Howard Moon sighed as he used a toothbrush to scrub away the graffiti on the gates of the Nabootique. This time, they read "Howard Moon Will Wear Ladies' Knickers For Loose Change". It couldn't have been Vince who was doing it this time. Howard had made sure of that. He had been monitoring all of his purchases, and was constantly checking around for spray paint cans whenever Vince went on his little excursions to the shops. He frowned at one particular spot that wouldn't come off. Who could it be? He thought.

"Forget about it." He said throwing the toothbrush to the concrete. He picked it up again, tossed it in to his blue plastic bucket, and carried it as he trudged back in to the shop.

Vince was reading a copy of Cheekbone magazine, as usual. They had recently changed their publication from monthly to weekly, so now there were seldom occasions when Howard would find him without a copy under his nose.

"More art left in your honour, then?" Vince asked as he saw Howard passing by with his usual cleaning supplies. He had a huge grin on his face. Howard turned to him.

"Right, yeah, I told you what would happen if I ever found out it was you that was doin' this again?" He gestured with his bucket hand.

The grin was swept off of Vince's face. "Yeah. You'd set fire to my entire wardrobe using a candle from my Jagger shrine, and then proceed to light said shrine on fire with said candle."

"Exactly. I swear to God, Vince…" His threat was left empty as he leaned over to store the supplies in a small cabinet behind the counter.

"Well, it wouldn't be a total loss, since I've got the other two thirds of my wardrobe in storage, over in Cambridge, remember? Although, most of those are from the late 80's, early 90's. And I don't' think anyone wants to see that. " He turned the page.

"They're all clothes to me." Howard mumbled.

"Oh, bloody fantastic." Vince sighed sarcastically. "Just because Pete Neon's been wearin' taupe, it's suddenly the new chartreuse."

"So, what's the problem?" Howard asked, annoyed.

"Well, I haven't got anything taupe! I've got plenty of vermilion! And chartreuse! But NO TAUPE! I don't even want to think about leavin' the store wearin' one of those colours now!"

"Looks like your shit out of luck." Howard rolled his eyes and opened the register to count the money.

There was silence. Vince looked Howard up and down. "Howard – "

"No."

"But, you haven't even heard what I was going to say!"

"Don't need to. I know it's going to be outrageous, unnecessary, and of course, being you, extremely narcissistic." Howard laid a wad of fivers on the counter.

"Now, come on, hear me out! Howard, you're a man of…distinguished taste." Vince stood up and put his magazine on his chair.

"And you're lying through ya teeth. When have you ever said something like that to me?"

"Now, just listen! Taupe is a very…you colour. Meaning, I've seen you wear a lot of it. If you could just possibly, lend me a shirt or a pair of pants or something, just to throw on stylishly while I dash to TopShop for about an hour. Could you do that for me?"

"Vince –"

"Please, Howard? Just for a little bit?"

"Fine. But just, stay away from the shorts, yeah? I need them to show off my legs." He looked down at his handsome legs.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Vince was grinning again. He quickly bounded up the stairs to the flat above the shop.

Howard sighed. "Something tells me I am really going to regret this."

***

It was 2 p.m. on a Saturday, and it was absolutely silent in the Nabootique. Except for the gentle sound of scrubbing coming from outside. Vince smiled satisfyingly.

"Man," He said to himself. "I don't know who this bloke is, but I definitely am a fan of his work." He gripped a small toy car from the edge of a display case, and began rolling it along the counter, over the cash register, and through a paper towel tube.

The door swung open. It was a customer. A very…pretty customer, thought Vince. He straightened the Taupe blazer (Howard's) that he wore over his Horrors tee and smiled.

"Hey, there. Can I help you?" He asked the young girl. She must've been about 19 or 20.

"Oh, just browsing, thanks. This is some store you've got here." She smiled. She had a nice smile, thought Vince.

"It's definitely somethin'." Vince responded. He looked at her again. Her auburn hair and green eyes seemed vaguely familiar. "I'm sorry, I'm probably wrong, but…do I know you from somewhere?"

"You know, you do seem a bit familiar yourself." She said.

"What's your name?"

"Lucy Preston?"

"Oh my goodness." Vince started laughing. "Lucy Preston? No way. It's me, Vince."

"Noir? Lord, it's been ages! How've you been?"

"Okay, I'd say. Still in Camden. Haven't seen you in a while."

"Oh, I've been abroad. I was in Ireland for a little while, just taking some time off after graduation. I've come back to work for my uncle."

"Oh! Really? That's great. Did you ever pursue music as you'd hoped?"

"Actually, yeah, that's what my uncle does. He's the head executive at Pie Face Records."

Vince's heart stopped. "Y-you're kidding?"

Howard walked in at that moment and looked around. "I swear to Christ, that little vandalist is gonna be the death of me!"

Vince watched Lucy stifle a laugh. Weird. "Howard, guess who this is? It's Lucy Preston!"

"Nice to meet you." Howard didn't even bother to glance up as he took his hat off and hung it up on the rack near the door.

"Howard Moon? Well, can't say the years've been particularly kind to you!" Lucy smiled. There it was again, thought Vince.

"Wait a minute, are you the girl who Vince punched in the stomach in sophomore year?"

"That's me." Lucy replied. Suddenly, she looked at her watch. "Mary mother's knickers, is that the time? Vince, I'm sorry, but I'm about to be late for a lunch date with my uncle, but I'd love to catch up." She rummaged through her taupe fringe shoulder bag and pulled out a small piece of paper, which she handed to Vince. "There's my number. Give me a call, we should meet up for coffee some time!"

"Sounds electric, I'll catch you later then!" Vince took the piece of paper, smiling. Lucy left waving at Howard before stepping out of the door.

"Nice girl." Vince looked down at the piece of paper.

"I knew she looked familiar."

"She'd been in Ireland."

"She used to go to High School with us."

"Her uncle's head of Pie Face Records."

"Why'd you ever punch her?"

"Howard, did you hear me?"

"Hmmm?"

"Her uncle's head of Pie Face Records."

"Hell's bell's, is that right? D'you know what this means, Vince?"

"Now, wait right now, Howard, I'm not going to call her up, and use her just so that we can get a record deal."

"I'm not sayin' use her then lose her, I'm just saying get inside the circle and use the stellar resources to your advantage!"

"Yeah, I s'pose."

"Why'd you ever punch her again."

"She pushed my button."

"Haha, don't all women?"

"No. She literally pushed my button. I was wearin' my best Rocky Horror button that day, and she got a little too friendly, when she touched it, it fell off, shattered in to a million pieces. I've never been so devastated in my life." Vince touched the place under his collar bone where the fateful button had once been.

"Shame. Mind helpin' me get this place straightened out? Naboo's due back soon."

"I'd love to, but I'll have to take a raincheck. I'm off to TopShop to fine a taupe top. Haha TaupeShop. There's tweed or somethin' in this blazer of yours and it's making hell of my shoulders. I've got sensitive skin you know."

"I don't know why I even bother asking anymore." Howard turned and began tidying up the counter.