Oh he doesn't need to be measured don't worry he can just get this stuff off the rack and then he'll perform hideous experiments on it in his basement until something he feels comfortable wearing comes out.

Acceptable!

"Do you sew? Susan does a bit - more the embroidery hoop kind than the practical stitching, but."

Oh God he walked right into that one didn't he. He should've figured out a different excuse.

"Not as such, no. That's why they'll be experiments."

"Might want a few sets, then, so if your experimentation goes awry you'll still have something to wear. ...something regulation, I mean."

"Yes, several sets indeed, where can I find these regulations I am going to rules lawyer the shit out of them to wear something cute."

"They're in your handbook. Didn't you get one? I've got mine on me but you'll have to promise to be nice to her." He retrieves and hands over a copy of the student handbook.

"I've been informed I am meant to get one but I have not been informed of where and when and how," he says, accepting said handbook. "I solemnly swear in this specific matter I am up to only good th—that reference won't land either," he sighs.

"You'll get the hang of the local referents. And you can stick to referencing only Enid Blyton and the Wind in the Willows in the meanwhile."

"I have no idea who or what those are," he says cheerfully.

"Truly ancient children's literature. Quintessentially English. Enid Blyton is generally loathed these days; the Wind in the Willows is actually fairly good at least as of when I read it, but I was in short trousers and can't swear to my literary taste at the time."

"'I was in short trousers', that cannot be a real expression real people use."

"What? It's traditional! You keep boys in short trousers 'til they're eight or ten or so and can be trusted not to tromp through mud puddles, and it's a rite of passage - well, alright, the rite of passage when you get your long trousers is mostly obsolete at this point, but Dad was very firm on the shorts. I was in mine longer than Ed because Ed has never in his life been tempted to tromp through a mud puddle, but he did sometimes impulsively go blackberrying."

"That's adorable. You're adorable," he accuses. "So you were the type to tromp through mud puddles? I was more of a climber, myself."

"Honestly I was mostly the type for impulse swimming, but I didn't mind detouring through any mud shallower than my armpits. Really, the shorts were not sufficient, but they're more symbolic than anything in the first place."

"Oh I used to detest stuff clinging to my skin like wet clothes or mud. ...still do, honestly. Of course that only meant I used to just strip naked before jumping into anywhere I could swim in until my mom succeeded at impressing the need for clothes upon me.

"Evidently she didn't do it well enough though."

"Well, I haven't seen you outright strip yet. So you're still in the safe zone."

"Yet; growth mindset."

Peter laughs. "Sure, growth mindset. I'll keep my fingers crossed, why don't I."

And they can get the uniforms (the clerk promises to bill Pete's account) and head back to the dormitory.

Where Pete supposes they'll need to part ways, for now. "It has been truly a pleasure, Peter. I'll see you later."

"You too, Pete. Door's open if you need anything."

And with that, Pete is released from the tutorial Peter's guidance, and free to do what he likes.

Once Peter is sufficiently not looking his way, Pete opens the door that leads into his dorm room, walks through it, then closes it behind himself.

About a second later Hywel will see Pete opening their door dragging in with him a luggage bag with wheels and carrying a backpack slung over one shoulder. Both of them are pink and white with black accents, matching his outfit almost well enough one would think they were designed together.

"I have returned from the war," he declares.

(He was right he was right he was right he is a special snowflake who can just make Milliways doors appear whenever he wants he was so right being a Mary Sue is AWESOME.)

"Welcome! Are you forever changed, hardened by scars both inside and out?"

"I guarantee you that if I were hardened you would have noticed."