A/N: Hullo! Finally I am out with the next chapter. The awaited shopping
expedition! Now this is where I highly advocate and shout it out that y'all
read Scarlet Rurouni's "The Student, The Typhoon, and the Closet" because
we've switched characters for this chapter. I will be doing the next
chapter from Lockhart's POV but if you want the make the wait less
unbearable read her fic because she has the chapter out already where she
is shopping with Lockhart. This chapter is Vash and I. Vash is from the
anime "Trigun" just FYI.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You'll never believe what happened to me!" Liz and I cried in unison.
"What happened to me? What happened to you?" we both asked, in what I was sure the same curious expression.
"We got stuck in an elevator!"
*Gah! We're doing it again! I swear she and I are twins. No matter that we don't look anything alike.*
"Us too!"
*Feh! That means we both spent three hours trapped in a claustrophic trap of death with our fictional visitors. No way! She got the better end of the deal with the Donut Boy!*
"Really?"
*Meep! This twin thing is way to weird!!*
"Stop THAT !!!!!!" we still cried in unison. I couldn't help it. Neither could she. We both burst out laughing at the whole thing. It was quite hilarious. Though, in the midst of my laughing I noticed Vash in complete shock, his mouth agape.
"What the hell was that?" He asked incredulously to Gilderoy, as if imploring for some assurance he hadn't fallen in with two lunatics.
If anything, Gilderoy looked equally as flummoxed, if not more. "I haven't the foggiest."
That of course just caused me to laugh more.
*Poor guys. It was quite strange, I admit.*
"Maybe it's some kind of weird code." Vash seemed to mutter to himself, looking a little thoughtful. Gilderoy however, just stood there still in the utmost confusion.
*This is too much. This almost makes up for those three hours in the elevator.*
"Er.. Stephie... I think we should save the explanations for later." Liz suggested, her eyes on the two men, her expression slightly concerned for them.
"Yesh, I do believe you are right. Well, since most of the day has been wasted because of those ruddy elevators, maybe we should just start the shopping." I said, trying VERY hard to stifle any sighs that I knew were lurking inside me.
*Stephie, you knew this was coming anyway. Go with the flow here.*
"Yes, maybe we should start with something simple... like shirts or some such?" Liz suggested after a pause.
"Sounds perfect, put off the harder task for later." I remarked, thinking pants had always been the hardest part of shopping for me.
"Right then, where to first?" Liz asked nodding. She took a cursory glance around at the various stores around the immediate vicinity. I too glanced around, and had to take a deep breath for a moment. There were just so many people and so crowded. Just looking at it made me a little ... wary. "Well, er ..." I closes my eyes for a moment and opened them, "maybe we can go look at the directory thingie that lists all the stores?"
Liz frowned slightly. "Perhaps we should start off with the more major stores... such as 'Pennys?"
"Sounds fine to me. Let's lock and load." I returned, taking a breath before turning towards the aforementioned store,
Next to Liz, Vash muttered something under his breath that caused Liz to turn to him and say something back that I didn't quite catch.
"Oro?" I asked, turning to glance over my shoulder at them.
"Nothing. Let's go." Liz answered with a grin and making to drag Vash along.
"Hey! Can't you be a little more gentle?" he cried in what I could tell was a playful mocking tone.
I laughed warmly. "Well, let's get moving. " I said and took up Gilderoy's arm and began to lead him as well to the nearby store. As we walked together I could feel myself tensing but I could see that Gilderoy was far from sharing my feelings. I could see he was completely enthralled with the mall and everything in it. His eyes were darting to every person and all the different store front windows and the displays.
Upon our arrival in the store, I took to immediately perusing the shirt racks. The sooner the job was done the sooner we all could leave after all. "Well let's see ... shirts ... hmm" I looked around and then spotted the Dockers section and grabbed a few simple button down blouses at random, looking at the tags wondering which size would fit Gilderoy before I handing them to him.
"Take a look at these. " I murmured, placing the shirts towards in his hand before I went on looking around at random.
"Stephie, I do believe you are mistaken. I would never be caught wearing such unfashionable clothes." I heard him say behind me and I immediately tensed.
"Excuse me?" I asked him in a quiet but deadly voice.
*I was a fool to not realize this was coming. Stephie, why oh why do you set yourself up like this?*
"How am I to look handsome and dashing in ..." Gilderoy held the shirts away from him as if they would contaminate him, "these?"
*Merlin! I will smite him and I will smite him well!*
"Gilderoy ... we've been through this before. The whole point of this little expedition was to find you muggle things so you wouldn't stick out. Do not undermine the plan. I've been stuck in an elevator for three hours with you and we still have to shop in this blasted mall and I really want to get out of here as quick as possible. Work with me here." I said again in that fiercely quiet whisper.
He look at me, his expression pained as if I was putting him through torture and he would be traumatized for life. "B-but ... still ... even when you say muggle I am sure some dress sharp and keen. "
"When they can ACTUALLY afford it. I am a poor college student!!" I retorted, barely aware of the fact that I was enunciating every word with clear tones. This in itself is significant because I always talk in a rush and never manage to make much sense half the time.
I was also suddenly aware of someone tapping me slightly on the shoulder. "Erm... Stephie?"
"Yes?" I responded, turning to Liz, whom I have to be quite honest and say that I barely realized she and Vash were still there.
"Perhaps I should take Lockhart shopping for you?" She suggested, sending a glance Vash's way, "You wouldn't mind follow Stephie around for a bit would you?"
"Sure!" he replied, his voice replete with overly cheery tones.
*Is it just me or was he disappointed? He almost looked like he would rather not.*
"So what do you think?" Liz asked, turning back to face me.
"Er ... I don't think Vash is happy with the idea and besides I feel bad ... I can do this ... really ..." I said, aware that I was being really overactive about it all.
*Come on Stephie, get with it. Don't ruin it for everyone else.* She snorted and rewarded me with a look that told me she didn't buy a word of it. "Right. Trust me... you were about to rip the poor man to shreds. I'll take him off your hands for.. oh.. an hour?"
"Shreds?" I responded, crossing my arms across my chest with a smirk, "And here I declawed my fangs just the other day ... odd." I shrugged and lifted my eyes to hers, "If you insist, you may, but seriously I can do it."
"One hour!" She took Gilderoy's arm. "Front of the Disney Store! Bye!" Liz called over her shoulder as she lead Gilderoy away.
"By then, I suppose." I responded, faintly aware that my hand had lifted of it's own accord to wave goodbye even though they could not see it. I then sighed a small sigh and turned to Vash.
"So, it's just us then. So, shirts first?" I said, presenting a tentative small smile.
He glanced at me, his expression telling me he was trying to be cheery. "Eh heh ... yeah."
"I can tell you're not one for shopping, well neither am I, to tell you the truth." I told him candidly, standing a little more at ease.
He sighed with relief. "Good... for a minute I thought you might be one of those girls that gets all crazy whenever they go shopping."
"Merlin no, I'd gag long before that." I laughed warmly.
*Maybe this won't be so bad after all*
He actually offered me a smile when he said, . "Well then... guess we'd better get started."
"Well, we can start by getting shirts for you. I suppose you would be a large. What color do you fancy?" I sifted through a display of shirts and held out a few different colored ones to him.
"I kinda like those..." He answered me, pointing to three shirts, one red, one black, and one white. I smiled a warm smile.
*Of course he would like the red one. Rem ... and her red geraniums.*
"Wonderful taste, I say. The changing room is right over there aways" I told him and pointed to a door against the wall behind him, "so go and see if they fit right."
"Do I really have too?" He pouted, almost hoping I would tell him no and that would be that.
I placed my hand over his in a reassuring gesture. "Trust me, I hate that part of shopping too, but it would be a waste of time and money if you just bought those without knowing if they fit or not."
He looked at me and just sighed "Alright." He seemed whined, taking the shirts from my hands and heading for the changing room. I watched him go and thought to myself I was just as out of place as he was.
*Though, you don't necessarily have an excuse like he does. Sucks to be you.*
I exhaled and turned my gaze to the passersby. In my immediate field of vision was a family. A father in the prime of his life with a comely looking wife on his arm and a teenaged boy and girl. My eyes lingered on them as they walked right past me, absorbed in their world of warmth and togetherness. I stood transfixed by the sight.
"Dad, what do you think I should get for Gran?" The young girl asked, looking up at her father with trusting eyes, security bourne in her expression.
"Maybe a knit sweater. She liked the one you gave her last year after all." Her father answered her, a kind and benign smile on his face.
I felt myself breathe in and out forcibly. I closed my eyes and turned away from them. Instead I looked upon the display rack before me, laden with shirts of many textures and colors. I ran my hand along the fleece neck of one particularly fine storm grey sweater.
"Si seulement ... if only ..." I whispered softly, my heart tight.
*Stephie, it's only an illusion. Don't do it. Don't. Focus. Clothes for Vash. That is what you're here for.*
"They fit fine I guess... anything else?" Vash asked me, suddenly appearing at my side once more.
I wasn't expecting that. I jumped a foot in the air and squeaked as per usual. I must have given him one of my looks that said "Don't-Sneak-Up-On- Me-Like-That-Ever-Again!" because he gave me a slightly apologetic expression.
"W-well ... we need to get you pants and then shoes later." I responded, trying not to stammer.
*Focus and stay on planet earth and you won't look like a ruddy dear caught in headlights.*
"Well... the sooner we do this the sooner we'll be done, right?" He returned, his demeanor conveying that he was trying to be friendlier and kinder for my benefit.
*D'arvit! I don't need that. I need him to be himself. It'll make me feel less weird if he just does that.*
"Vash, I know you don't like shopping that much so don't feel the need to be overly cheery about it. Be yourself, please." she said with a smile as she handed me a few pairs of pants.
"I swear ... you and Liz MUST be related." He jested, a real genuine Wolfwood worthy smile crossing his lips this time around.
*Oh Wolfwood, too bad you aren't here to see that ...*
Once he'd gone I resolved not to pay too much attention on any one of the passersby. I'd learned my lesson. No need to get introspective on this shopping excursion after all ...
*D'arvit ... why?*
This time it was a younger married couple and a five year old little girl. The little girl was just so ... carefree and happy ... and her parents were so warm ...
*Why am I so cold? I'm so cold.*
"I'm not doing this again! No." I muttered to myself, but yet continued to gaze off.
"Whatcha lookin' at?" Vash asked, this time letting his footfalls warn me of his approach and tapping me softly on the shoulder.
"Oh, nothing ... so, they fit?" I said, averting my gaze to the pants he was holding.
He looked at the pants and then back at me. I could tell he didn't buy it. "They fit fine... but you looked like you were pretty deep in thought there." He grinned, "You know... it's not good to keep things bottled up." I grinned at that. "Ha! I see what you are doing. You're returning the favor, eh?"
"Er.... what are you talking about?" He looked properly confused.
*Aparently he didn't see that he was doing exactly what I had done to him, seeing through the facade and confronting it. Ah well, he is the needle noggin' after all.*
I laughed. "Never mind. I was just watching the people ... the families ..." my voice trailed off as I gazed off again.
He too gazed in the direction, looking past me to the people. "Yeah ... I think I know what you mean ..."
I glanced up at him and if I had been an anime character, my eyes would have been glistening just then. "Yes, you would." I murmured in a soft voice.
*So much pain ... must shake it off ...*
"Well, shall we be getting on then?" I asked, plastering a smile on my face and intending to hang on for dear life.
"Now who's being 'overly cheery'?" He asked me, a smirk lighting up his face.
This is one of those moments, that had I again been an anime character, a huge sweatdrop would have appeared right over me and I would have laughed nervously and put my arm behind my head. "Eh heh ... w-well ... shoes then?"
"Sure." He shook his head at me, clearly amused.
As he followed me out of the store, I glanced up and down the way and then spotted the nearest shoe store. I gestured to show that would be our next stop. Once inside, a challenge was posed to me.
*Hmm, well let's see here ...*
"I don't know your shoe size, so try these on and see if they are snug. They look like they could fit you nicely." I told him in one breath in an almost sing song voice as I pulled off a pair and handed them to him.
"Whoa ..." He breathed, his eyes wide, and I knew exactly why.
"Ha! It worked! I couldn't very well have the two of us so introspective, so I resorted to 'Millie Tactics 101' ..." I laughed merrily and mentally thanked the anime powers that be for that particulary sweet and oh so peppy character.
*Millie, you and I would have been best buds!*
"Eh heh..." He just continued to stare at me. "You know, I think you and the big girl would get along great." He told me.
"Yes, that we would indeed." I laughed again, as he and I were thinking along the same lines.
He bent down to tie the boot laces, muttering, "I'm not sure I can get used to this ..." as he did.
"What was that? I heard you say something." I commented in a sing song voice again.
"Nothing." He smiled, deflecting the subject. "They fit fine."
"You're doing it again. Tsk tsk ..." I sang, crossing my arms.
He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Doing what now?"
I glanced down at him and answered him honestly. "That cheerily disarming smile of yours ... I do believe Wolfwood commented upon it before.
"So I guess everyone here knows about that" He murmured, a small smile on his lips once again.
I sat down and decided to explain the dynamics. "Well, not everyone per se. Just the people who've watched the anime, really."
"Oh ... so you and Liz have seen it then?" He asked curiously.
"Yes. Liz was the one who introduced me to the anime. I recently got it on DVD as a matter of fact." I told him, smiling at the memory of her exuberance in telling me about it.
"Huh ..." was Vash's response.
"Double dollar for your thoughts?" I asked him concernedly, and grinning inwardly at the choice of wording I used.
He shook his head, that grin in place again. "I was just wondering why you two would spend money on ... well ... a show about ... me."
I paused at that. It was a perfectly logical musing. "Well, I cannot really speak for Liz because I am not her, but I can speak for myself and say that I found myself intrigued with your character in the anime. I had a need to see you and how you survived all that you had. It was cathargic in a way to see someone like you pull through it all. In a way it gave me hope for myself, in my own life." *How perfectly true and honest that was, but did I really need to say that? That was a bit too much information on my part. He didn't need to know that ...*
He however gulped. "I ... give people ... hope?? But ... but ..." his next sentence was much softer. "But, I've caused so much suffering ..."
I felt my heart stop at that. It was physical. I could feel it, and it hurt.
*Oh Vash ...*
"That wasn't you, Vash. It wasn't. Please, believe me when I say that. You did nothing but want to save everyone, even those who don't deserve it. Please ..." I almost pleaded before giving up on my inability to communicate what it truly was that I was trying to say. I decided to just translate it into a far more powerful language. I leaned forward and hugged him.
"Do you really believe all that?" He asked me, his voice so quiet, it hurt me worse than if he had yelled it.
"It's hard, I know ... I can't know what it must feel like being in your shoes, but you have to move on. It takes time and it takes love, but you can move on. Believe me on this ... it may not seem like it, but I do know of sorrow too, and the only thing you can do is take it a day at a time, but not alone, never alone ..." I told him, begging for him to believe it.
*He has to ...*
I glanced up at him and ... he was smiling just ever so slightly! It warmed me through and through."You know... this is the second time today someone I barely know has tried to comfort me... I must be really depressing!" He joked with a slightly more mocking tone.
"Not depressing at all. You have a heart, which is more than I can say for some. You've no right to say that about yourself." I told him as I ducked my head, intent on wiping away the traces of tell-tale tears that had collected behind my eyes.
Vash shook his and mused, "I wonder why Liz bought the 'anime' then ..."
"Well I don't know, but you might want to ask her about it ..." I said in that sing song voice again, coming back to myself from that emotional moment and playing matchmaker at the same time.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked me, almost wary in his own way.
"Oh ... nothing ... nothing at all." I answered.
*But the question is will he buy that?*
He merely smirked at me. "Right. And that friend of yours is really a modest person."
*Oh Merlin! That's ruddy great!*
I laughed out loud and nearly fell over anime style.
"Uh... Are you okay?" He asked me, his eyebrow hitched.
I desperately tried to stop laughing. It was a valiant effort really. "I- I'm f-fine ... really ... that was just very funny. You really should take that comedy routine of yours on the road." I stood and made my way to the counter to pay for the boots, beckoning for him to follow. As we both walked out of the shop however, I found he had other plans. He took a few long strides and caught up to me, snatching the bags away from me before I had a ruddy chance to do anything about it.
"Oy! I can carry them just fine!" I told him in an indignant voice.
"Carry what?" He asked me, quite clearly playing dumb.
"Those bags that you have in your arms right now!" I retorted reaching out for one, but that is when it happened ...
"I don't have any bags in my arms. I think you're seeing things." He smirked, crossing his arms, that were devoid of any bags.
"Wha-" I blinked. "Huff puff! B-but ... y-you had them ... just a s-second ago!"
*I am not hallucinating. They were right there, D'arvit!*
I then shook my head in realization. "Oh I get it ... you're using that Vash thing ... that thing you can do. Funny, ha ha, so where are the bags?"
"Bags?" was his response to me.
"Vash, you're not playing fair. I know you have them. Fine, if I let you carry them, will you at least make them reappear and show me that I have not gone daft?" I pleaded with him.
*Ruddy needle noggin' that he is.*
He laughed and whipped out the bags from behind in a move so casual and quick. "Now... would you mind telling me where we're going?"
"Well, we've a half an hour before we have to meet Liz and my egocentric guest. What would you like to do? Anything in particular you'd like to see here in the mall?" I asked him, wondering if I'd be able to grab back one of the bags but then decided against it.
He flashed me a most wicked grin and answered my question with the most obvious of things I should have realized it was coming. "Donuts."
"Sounds fine by me. I was wondering when you'd ask. Liz and even nicknamed you Donut-boy for that precise reason." I stated, smiling widely as I led the way to a nearby donut shop.
"I was kinda wondering about that ... she's a really interesting person." He admitted to me, walking in quick strides beside me.
"Yes she is, but that is what makes her quite lovable." I told him, flashing him my Millie grin.
"So ... you two seem really close." He smiled back.
"Yes, which is quite funny because we've only known each other for three months, but it sure feels longer." I told him, thinking the irony in how we came to get to know each other. It was due to our obsession with the Monty Python boys.
*We loves them we do!*
"You know ... Liz seems really ... well ... she seemed to trust me almost the moment she met me." He shook his head. "I just don't get it."
"Well, Vash, you do remember that she knows quite a bit about you from the anime and for that matter so do I. She trusts you because she knows you, even though you don't per se know her." I explained, my voice taking on that sagely characteristic.
He smiled slightly. "It's kinda nice not having to hide everything for once ..."
"Yes, it is nice." I whispered.
He simply gave me a quizzical look, apparently he was under the impression I had something more to say, but no! Not again!
"Oy! Not that again!" I said with a laugh. "I was just saying that you of all people must appreciate that the most."
"Yeah, I do." He returned. "So ... what were we going to do again?"
"Oy!" Here I smacked my forehead with my hand. "Not you too! You cannot be addled. I already have an addled wizard on my hands. We were going to get donuts remember." I shook my head and entered the shop.
"Oh Right! DONUTS! how could I forget?" He said, laughing at himself. "Well... Let's GO!"
"Woah now ... patience." I admoninished the eager gun-man and pointed to the display counter. "So what'll it be?" I then asked him. However, He simply gazed around as if he had never seen such a wide selection of donuts in his life.
*Well you know for a fact he hasn't so ... ye ...*
"Well, since Donut Boy here can't seem to choose, why not some of these sprinkled ones?" I suggested to him, eyeing the lovely donuts myself.
"Sp- SPRINKLES????????" His eyes lit up.
"Yes, precisely what said: Sprinkles. How many would you like? A dozen?" I queried, taking out my wallet to purchase the lot of them.
"You really mean it??" He smiled a wide and bright smile, it was quite blinding.
"Now that is a real smile!" I beamed, thinking Wolfwood would have been so proud. "Yes, I do mean it, however on the condition that I have one out of the dozen."
"Alright ...." He pouted slightly.
"Aww come one Vash, you're getting eleven donuts all for you own . Cheer up!" I said, handing him the oh so lovely pink box that represented all of donuty goodness in the world.
"THANKS!!!" He snarfed the lot of them in the blink of an eye. "That was great!"
*Is this when I should call Ripley's Believe it or Not?*
"Duude, you REALLY can snarf. That's the stuff of legends, it is." I muttered, grinning wickedly.
"It's a gift." He winked.
"Yes, apparently so." I laughed softly, "You know, you really are quite adorable."
"Uh ... thanks!" He replied, scratching the back of his head in that nervous anime habit.
I beamed. "You're quite welcome. Oy! There's Liz and Gilderoy! Let's go!" I grabbed his arm and lead him over to the other two.
"Hello you two!" I greeted Liz and Gilderoy cheerily, my earlier anger at him long gone.
Liz grinned. "So... you two have fun?"
"Yup."
"Great ... so ... do you want to look around some more, or should we get out of here?" Liz questioned, glancing at me and Vash and then Gilderoy.
"Nooo! Home! Please??" I practically begged.
*MERLIN NO MORE!*
Liz just laughed. "Alright. Vash ... do you need some help with those?" She then asked Vash, eyeing the bags he was carrying.
He grinned and flashed me a meaningful look. "No ... I'm fine." Before turning to ask Liz, "What about you? You really shouldn't be putting any weight on that you know."
"Er ... right ...." Liz coughed.
Vash just sighed and grabbed the bags from her hands.
"HEY!" Liz mirrored my early indignance.
He grinned, "What?"
"You ..." Liz glared at Vash for a minute before sighing, defeated. "You win."
"Soooo, can we go now???" I asked impatiently now that they had settled that.
"Yes ... lets." Liz acceded and proceeded ahead with Vash.
*YAY! Home here I come!*
I thanked the powers that be that I was finally on my way home as I fell in step with Gilderoy.
"So what did you and Liz talk about?" I asked him. "Oh nothing ... nothing at all." He replied, smiling that roguish smile at me.
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"You'll never believe what happened to me!" Liz and I cried in unison.
"What happened to me? What happened to you?" we both asked, in what I was sure the same curious expression.
"We got stuck in an elevator!"
*Gah! We're doing it again! I swear she and I are twins. No matter that we don't look anything alike.*
"Us too!"
*Feh! That means we both spent three hours trapped in a claustrophic trap of death with our fictional visitors. No way! She got the better end of the deal with the Donut Boy!*
"Really?"
*Meep! This twin thing is way to weird!!*
"Stop THAT !!!!!!" we still cried in unison. I couldn't help it. Neither could she. We both burst out laughing at the whole thing. It was quite hilarious. Though, in the midst of my laughing I noticed Vash in complete shock, his mouth agape.
"What the hell was that?" He asked incredulously to Gilderoy, as if imploring for some assurance he hadn't fallen in with two lunatics.
If anything, Gilderoy looked equally as flummoxed, if not more. "I haven't the foggiest."
That of course just caused me to laugh more.
*Poor guys. It was quite strange, I admit.*
"Maybe it's some kind of weird code." Vash seemed to mutter to himself, looking a little thoughtful. Gilderoy however, just stood there still in the utmost confusion.
*This is too much. This almost makes up for those three hours in the elevator.*
"Er.. Stephie... I think we should save the explanations for later." Liz suggested, her eyes on the two men, her expression slightly concerned for them.
"Yesh, I do believe you are right. Well, since most of the day has been wasted because of those ruddy elevators, maybe we should just start the shopping." I said, trying VERY hard to stifle any sighs that I knew were lurking inside me.
*Stephie, you knew this was coming anyway. Go with the flow here.*
"Yes, maybe we should start with something simple... like shirts or some such?" Liz suggested after a pause.
"Sounds perfect, put off the harder task for later." I remarked, thinking pants had always been the hardest part of shopping for me.
"Right then, where to first?" Liz asked nodding. She took a cursory glance around at the various stores around the immediate vicinity. I too glanced around, and had to take a deep breath for a moment. There were just so many people and so crowded. Just looking at it made me a little ... wary. "Well, er ..." I closes my eyes for a moment and opened them, "maybe we can go look at the directory thingie that lists all the stores?"
Liz frowned slightly. "Perhaps we should start off with the more major stores... such as 'Pennys?"
"Sounds fine to me. Let's lock and load." I returned, taking a breath before turning towards the aforementioned store,
Next to Liz, Vash muttered something under his breath that caused Liz to turn to him and say something back that I didn't quite catch.
"Oro?" I asked, turning to glance over my shoulder at them.
"Nothing. Let's go." Liz answered with a grin and making to drag Vash along.
"Hey! Can't you be a little more gentle?" he cried in what I could tell was a playful mocking tone.
I laughed warmly. "Well, let's get moving. " I said and took up Gilderoy's arm and began to lead him as well to the nearby store. As we walked together I could feel myself tensing but I could see that Gilderoy was far from sharing my feelings. I could see he was completely enthralled with the mall and everything in it. His eyes were darting to every person and all the different store front windows and the displays.
Upon our arrival in the store, I took to immediately perusing the shirt racks. The sooner the job was done the sooner we all could leave after all. "Well let's see ... shirts ... hmm" I looked around and then spotted the Dockers section and grabbed a few simple button down blouses at random, looking at the tags wondering which size would fit Gilderoy before I handing them to him.
"Take a look at these. " I murmured, placing the shirts towards in his hand before I went on looking around at random.
"Stephie, I do believe you are mistaken. I would never be caught wearing such unfashionable clothes." I heard him say behind me and I immediately tensed.
"Excuse me?" I asked him in a quiet but deadly voice.
*I was a fool to not realize this was coming. Stephie, why oh why do you set yourself up like this?*
"How am I to look handsome and dashing in ..." Gilderoy held the shirts away from him as if they would contaminate him, "these?"
*Merlin! I will smite him and I will smite him well!*
"Gilderoy ... we've been through this before. The whole point of this little expedition was to find you muggle things so you wouldn't stick out. Do not undermine the plan. I've been stuck in an elevator for three hours with you and we still have to shop in this blasted mall and I really want to get out of here as quick as possible. Work with me here." I said again in that fiercely quiet whisper.
He look at me, his expression pained as if I was putting him through torture and he would be traumatized for life. "B-but ... still ... even when you say muggle I am sure some dress sharp and keen. "
"When they can ACTUALLY afford it. I am a poor college student!!" I retorted, barely aware of the fact that I was enunciating every word with clear tones. This in itself is significant because I always talk in a rush and never manage to make much sense half the time.
I was also suddenly aware of someone tapping me slightly on the shoulder. "Erm... Stephie?"
"Yes?" I responded, turning to Liz, whom I have to be quite honest and say that I barely realized she and Vash were still there.
"Perhaps I should take Lockhart shopping for you?" She suggested, sending a glance Vash's way, "You wouldn't mind follow Stephie around for a bit would you?"
"Sure!" he replied, his voice replete with overly cheery tones.
*Is it just me or was he disappointed? He almost looked like he would rather not.*
"So what do you think?" Liz asked, turning back to face me.
"Er ... I don't think Vash is happy with the idea and besides I feel bad ... I can do this ... really ..." I said, aware that I was being really overactive about it all.
*Come on Stephie, get with it. Don't ruin it for everyone else.* She snorted and rewarded me with a look that told me she didn't buy a word of it. "Right. Trust me... you were about to rip the poor man to shreds. I'll take him off your hands for.. oh.. an hour?"
"Shreds?" I responded, crossing my arms across my chest with a smirk, "And here I declawed my fangs just the other day ... odd." I shrugged and lifted my eyes to hers, "If you insist, you may, but seriously I can do it."
"One hour!" She took Gilderoy's arm. "Front of the Disney Store! Bye!" Liz called over her shoulder as she lead Gilderoy away.
"By then, I suppose." I responded, faintly aware that my hand had lifted of it's own accord to wave goodbye even though they could not see it. I then sighed a small sigh and turned to Vash.
"So, it's just us then. So, shirts first?" I said, presenting a tentative small smile.
He glanced at me, his expression telling me he was trying to be cheery. "Eh heh ... yeah."
"I can tell you're not one for shopping, well neither am I, to tell you the truth." I told him candidly, standing a little more at ease.
He sighed with relief. "Good... for a minute I thought you might be one of those girls that gets all crazy whenever they go shopping."
"Merlin no, I'd gag long before that." I laughed warmly.
*Maybe this won't be so bad after all*
He actually offered me a smile when he said, . "Well then... guess we'd better get started."
"Well, we can start by getting shirts for you. I suppose you would be a large. What color do you fancy?" I sifted through a display of shirts and held out a few different colored ones to him.
"I kinda like those..." He answered me, pointing to three shirts, one red, one black, and one white. I smiled a warm smile.
*Of course he would like the red one. Rem ... and her red geraniums.*
"Wonderful taste, I say. The changing room is right over there aways" I told him and pointed to a door against the wall behind him, "so go and see if they fit right."
"Do I really have too?" He pouted, almost hoping I would tell him no and that would be that.
I placed my hand over his in a reassuring gesture. "Trust me, I hate that part of shopping too, but it would be a waste of time and money if you just bought those without knowing if they fit or not."
He looked at me and just sighed "Alright." He seemed whined, taking the shirts from my hands and heading for the changing room. I watched him go and thought to myself I was just as out of place as he was.
*Though, you don't necessarily have an excuse like he does. Sucks to be you.*
I exhaled and turned my gaze to the passersby. In my immediate field of vision was a family. A father in the prime of his life with a comely looking wife on his arm and a teenaged boy and girl. My eyes lingered on them as they walked right past me, absorbed in their world of warmth and togetherness. I stood transfixed by the sight.
"Dad, what do you think I should get for Gran?" The young girl asked, looking up at her father with trusting eyes, security bourne in her expression.
"Maybe a knit sweater. She liked the one you gave her last year after all." Her father answered her, a kind and benign smile on his face.
I felt myself breathe in and out forcibly. I closed my eyes and turned away from them. Instead I looked upon the display rack before me, laden with shirts of many textures and colors. I ran my hand along the fleece neck of one particularly fine storm grey sweater.
"Si seulement ... if only ..." I whispered softly, my heart tight.
*Stephie, it's only an illusion. Don't do it. Don't. Focus. Clothes for Vash. That is what you're here for.*
"They fit fine I guess... anything else?" Vash asked me, suddenly appearing at my side once more.
I wasn't expecting that. I jumped a foot in the air and squeaked as per usual. I must have given him one of my looks that said "Don't-Sneak-Up-On- Me-Like-That-Ever-Again!" because he gave me a slightly apologetic expression.
"W-well ... we need to get you pants and then shoes later." I responded, trying not to stammer.
*Focus and stay on planet earth and you won't look like a ruddy dear caught in headlights.*
"Well... the sooner we do this the sooner we'll be done, right?" He returned, his demeanor conveying that he was trying to be friendlier and kinder for my benefit.
*D'arvit! I don't need that. I need him to be himself. It'll make me feel less weird if he just does that.*
"Vash, I know you don't like shopping that much so don't feel the need to be overly cheery about it. Be yourself, please." she said with a smile as she handed me a few pairs of pants.
"I swear ... you and Liz MUST be related." He jested, a real genuine Wolfwood worthy smile crossing his lips this time around.
*Oh Wolfwood, too bad you aren't here to see that ...*
Once he'd gone I resolved not to pay too much attention on any one of the passersby. I'd learned my lesson. No need to get introspective on this shopping excursion after all ...
*D'arvit ... why?*
This time it was a younger married couple and a five year old little girl. The little girl was just so ... carefree and happy ... and her parents were so warm ...
*Why am I so cold? I'm so cold.*
"I'm not doing this again! No." I muttered to myself, but yet continued to gaze off.
"Whatcha lookin' at?" Vash asked, this time letting his footfalls warn me of his approach and tapping me softly on the shoulder.
"Oh, nothing ... so, they fit?" I said, averting my gaze to the pants he was holding.
He looked at the pants and then back at me. I could tell he didn't buy it. "They fit fine... but you looked like you were pretty deep in thought there." He grinned, "You know... it's not good to keep things bottled up." I grinned at that. "Ha! I see what you are doing. You're returning the favor, eh?"
"Er.... what are you talking about?" He looked properly confused.
*Aparently he didn't see that he was doing exactly what I had done to him, seeing through the facade and confronting it. Ah well, he is the needle noggin' after all.*
I laughed. "Never mind. I was just watching the people ... the families ..." my voice trailed off as I gazed off again.
He too gazed in the direction, looking past me to the people. "Yeah ... I think I know what you mean ..."
I glanced up at him and if I had been an anime character, my eyes would have been glistening just then. "Yes, you would." I murmured in a soft voice.
*So much pain ... must shake it off ...*
"Well, shall we be getting on then?" I asked, plastering a smile on my face and intending to hang on for dear life.
"Now who's being 'overly cheery'?" He asked me, a smirk lighting up his face.
This is one of those moments, that had I again been an anime character, a huge sweatdrop would have appeared right over me and I would have laughed nervously and put my arm behind my head. "Eh heh ... w-well ... shoes then?"
"Sure." He shook his head at me, clearly amused.
As he followed me out of the store, I glanced up and down the way and then spotted the nearest shoe store. I gestured to show that would be our next stop. Once inside, a challenge was posed to me.
*Hmm, well let's see here ...*
"I don't know your shoe size, so try these on and see if they are snug. They look like they could fit you nicely." I told him in one breath in an almost sing song voice as I pulled off a pair and handed them to him.
"Whoa ..." He breathed, his eyes wide, and I knew exactly why.
"Ha! It worked! I couldn't very well have the two of us so introspective, so I resorted to 'Millie Tactics 101' ..." I laughed merrily and mentally thanked the anime powers that be for that particulary sweet and oh so peppy character.
*Millie, you and I would have been best buds!*
"Eh heh..." He just continued to stare at me. "You know, I think you and the big girl would get along great." He told me.
"Yes, that we would indeed." I laughed again, as he and I were thinking along the same lines.
He bent down to tie the boot laces, muttering, "I'm not sure I can get used to this ..." as he did.
"What was that? I heard you say something." I commented in a sing song voice again.
"Nothing." He smiled, deflecting the subject. "They fit fine."
"You're doing it again. Tsk tsk ..." I sang, crossing my arms.
He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Doing what now?"
I glanced down at him and answered him honestly. "That cheerily disarming smile of yours ... I do believe Wolfwood commented upon it before.
"So I guess everyone here knows about that" He murmured, a small smile on his lips once again.
I sat down and decided to explain the dynamics. "Well, not everyone per se. Just the people who've watched the anime, really."
"Oh ... so you and Liz have seen it then?" He asked curiously.
"Yes. Liz was the one who introduced me to the anime. I recently got it on DVD as a matter of fact." I told him, smiling at the memory of her exuberance in telling me about it.
"Huh ..." was Vash's response.
"Double dollar for your thoughts?" I asked him concernedly, and grinning inwardly at the choice of wording I used.
He shook his head, that grin in place again. "I was just wondering why you two would spend money on ... well ... a show about ... me."
I paused at that. It was a perfectly logical musing. "Well, I cannot really speak for Liz because I am not her, but I can speak for myself and say that I found myself intrigued with your character in the anime. I had a need to see you and how you survived all that you had. It was cathargic in a way to see someone like you pull through it all. In a way it gave me hope for myself, in my own life." *How perfectly true and honest that was, but did I really need to say that? That was a bit too much information on my part. He didn't need to know that ...*
He however gulped. "I ... give people ... hope?? But ... but ..." his next sentence was much softer. "But, I've caused so much suffering ..."
I felt my heart stop at that. It was physical. I could feel it, and it hurt.
*Oh Vash ...*
"That wasn't you, Vash. It wasn't. Please, believe me when I say that. You did nothing but want to save everyone, even those who don't deserve it. Please ..." I almost pleaded before giving up on my inability to communicate what it truly was that I was trying to say. I decided to just translate it into a far more powerful language. I leaned forward and hugged him.
"Do you really believe all that?" He asked me, his voice so quiet, it hurt me worse than if he had yelled it.
"It's hard, I know ... I can't know what it must feel like being in your shoes, but you have to move on. It takes time and it takes love, but you can move on. Believe me on this ... it may not seem like it, but I do know of sorrow too, and the only thing you can do is take it a day at a time, but not alone, never alone ..." I told him, begging for him to believe it.
*He has to ...*
I glanced up at him and ... he was smiling just ever so slightly! It warmed me through and through."You know... this is the second time today someone I barely know has tried to comfort me... I must be really depressing!" He joked with a slightly more mocking tone.
"Not depressing at all. You have a heart, which is more than I can say for some. You've no right to say that about yourself." I told him as I ducked my head, intent on wiping away the traces of tell-tale tears that had collected behind my eyes.
Vash shook his and mused, "I wonder why Liz bought the 'anime' then ..."
"Well I don't know, but you might want to ask her about it ..." I said in that sing song voice again, coming back to myself from that emotional moment and playing matchmaker at the same time.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked me, almost wary in his own way.
"Oh ... nothing ... nothing at all." I answered.
*But the question is will he buy that?*
He merely smirked at me. "Right. And that friend of yours is really a modest person."
*Oh Merlin! That's ruddy great!*
I laughed out loud and nearly fell over anime style.
"Uh... Are you okay?" He asked me, his eyebrow hitched.
I desperately tried to stop laughing. It was a valiant effort really. "I- I'm f-fine ... really ... that was just very funny. You really should take that comedy routine of yours on the road." I stood and made my way to the counter to pay for the boots, beckoning for him to follow. As we both walked out of the shop however, I found he had other plans. He took a few long strides and caught up to me, snatching the bags away from me before I had a ruddy chance to do anything about it.
"Oy! I can carry them just fine!" I told him in an indignant voice.
"Carry what?" He asked me, quite clearly playing dumb.
"Those bags that you have in your arms right now!" I retorted reaching out for one, but that is when it happened ...
"I don't have any bags in my arms. I think you're seeing things." He smirked, crossing his arms, that were devoid of any bags.
"Wha-" I blinked. "Huff puff! B-but ... y-you had them ... just a s-second ago!"
*I am not hallucinating. They were right there, D'arvit!*
I then shook my head in realization. "Oh I get it ... you're using that Vash thing ... that thing you can do. Funny, ha ha, so where are the bags?"
"Bags?" was his response to me.
"Vash, you're not playing fair. I know you have them. Fine, if I let you carry them, will you at least make them reappear and show me that I have not gone daft?" I pleaded with him.
*Ruddy needle noggin' that he is.*
He laughed and whipped out the bags from behind in a move so casual and quick. "Now... would you mind telling me where we're going?"
"Well, we've a half an hour before we have to meet Liz and my egocentric guest. What would you like to do? Anything in particular you'd like to see here in the mall?" I asked him, wondering if I'd be able to grab back one of the bags but then decided against it.
He flashed me a most wicked grin and answered my question with the most obvious of things I should have realized it was coming. "Donuts."
"Sounds fine by me. I was wondering when you'd ask. Liz and even nicknamed you Donut-boy for that precise reason." I stated, smiling widely as I led the way to a nearby donut shop.
"I was kinda wondering about that ... she's a really interesting person." He admitted to me, walking in quick strides beside me.
"Yes she is, but that is what makes her quite lovable." I told him, flashing him my Millie grin.
"So ... you two seem really close." He smiled back.
"Yes, which is quite funny because we've only known each other for three months, but it sure feels longer." I told him, thinking the irony in how we came to get to know each other. It was due to our obsession with the Monty Python boys.
*We loves them we do!*
"You know ... Liz seems really ... well ... she seemed to trust me almost the moment she met me." He shook his head. "I just don't get it."
"Well, Vash, you do remember that she knows quite a bit about you from the anime and for that matter so do I. She trusts you because she knows you, even though you don't per se know her." I explained, my voice taking on that sagely characteristic.
He smiled slightly. "It's kinda nice not having to hide everything for once ..."
"Yes, it is nice." I whispered.
He simply gave me a quizzical look, apparently he was under the impression I had something more to say, but no! Not again!
"Oy! Not that again!" I said with a laugh. "I was just saying that you of all people must appreciate that the most."
"Yeah, I do." He returned. "So ... what were we going to do again?"
"Oy!" Here I smacked my forehead with my hand. "Not you too! You cannot be addled. I already have an addled wizard on my hands. We were going to get donuts remember." I shook my head and entered the shop.
"Oh Right! DONUTS! how could I forget?" He said, laughing at himself. "Well... Let's GO!"
"Woah now ... patience." I admoninished the eager gun-man and pointed to the display counter. "So what'll it be?" I then asked him. However, He simply gazed around as if he had never seen such a wide selection of donuts in his life.
*Well you know for a fact he hasn't so ... ye ...*
"Well, since Donut Boy here can't seem to choose, why not some of these sprinkled ones?" I suggested to him, eyeing the lovely donuts myself.
"Sp- SPRINKLES????????" His eyes lit up.
"Yes, precisely what said: Sprinkles. How many would you like? A dozen?" I queried, taking out my wallet to purchase the lot of them.
"You really mean it??" He smiled a wide and bright smile, it was quite blinding.
"Now that is a real smile!" I beamed, thinking Wolfwood would have been so proud. "Yes, I do mean it, however on the condition that I have one out of the dozen."
"Alright ...." He pouted slightly.
"Aww come one Vash, you're getting eleven donuts all for you own . Cheer up!" I said, handing him the oh so lovely pink box that represented all of donuty goodness in the world.
"THANKS!!!" He snarfed the lot of them in the blink of an eye. "That was great!"
*Is this when I should call Ripley's Believe it or Not?*
"Duude, you REALLY can snarf. That's the stuff of legends, it is." I muttered, grinning wickedly.
"It's a gift." He winked.
"Yes, apparently so." I laughed softly, "You know, you really are quite adorable."
"Uh ... thanks!" He replied, scratching the back of his head in that nervous anime habit.
I beamed. "You're quite welcome. Oy! There's Liz and Gilderoy! Let's go!" I grabbed his arm and lead him over to the other two.
"Hello you two!" I greeted Liz and Gilderoy cheerily, my earlier anger at him long gone.
Liz grinned. "So... you two have fun?"
"Yup."
"Great ... so ... do you want to look around some more, or should we get out of here?" Liz questioned, glancing at me and Vash and then Gilderoy.
"Nooo! Home! Please??" I practically begged.
*MERLIN NO MORE!*
Liz just laughed. "Alright. Vash ... do you need some help with those?" She then asked Vash, eyeing the bags he was carrying.
He grinned and flashed me a meaningful look. "No ... I'm fine." Before turning to ask Liz, "What about you? You really shouldn't be putting any weight on that you know."
"Er ... right ...." Liz coughed.
Vash just sighed and grabbed the bags from her hands.
"HEY!" Liz mirrored my early indignance.
He grinned, "What?"
"You ..." Liz glared at Vash for a minute before sighing, defeated. "You win."
"Soooo, can we go now???" I asked impatiently now that they had settled that.
"Yes ... lets." Liz acceded and proceeded ahead with Vash.
*YAY! Home here I come!*
I thanked the powers that be that I was finally on my way home as I fell in step with Gilderoy.
"So what did you and Liz talk about?" I asked him. "Oh nothing ... nothing at all." He replied, smiling that roguish smile at me.