How Green Becomes Wood

"I was going to give you this one," Alec said, holding up the burgundy red and black dress so she could see, "but it's too close to that one, and I don't think it's as good. I just picked it because I said I'd find sequins."

"Here, you can try on my last pick, instead," Xander said, handing over a beaded plum colored dress. It was much smaller and less extravagant than any of the others he'd handed over so far.
 
"You look like a swan," Alec nearly whispered, watching her move. "A beautiful lavender swan... It is very pretty on you." It didn't strike him as being fully "her," but he was going to enjoy it for the moment.
 
"A little bit," Claire admitted, looking at Alec for a moment before turning her face quickly away, "but that's okay, I don't mind."

"Let me see," Sloan said, stepping outside the dressing room in Xander's final pick, "Oh wow, Claire, that looks great on you!"
 
"The top is a little darker than I normally go for," Claire said, fiddling with the fabric on the dress, "but I love the gradient."

Sloan looked down, turning slightly, "It's pretty, but it reminds me of something. I can't think who, I just put it on and I was like... This makes me think of something? You know what I mean?"
 
"I think the darker top really draws attention to your face," Alec admitted.

Xander narrowed his eyes as he studied Sloan. "Hmm. Me too, actually. Oi! You! Come'er and tell me what you think."

Alec reluctantly dragged himself away from Claire and looked Sloan over. He leaned over to Xander and whispered in his ear.

Xander made a face. "Nope. Not that dress. Not for you, Slo. Got any other options you wanted to try on?"
 
"Green looks better on you," Alec said stoutly, primarily to distract her from asking further about the dress, "but we can go look for a blue one while you change out of that one. Did the green one fit well? No changes?"
 
"Excellent choice!" Alec smiled at Claire once more. "You are going to be a beautiful date at prom."

Xander was already hobbling away toward where they'd found the dress. "Come on, you. Let's go find a blue dress."

Alec made a face but followed Xander to go find the right dress.
 
"Thank you, you will be too," Claire replied dreamily, before shaking her head and quickly saying, "Handsome, I mean! Anyway, I should go change!"

Sloan said not a word and went to also change back into her usual clothing.
 
"She called me handsome!" Alec whispered excitedly to Xander.

"Technically, she called you beautiful," Xander said, sorting through green and red dresses.

Alec considered and then smiled with a sappy sigh. "I'm okay with being beautiful."

"Dude. I'm happy that you're happy, but you have got to tone it down, or I might actually gag," Xander said dryly.

"You're just a stick in the mud," Alec told him. He reached past Xander and deftly plucked a blue dress of the right size from the rack.

Xander took it from him. "And happy to be that way. Enjoy your way, and I'll enjoy mine."

Alec grinned, and the pair headed back toward Claire and Sloan.
 
"That was so cute," Sloan whispered, taking Claire's hands once the boys were gone, "He likes you so much."

"I know!" Claire squealed, squeezing Sloan's hands back excitedly, "I'm kind of freaking out, because like, I thought he did, but he compared me to a swan! I never thought I'd hear a high school guy say something like that! But I feel bad because his brother is like.."

"Don't feel bad, he's gotta be that way," Sloan assured her, and they continued to convene in excited, hushed tones until they saw two red heads making their way back towards them, at which point they pretended like they were talking about literally anything else.
 
"We found a blue one!" Alec reported to Claire and Sloan.

Xander handed it over. "The numbers all match, so it's probably fine, but do you want to try it on just to be sure?"
 
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