Taken [Currently being re-written]

Chapter Four• a Shopping Trip and a Mysterious Note

Nico didn't think having his measurements taken would be so awkward. And yet here he was, inside a strangely big dressing room, having his measurements taken in a t-shirt that wasn't his, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him.

The man talking him through the process wasn't the issue, neither was the dressing room, the tailoring shop or the ungodly amount of money Bruce had set as buget for Nico's suit.

The issue was the T-Shirt Nico was wearing.

You see, nobody had told Nico that measurements were usually taken in tight fitting clothes, and since Nico was already wearing a relatively tight pair of jeans, everyone in the Wayne Family thought someone else had told him. Unfortunately, Nico wasn't wearing a tight-fitting shirt, he was wearing an oversized hoodie and a loose-fitting shirt underneath his jacket.

The people who worked at the tailoring shop said that was no problem, they had several different t-shirts in the back, since "these kinds of situations happen more than you'd think".

Nico didn't like wearing t-shirts. They showed not only how skinny his arms where but also the scars on his arms he'd gotten in all of the different battles he was a part of. If Bruce asked about his scars or his malnourishment, his plan was to say something about living on the streets and that he didn't want to talk about it.

Nico told himself he'd be fine, he'd survive, because he didn't know how to communicate that he didn't like wearing t-shirts, and he didn't want to be the reason they'd come for nothing. After all, he helped Apollo defeat the triumvirate, he had bought the Athena Parthenos across the Pacific Ocean and he was the reason the demigods won the battle of Manhattan; he would survive having his measurements taken in a t-shirt.

The poorly disguised worried look he'd gotten from the tailor and the better disguised worried look he'd gotten from Bruce almost changed his mind. He was sure now, although he'd survive the act of having his measurements taken, he wouldn't survive the awkwardness of the situation. Although he had survived gruesome battle wounds, he would not survive the careful treatment he would be getting now, as if a too hard grip or a too loud noise could kill him.

To be fair, those things would probably trigger his PTSD, but he didn't ask them to be careful around him and he didn't want them to start now.

"You know, you're not the first Wayne boy to come in here with scars? That kid Jason also had loads of 'em when he had his first appointment for measurements. He wasn't very keen on people toughing him, so I told him he could take the measurements himself. I could talk him through it, stand next to him to see if he did it right. He would tell me the measurements and I'd write 'em down. That worked for the two of us. If you want to, we can do that too.", the tailor told Nico in the dressing room.

"Yes, please. I would like that.", Nico said after short consideration. Following instructions would be a way more pleasant experience than having a stranger touch him.

It took them about 40 Minutes, but then they had every measurement the Tailor could think of, most of which wouldn't change anymore, so if Nico ever had to get his measurements taken again, the process would be significantly shorter.

Once they were finished with the measurements, the tailor and Nico started talking about different suit designs. Nico noticed how passionate the tailor was about his work, since he knew exactly what kind of design would look good on Nico and which ones would look ridiculous. He was also really passionate about Nico not getting an all-black suit, because that would make him look "even paler than he already was".

Bruce ended up ordering two suits for Nico, because Nico was indecisive about the materials he wanted.

"We have enough money for it anyways, so you might as well get two while we're at it."