By noontime Miu's work is still not done; she's crossing the street with a basket of fruits and veggies and even what looks like a small bouquet of wild daisies. Her cheeks are red from the sun and her temple is dotted with sweat; she looks exhausted but in good spirits.

"Oh it's Miu." Toga bounds over to the window. "Wow, she's really tan. I wonder if I should try that."

"Your skin's so pale, you'll turn red if you're not careful." Shinsou warns as he tidies up after his client; it was their first tattoo and they were sweating all over his chair.

"Then I'll wear sunscreen." Toga points out. "But it's way too hot out right now. No wonder your guy was sweating so much."

"It's freezing in here." Dabi says absently as he enters the client's information in their computer; they'll be receiving coupons in a day's time through email.

"Deal with it." Shinsou replies without much bite. "I can't stand the heat. I don't know how Miu isn't passing out from just crossing the street."

"Is she coming here?"

Dabi's head snaps up; Miu is indeed walking on the sidewalk that leads to the strip mall and goes around the shops. Her eyes are forward, her body held straight and tall; the basket is cradled close to her chest as she makes her way closer and closer to the mall.

"Don't bug her Toga, she's probably running an errand for Ume." Shinsou says to the excited girl bouncing on her heels.

"It's lunch break though; maybe she's coming over to say hi. Didn't you two use to go to school together?"

"I've barely said a word to her."

Dabi continues to fiddle around with the computer; he's on lunch break as well. And Miu's carrying a basket of fresh food over to the tattoo shop.

"Did she see me through the window at some point? But why would she bring over food?"

It's possible Miu feels bad about laughing in his face. Or maybe she's having second thoughts and wants to take him up on his offer.

"Well that ship's sailed."

Dabi refuses to look longer as Miu walks up to their front entrance; he doesn't even like veggies and if she thinks she can win him over with some lame daisies, she's going to have to change tactics.

Still, he might accept if she can manage to apologize out loud.

"She's going to the thrift store? Aw, I wanted some tomatoes."

"Probably to give that skeleton some food. I don't think that guy ever eats." Shinsou remarks absently as he wipes down his chair's leather covering until it shines.

Toga cocks her head to the side with a quizzical look, leaning closer to see out the window. "Who doesn't eat?"

"Guy who works there. His old man passed away and now he owns the store, I think." Shinsou raises an eyebrow. "You do live here, right?"

"I never go in there." Toga shrugs. "I hear all they have is books."

"They have other things: DVDs, clothes, games. Most of it is books, but even you might find something to read." Shinsou shrugs. "I find pretty cool stuff there."

"Like what?"

"A neck pillow, some cool knick knacks, some old horror movies."

"Really?" Toga looks excited.

Dabi stands up. "I'm bored. I'm gonna see what kind of shit they got."

"Sure, just come back before break's over."

Dabi trails a bit behind Toga, who practically runs outside.

"You know, I wonder what kind of books they do have." she muses, holding the door open for him. "I figured it was all used textbooks, but if they have anything fun to read…"

"I'm just looking to get some cheap furniture for my place. I could use a decent couch at least. Shoulda asked Shinsou if they do deliveries..."

"Sh!"

Dabi shoots her a dirty look; Toga has practically yanked his shoulder from his socket pulling him behind a large shelf of very thick, dusty covered texts.

"The hell is wrong with-?"

"Sh, listen!" Toga whispers, hunkering down behind the wall of books without really needing to. The front desk isn't even at the front of the store, and Dabi wouldn't have known anyone was inside the musty place if he wasn't hearing voices.

One familiar voice, actually.

"You know…..fine."

There's a muffled bang and a creaky rebuttal.

"Then stop coming here!"

" ….do you just want to be….?"

There's absolute silence this time. Dabi and Toga exchange looks but neither says a thing.

"...I thought you…..go with me."

"I'm not going back. I'm sorry, I…."

"...okay."

The next words are softer and Dabi can't make them out, but it sounds like the fight is gone from Miu and whoever she was speaking to.

"...are….tomorrow?"

"Yeah…"

"Okay."

Dabi reaches out to grab Toga's sleeve before she decides it's safe to make themselves known.

" ...smile…."

A gentle laugh that dies off like the last notes of a song.

"Miu…."

Dabi stiffens and frowns in thought; Toga pulls her sleeve from his hand and gives him a look for stretching the fabric, but she too remains still and silent. They hear heavy footsteps coming toward the door.

"Bye, see you later!"

"Bye."

Dabi and Toga both move behind another shelf so Miu can't see them out of the corner of her eyes. She's standing outside now without the basket, boots covered in dirt and grass stains. The windows at the store are like the tattoo shop, high as a person and wide as the walls nearly. Dabi can clearly see how Miu's shoulders are slumped and her hands hang limply at her sides. Her face is sullen, wistful.

And then Miu looks forward, lifting her chin as she straightens up and throws back her shoulders. Her pointer fingers come up to prod at her dirty cheeks, the action lifting her mouth at the corners. After a moment, a real smile escapes her lips, and Miu is on her way to the street once more.

"Excuse me?"

Toga straight up screams and both Dabi and the unkempt looking shop owner jump in their skin.

"The hell is wrong with you?"

Dabi can tell right now customer service isn't this guy's strength.

"Sorry," Toga begins once her heart rate is back to normal. "We heard voices when we came in, but it sounded serious, so-"

"You hid behind a bookcase to eavesdrop?"

"No, we just didn't want to interrupt." Dabi matches the owner's glare with defiance even though he basically hit the nail on the head. "We didn't hear anything anyway."

The man can't be much older than them, but he gazes at them like pests. Finally, he turns away and Dabi is glad those bugged out eyes aren't on him.

"Whatever. If you need help finding anything, ask someone who cares."

Toga bursts out with a laugh and Dabi gives her a look. She shrugs back up at him.

"What?" Toga trails after the man. "I'm Toga Himiko by the way. We work at the tattoo place next door."

"And I care...why?"

Toga doesn't so much as blink; the man sighs and runs a hand through his already scraggly hair.

"Tenko Shimura. I own this dump."

"Maybe if you bothered to clean it…"

"What was that metalhead?"

"This is Dabi. It's his first day!"

Dabi doesn't know if Toga means to sound patronizing but he wishes she would shut up all the same. He doesn't need people knowing his business, but then, this guy seems antisocial at best.

Tenko's glare is more apathetic than anything else at the moment as he returns to his counter. There's a handheld gaming console, a bag of chips, a half liter of pop, and a thick book opened to the middle pages on the elephant sized desk. The picture is complemented by the old timey register. No computers in sight, excluding the game, but even that looks like it's seen better days. At least Tenko fits right in; he obviously doesn't put much effort into his appearance.

"Dabi, look at this." Toga is exploring a rack of secondhand clothes. There's a black shirt with a faded rock band logo; it's just his style and it's a dollar.

"Huh, not bad." Dabi takes it from her. "Tell me if you see a dollar priced couch."

"We don't take furniture bigger than a chair." Tenko mumbles through chip crumbs as he leafs through his book. Dabi feels a bit nauseous watching him eat with those yellow teeth, so he looks back to the shirts. It's been a while since he's gotten anything new to wear; being locked up gets a person used to wearing the same thing day in and day out.

But he's out now, so why not treat himself? Dabi half listens to Toga's chatter and suggestions as he searches through the shirts. She even convinces him to try one on in the busted changing stall.

"That looks great!" Toga is modeling a new flowery top that makes her natural cuteness that more evident. "You have to get it."

Dabi shrugs and returns to the stall, gazing at his own reflection in the cracked, full length mirror. The collar is wide and hangs to show off his pecs.. The thin shirt is a nearly transparent white; his tattoos and piercings are practically on full display, along with the outlines of his muscles. If one good thing came from his stint in a cell, it's that much of his seemingly endless free time was dedicated to just working out. It was all Dabi could do at times not to go crazy.

But damn, does he look good.

Dabi buys the scoop neck and the band shirt, plans on wearing the former to the bar later. He'll can afford to be a bit petty and show Miu just what she's missing.

Dabi's mood is sonewhat dampened when he and Toga return to the register to pay for their finds. Tenko looks less irritable as he rings them up, but Dabi couldn't care less what this weirdo thinks.

Dabi's more preoccupied with the modest plate of cherry tomatoes and baby carrots the freak's munching on. Not far away is a little crystal vase, filled halfway with water and holding the wild daisies.

"Thank you, come again."

"Can I try one?"

Tenko immediately pulls away his snack from Toga's hand. "It''s called a grocery store. Go there."

"So mean. And I was thinking of cutting you a deal on a Prince Albert."

"Who?"

"Toga, you're gonna miss your one o'clock client." Dabi drawls, ushering her to the door.

"Alright, alright."

But Dabi is feeling distracted himself.

Just what were Miu and Tenko arguing about? He assumes they know each other outside of their work places, but how? And just what did Tenko mean earlier? Dabi could only catch snippets, but from what he heard, it seemed Tenko wanted Miu to go somewhere but she didn't want to.

Was it a rejection?

"If that's the case, why bring flowers to a guy you're not interested in? Unless..."

Whatever the issue was, Miu did seem in a perfectly good mood after the fact. Maybe there was more to it than Dabi knew.

He thinks about Tenko Shimura; he's rude, insulting, doesn't take care of himself, and frankly looks like a strung out meth addict. Dabi would know, he shared a cell with one for a month.

He smirks to himself a little; as if the creep had a chance. Miu would have to have something wrong with her to even look at him with more than pity.

On the other hand, if there is something going on, Dabi doesn't know if he can handle the mortification of being turned down and laughed at in favor of the walking dead.

"No fucking way."

"Huh?" Shinsou glances over at him; he's helping Dabi set up his account to punch in and out online.

"Nothing."

Shinsou shrugs and goes back to the page; he hears a lot of ex cons talk to themselves.