A LITTLE SOMETHING; #03 - shopping
author's note: Mm, I don't like Lying From You much, tempted to delete it since it'd be most likely chock full of OOC characters and overdone plots. Until I figure out a story idea more viable, I figured I'd try my hand at drabbles. It's from the 30ways community on LJ. Maybe one day these little things will actually be good. Right now, I feel like they're abrupt, rushed, cliched and dull. Anyway I'll hush up. Like it, hate it, lemme know?
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#03 - Shopping
Jadeite glanced at the numerous bags that surrounded him, idly wondering just how much the whole lot was worth. He was tempted to dig out the receipts, but decided against it. If he was going to have a panic attack, he was going to have it in the privacy and comfort of his own home, not in the middle of the sprawling food court at the mall with thousands of people milling about to witness. With a sigh he leaned back against the hard metal planks of the bench, as he waited for Rei to come and tell him they were finally going home so he could hopefully catch the last inning or two of the baseball game.
"She got you too huh?" A new voice commented, startling the blonde-haired man out of his boredom-induced reverie.
"Good afternoon to you too Kunzite," Jadeite said sarcastically as he realized who it was, gesturing grandly towards the remaining space on the bench.
Kunzite sat down next to him, a relieved expression on his face as he set down his own enormous shopping bags. "For the first time in my life, I'm worried about paying all the bills on time."
Jadeite whistled as his eyes skimmed over the luxury brands on the bags. "That bad?"
"That bad," Kunzite responded grimly. Pointing to one bag in particular, he said, "Two pairs of shoes. Five minutes. One thousand dollars."
"Damn."
"I don't understand why she needs new shoes. She just bought a pair last week." The other man added, unusually talkative. Maybe there was something in that nearly-empty coffee drink Kunzite held in his hand to induce chattiness, because normally the man was as silent and stoic as a rock.
"Maybe it's for the charity dinner Ami's hospital is holding this weekend?" Jadeite suggested with a shrug. "That's why we're here. Someone," at this he eyed Kunzite beadily, "probably told Rei that she needed a new dress. God knows what's wrong with the six she's got hanging in the closet."
Kunzite was affronted as he fixed Jadeite with his own dirty look. "Stop glaring at me. I didn't do anything."
"Guilty by association," was all the other man said as he tilted his head back and stared up at the glass ceiling, beginning to count the individual panes for the tenth time that day. There were exactly two hundred and five glass panes that composed the elaborate ceiling, something he had never known and would never have cared to known had he not better things to do.
"There you are! I didn't expect to see you here as well Jadeite!" The two men nearly jumped out of their seats as a blonde woman darted towards them, her arms laden with bags. "I thought you got lost! Didn't I tell you to follow me? I thought I did, I really wanted your opinion on this dress but you weren't there and I didn't want to leave the fitting room to go look for you, but that's okay, because I decided I'd just buy all three. If anything you can return them later," Minako finished brightly, shoving her bags onto her shell-shocked boyfriend and nearly burying him in the process.
"Did you just say you bought three dresses?" Kunzite asked in a strangled voice. Minako's megawatt smile said it all. Jadeite almost felt bad for his friend, almost being the key word. It was hard to sympathize with a man who had devised a training regimen that was more akin to slave-driving and began promptly at sunrise every weekend. "Minako," the platinum-haired man began, in an attempt to talk some financial sense into her, "do I look like I'm made of money?"
Minako blinked at him. "What? Oh hello Rei!" She whirled around and embraced the newcomer as best she could, considering how Rei too was laden with shopping bags.
"Hello Minako, Kunzite," Rei smiled as she then set her sights on Jadeite. "Missed me much?" She teased.
Jadeite glowered at her. "Do you know I've been sitting here for over an hour? I'm missing the baseball game, that's how much I love you."
Rei rolled her eyes. "Oh would you stop whining about that? I set the DVR to record it."
"Honest?"
"Have I ever lied to you?" She asked, irritation creeping into her voice.
"Ye-" he began hotly.
"Anyway, I'm done," she interrupted. "Was there anything you wanted to look at or get?"
"No!" Jadeite said, a bit forcefully. "I mean, no," he repeated in a more pleasant tone, upon seeing her narrowed eyes. "Here, let me grab them and we'll go," he said, hastily taking the bags from her. He then picked up the rest of the bags and grimaced inwardly at the sheer amount of things he was carrying.
"Oh, you guys are going?" Minako asked suddenly. "So soon?"
"Yes," Jadeite answered quickly as he began ushering Rei towards the parking lot. "Nice seeing you all but we gotta run."
"Jed, that was rude! I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye," Rei scolded as they left the mall.
He chose to ignore her as they neared his car. "Could you get the keys?" He asked and she rolled her eyes as she slid a hand into his back pocket to retrieve them and open the trunk.
"You drive," she said, tossing him the keys once he had stowed the bags. "I'm tired from walking around while you sat on your butt all day."
Jadeite opened his mouth to protest, but shut it, realizing it was futile. It wasn't his fault she had decided to wear three-inch heels to go shopping, and it most certainly wasn't his fault she was the one who flitted around the mall while relegating him to some low status as a bag holder. Not that he was really complaining. Sighing, he got into the driver's seat and started the car.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived home. Rei grabbed her purse and left him with the bags, mumbling something about sore arms and having to start dinner. Jadeite could only groan as he calculated how many trips he'd have to make between the driveway and their room.
When he had finally put away all the bags in the house to her satisfaction, he noticed a small scarlet bag sticking out of a larger white one. Recognizing it as the one from that lingerie store whose name he could never recall, a grin broke out on his tired face. He took out the tissue-paper-wrapped contents and whistled appreciatively as he took in the skimpy little number.
As images of his raven-haired beloved clad in only the crimson silk negligee pranced through his mind, Jadeite decided that maybe shopping wasn't so bad after all. Perhaps next time he'd take on a more active role in helping her choose what to buy too.
