Placid sighed, sinking back into the chair.

"Quite so, Placid. Quite so."