Open RP - Percy is a strange (wo)man

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

Normally when Percy suffered from the throes of boredom he'd seek out one of the members of his league to entertain him, or perhaps write another insufferably terrible poem to share with His Highness, the Prince of Wales. He'd go to London for a lark or race his yacht down the Thames, scheme another scheme or maybe even figure out another way to sneak into the chaotic streets of Paris. Now? Now all Percy could do was meddle in little ways. He did enjoy a good disguise.

Dressing up as an old hag had been easy, but to dress up as a pretty young woman? Well, that would be a challenge indeed. He had found a dress, something rose-coloured and pretty in one of the shops (he did suppose it was pretty, but the tailoring was poor...and confusing), and had disguised himself well. A painted lady! It made him laugh to see his own appearance. His breast was small and his shoulders were wide, and he looked more like a Hapsburg lady of old than a dainty maiden, but he was fair enough under all the makeup and lace and frills.

Ah, and now for the fun. He left Adventureland and just went walking, wondering who would be fooled and who would just think him completely mad. He kept a fan in front of his face and tried not to topple over in these demmed pumps.

Comments

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

Kit swallowed hard and gave him her best sheepish smile, "All the men in my family never really got beards until they were quite a bit older. It's rather strange, I must say." She lit a new cigarette and took a quick drag, offering the packet and a box of matches to the...gentleman, perhaps, "I know it's probably not the sort of thing a lovely lady such as yourself would do, but we are stuck here, after all."

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

He did like his snuff, and having finished all of Bernard Black's cigarettes after that one...rather disturbing day, Percy had found that he did enjoy smoking the tobacco. "When in Rome," he replied, then took off the silk gloves he had been wearing and hooked them over one of his elbows. His ring was now exposed, the one carrying his seal, but he wasn't sure just how observant Kit actually was so worried little.

With a bit of a flourish he lit the cigarette (he supposed there was no use trying to look confused or fumble with the match), and lifted it to his lips for a puff. "Thank you, Mr. Butler. I do hope your whiskers take their time growing in; your face is very lovely."

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

She watched him take a cigarette and break one of the rules right there - if you're wearing gloves, avoid taking them off. It worked for men and women as it attracted far too much attention to ones hands. She didn't think much about the ring, but did notice the size of his hands and made up her mind right there that this was a man. A new man? Or an old one that she might already know? There's a mystery.

She coughed on her cigarette when he said that, but smiled anyway. Well, if this was a man, maybe he was a very odd one indeed. One as odd as her. "You're most welcome, ma'am. And thank you, I am most flattered." Or, maybe he was just playing along in character.

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

Percy swaggered a little so that he could sit down on a nearby bend with the cigarette gracefully balanced on the ends of his fingertips. He supposed that, like with a pen, women and men held these cigarettes differently. He crossed one leg over the other and smiled at the young man. Percy had wondered if young Kit was like his tailor, in that he was a man of different taste, and that his charm was something of an act. It was very difficult to tell.

"Come and sit beside me," he beckoned, still pretending even though he had most definitely been caught. He set his fan on his lap and the gloves with them too, taking yet another drag on the cigarette.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

Kitty knew very well that men and women smoked differently, but was well practiced in smoking like a man, it was quite often more natural than the way she wanted to do it. She crammed the cigarette between her lips, walked over, sat next to him and exhaled deeply. Who was this man, and what was his reasoning for dressing like this? When he put the fan down, she got a better and clearer look at his face. It was...rather familiar.

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

Percy let the smoke from his lungs billow about in the air, calmly toying with the cigarette between his fingers. "Since you've been so kind to me, I'm going to do something for you," he said softly, lifting just the corner of his painting lips in a smirk. "You may ask me one question, anything at all, and I'll answer it truthfully. It is a rare gift, Mr. Butler, for I find that no one is really ever honest, so I suggest not squandering it." Perhaps he could figure something out about Kit by the question.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

At this, she was tempted to ask him, just to confirm what she had thought, but thought this rather hypocritical of her, as she would hate to be asked such a question herself. "You are too kind ...you shouldn't have given me this privilage." She ran her tongue over her lips, and debated between two questions. One she could figure out herself and one which might explain quite a lot, "Tell me, sir. Why have you decided to dress like you do?" She could probably figure out who he was anyway. But she was intrigued as to why he had done so, as it could not be the same as her reasoning, surely.

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

He'd be the judge of whether he should or shouldn't have given Kit the privilege depending on how he decided to answer the question. He sat in thought for some moment, smoking the cigarette calmly and wishing he had his tin of snuff back. He flicked the ashes on to the pavement and answered him in his true voice, one he hadn't used in a very long time. It almost felt strange to him. "I wear many faces, Kit. Sometimes I forget who I really am; I'm so hidden from others than I've lost myself."

"We all wear masks. This is freeing to me, in a way. I usually live my life in chains." He took another long drag and exhaled slowly. "Plus I like having a bit of fun."

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

She pondered his reasoning and nodded slowly, following this with another drag from her cigarette. So he did it to escape. Interesting. "Isn't that just another prison, though? Trapping yourself in another set of social rules and systems...still denying the world who is really you, and just building your own sense of entrapment?" That was how she was starting to feel, and she had second thoughts about having said so much, "Because really, men or women, we're still bound by society's rules and expectations. In a sense. Aren't you afraid what other people might think?" She certainly was, but that was a different matter. "Myself excluded from other people, as I quite like a bit of fun too." Of a different and more odd kind, "You do make a pretty lady, though, I must say. Or a handsome one at least."

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

"It is all a matter of switching masks before one becomes too heavy," Percy replied, eying the young Kit now with a heavier sense of suspicion. He spoke as if he knew exactly what Percy was attempting to explain. Perhaps his suspicions were right after all, and if he could keep the conversation going he would be able to figure out the mysterious Kit. "I do it for my own protection, but that is a different question entirely, sir."

"That is kind of you," Percy then chuckled, trying not to let the compliment inflate his ego. "I make a handsome man, though I am not surprised you haven't put a name to my face yet. I do a fair job of disguising myself even when not in disguise."

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

Kitty shrugged off the gaze of this particular gentleman, as it seemed rather piercing for a moment there. "Oh, so are you a criminal of sorts? Not that it particularly troubles me."

"I know your voice, for certain, but I would not like to say without knowing for sure." It could well be insulting to all parties involved if I was wrong.

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

Percy laughed, and not the annoying, sort of nasal-wheeze that used to echo down great hall, but his real laugh. "Of sorts," he repeated, nodding his head slowly. "I'm a hero in one country, and a fiend in another. Should I be caught by the wrong sort of people I'd be thrown in prison."

"Hmm, very wise, else you insult me accidentally. You have a careful mind, but I assure you, less you call me Bernard Black I wouldn't be much offended." He let the cigarette fall to the ground and stubbed it out with the toe of his pump.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

Kitty shrugged, "Well, every man's hero is another man's enemy. That's all people do, really, judge you one way or another."

She had to have a careful mind, as she was constantly worried about being found out, or...judged for that matter. "Ah, then I definately know who you are. Then again, you could be everyone, knowing how many people don't like him. Sir Percy, perhaps?"

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

Percy laughed again and smiled brightly at the young man. He had a very soft-looking face, much like that of his wife's. "Correct," he beamed.

Suddenly he lifted his head and looked into the sky. "Oh! What is that?" he cried, raising his hand towards the blanket of blue above.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

Kitty looked up to the sky and smirked, "That'd be the sky. Watch your hair, sir." She laughed at the very idea, but was quietly pleased she had met him like this. Perhaps at some point, when she was sick of this to the point of confession, she could trust him with this information. Perhaps.

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

When Kit looked up Percy took the opportunity to check "his" throat for a pronounced adam's apple. Damn tricky things, cravats, always hiding the neck when it was needed the most. "Oh, yes, suppose it is my hair. Dem wigs. I'm not sure how ladies do it," he confessed, straightening out his ring before slipping his gloves back on to his rather large hands. "Anyway, now you know one of my secrets. I do hope you'll keep it to yourself." He was sure to say "one", as dressing up was hardly a secret at all as far as he was concerned.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

Kitty didn't notice him looking at her and turned back to him, "Neither do I." She entirely did, though, as normally, she wore fake hair so her short cut would not be noticed. "Then again, it's not as common amongst women in my time as it is amongst yours, I suppose." She smiled and nodded at him, "Absolutely. I would never betray such a confidence, you needn't worry." She was still very nervous about confessing her own secret, given that she had been doing this for a while here, and lying to him every time she saw him. Some secrets were just easier to keep. She'd have to see.

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

"Women in my time had huge hair, enormous. Well, I suppose the men did too. Robespierre wore a gigantic wig." Percy himself wore wigs when necessary, but he did fancy his hair just a bit longer and more natural...more natural to the touch, if he was perfectly honest.

"I knew I had reason to place my trust in you. Thank you, Kit." He opened his fan with a flick of his wrist, sitting back upon the bench in an elegant sort of fashion. Everyone had secrets, though Percy's head was less likely to roll here and he was only now finally able to believe this.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

She rose an eyebrow, "Robespierre? You've seen him in person, then? As I was always sure paintings of things exaggurated those wigs."

"You're most welcome, sir." She was still hoping she'd be able to place her trust in him at some point. If she let herself, that was the question. She hadn't even trusted Una yet, who she was very sure knew...

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

"Seen him Od's fish, Kit!" Percy burst into a short spell of laughter, having to set his fan to one side while he doubled over. He smiled when he had finished, "Yes, to answer your question and stop myself from continuing my rude laughter. Yes, I've seen him, you could say. His wig was not exaggerated in the slightest. Perhaps those portraits by David do not even do its outrageous height justice." Which was a shame, but they had a good laugh over Robespierre's portrait at Mazzarini's party.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

Kitty laughed with him, now rather unsure as to why it was so funny. "Oh, really? That's...well, I must admit it's quite impressive." To her, he was just another boring and cruel portrait in a history book that at some point, she probably should have learnt about. Something to do with the French Revolution.

"Say, could I ask you something? Only because I am curious, sir. If I had been so foolish as to miss...who you were, when would you have stopped me?" As here, and only here, she got the impression she would be in that situation at some point, and she'd have to do something. Simply because her male character was...a huge flirt.

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

Impressive might it be now, but horrifying it was back in his time. "The man's a horror," he recalled, swiftly pushing the topic aside with the shake of his head. He was glad for the change in topic, though the question was somewhat surprising given that he had assumed Kit was a rather reserved person.

"Stopped you from what?" he replied, cocking his head to one side. Percy didn't even manage a clever smirk, just a look of sheer curiosity.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

She breathed in carefully at that question, then answered quickly, "Well, if I'd have thought you were a lady, I might have...been a bit more forward, perhaps. Might have even kissed you." She shrugged, as right now, she was a man admitting attraction for...what could have been a woman, "But clearly, I was paying attention, so wasn't that silly. But if I was...less attentive, I couldn't quite say."

[yousir-mesir.livejournal.com]

"What ever happened to courting a lady first!" Percy said with a laugh, just to ease poor Kit, who was clearly feeling a bit awkward and uneasy. He added, rather unabashedly, "So far I've kissed two men and a goddess. I think perhaps I might be broadening my range. But in any case..." He shook his head and smiled. "I'm more respectful when I'm in control of myself to those I consider to be my friends. I would have stopped you, I promise. For all my own flirtatious inclinations, that would have been taking advantage of you."

In a surprising moment he took young Kit's gloved hand and kissed the knuckles, like a man would to a lady. Roles were quite reversed anyway, in so many ways, so it suited Percy to be even stranger today. He let Kit's hand go and then stood quickly, yet gracefully, taking his fan with him.

[kit-invelvet.livejournal.com]

"I thought you would have, I couldn't really think otherwise. I was just...curious, I suppose." She stopped, though, when he kissed her hand. That was unusual. Either he knew, or he was messing around, but she couldn't quite say at the minute. She blinked and got to her feet after him, "Isn't that rather my job, given what you're wearing, sir?" Not that it would have been his job at all, be they both men for the minute.