Hello! Thank you for the reviews guys, much appreciated! Credit to Helen for betaiing, we hope you enjoy this chapter. xx
When Roxi woke, her first thoughts were of just how comfortable she was, and how natural it felt to be waking up in a sparkling room full of purple, silver and peacock blue.
Her second thought was of who on earth was knocking on the door to wake her at the ungodly hour of eleven o'clock? "Yeah, who is it?" She asked with a groan, stretching.
"Get your lazy arse out of bed." Called Tara. "I thought you wanted to go shopping?"
"I can't go shopping this early!" She replied, pulling the duvet over her head. "The morning is only for sales. General shopping can't be done by us hardcore shoppers until the afternoon, when we've had a good solid lie-in to get our strength up."
Roxi never had been a morning person, but suddenly became aware of her craving for tea and weetabix – not together obviously, the authors don't recommend such risky experimentation, especially first thing in the morning. So it was with great reluctance that she made her way out of the bedroom, hair tousled cutely from sleep and wearing black satin pyjama trousers and a bright green camisole, decorated with black lace; how typical of Roxi that even her nightwear were sexy.
Walking into the kitchen she found Vince lying tragically on the sofa, his hair in much the same state of disrepair as hers. If possible he looked even paler than usual, and was obviously still tired, his eyes protected from the glare of the morning light by stylish sunglasses; it was easy for her to spot another hardcore shopping addict who'd been roused before the time was right.
Everyone else was awake as well, so she gave them a half-hearted smile and wave.
"Morning Roxi." Howard greeted her brightly. Brightly, at this time of the day. Obviously some great evil was afoot. "Breakfast?"
"Yes please." She nodded sleepily. "You must drink one hell of a lot of coffee." She remarked of his overly-bright attitude, and immediately jumping to the conclusion that it must be due to a regular and powerful dose of caffine.
Turning to Tara, she gave her as much of a glare as she could muster. It turned out as more of a squint. "Did I mention lately that I hate you?"
"No, but I've always known it deep down. It's what keeps me going on those cold and lonely nights." She replied lightly. "Toast is it? We've got Nutella."
She perked up at the mention of Nutella – Nutella was always good! "Ooh! I don't hate you as much as I thought!" She grinned, flashing her first proper smile of the day. Walking over to the sofa she collapsed next to Vince. Her head rested against his shoulder and he lazily wrapped an arm around her – they were united in their distaste of Tara and her early mornings.
"We'll have to punish her for this." Vince muttered.
"Yeah… we can stay in the changing rooms for hours." Roxi whispered back, with a conspiratorial giggle.
"Nah, I tried that once before. She told the security guard I'd fainted and had to be got out. The bloke was massive, I was too afraid to say anything to him so I went along with it and pretended to be unconscious while he broke the door down and carried me out. Then he tried to give me the kiss of life and I screamed, and when they figured out we'd been lying and banned us from going there again."
Roxi raised an eyebrow. If she had to pretend to be unconscious to escape scary security guards, it may have put her off shopping forever! "You two are crazy." She looked up at him and smiled softly, admiring his sunglasses. "Those are nice. Where'd you get them from?"
"Ollie the Ostrich. He thought they made him look pretentious."
"Yeah, Ostriches never suit sunglasses." She agreed. She really must've been tired if things about Ostriches were making sense to her. "My friend's Llama looks great in sunglasses though, and hats."
"I suit a hat, all hats suit me. Well, except one…. Thanks." He added to Tara, who handed him his traditional cereal milkshake for breakfast.
"Welcome." She replied, sitting down next to Roxi. "Where do you two want to go today then?"
"Everywhere!"
She sighed. "Of course you do."
"I need to explore!" Said Roxi, then looked back at Vince. "Wait, there's one hat that doesn't suit you? What's it like?" She looked up as Howard brought over her breakfast of Nutella-smothered toast and a milky tea, full of sugar. "Aww thank you Howard! You're a real darling!"
Howard blushed, and nodded.
"Vince burnt the offending hat." Said Tara. "Said it was an abomination that would destroy people's faith in him."
"It would!" He said. "How would people ever be able to trust my pioneering style if they knew that somewhere out there, there was a hat that I couldn't pull off?"
"Pulled it off pretty quickly after that koala made fun of you, didn't you Vince? Cried a bit too if I remember." Said Naboo, emerging from his bedroom and holding the record for the first member of the flat to be fully dressed.
Roxi tried to hide her giggle at Naboo's response but ended up bursting into fits of laughter. "Oh come on! Someone please tell me they've got a picture of this hat! What kind was it? Where'd you get it from?" She asked inbetween laughs, imagining Vince being mocked by a koala. Her thoughts then moved to how she'd feel about her headwear being ridiculed by a marsupial, and gave him a hug. "Aw its ok Vince, it's not your fault it's the hat's! And Koala's are notoriously mean."
"Yeah well, this one was really mean." Pouted Vince, remembering the koala's harsh words as he called Vince the ugly version of Hamlet. "And course there's no pictures, I tracked them down and burnt them too. Doing the world a favour I was, that hat wouldn't have suited anyone, completely the wrong shape for a normal sorta head… mighta suited Tony Harrison now I come to think of it."
"Tony's been banned from wearing hats." Said Naboo. "Since he hid in one and tried to rape a clown's wig."
Roxi was in such a state of confusion that the slice of toast she'd been about to bite into was hovering just outside her open mouth. "Who.. wha… why…. Clown wig?"
Vince saw his opportunity and went for it, leaning forward and taking a sly bite from Roxi's toast, who was still in such a state of confusion that she didn't notice.
Tara however, did, and rescued the toast from Vince by pinching it from Roxi and began munching on it herself as Naboo said "It's probably best you don't know. Mental health and stuff."
Roxi nodded in agreement, and only when she went to take a bite of her breakfast did she realise that it was missing in action. Her eyes widened in shock, giving her something of a 'Bambi' look, and she turned around to see Vince with chocolate on his lips and Tara hastily trying to finish a crust.
She jumped to her feet and mock-glared at them both. "You toast-stealing fiends! No wonder that hat didn't suit you Vince, it wasn't made for those of pure evil! And you!" She turned to Tara. "You little imp! I hope that slice means you don't fit into your wedding dress!"
"I'll have you know that my as-yet-un-purchased wedding dress is very accommodating."
"Fine! I hope the.. things I bought you end up not fitting." Roxi looked pointedly at Naboo to make it clear she was referring to the underwear rather than the skirt.
"Too late" Naboo muttered to her as he walked past to sit next to Tara, winking at her as she caught his eye.
"Oh gods, I did not need to know that! W-" Roxi's whimper was cut off by Vince, who's side had been kept warm by the presence of the snuggly redhead, and was now missing her.
"Oi, come back here, you still have toast I haven't eaten and you're nice and comfy!" He said, trying to drag her back down next to him. Roxi squeaked and wriggled away, then went to sit by Howard for protection.
Vince pouted and shuffled closer to Tara, who snuggled up next to him instead, grinning smugly at Roxi. Naboo raised his eyebrows at the pair of them in an oh-that's-the-way-it-is-is-it? way, and sipped his tea.
Roxi glared at the siblings again then took Howard's hand, standing up and pulling him with her. "C'mon Howard, I may need your help stretching for my yoga. You just need to push my leg back up against my chest while I'm lying down, nothing hard. I was gonna ask Vince but he's obviously too busy getting hugs, and I expect you're stronger anyway."
Howard flushed a deep beetroot and stuttered incoherently as he was led away.
"Oi! Cried Vince. "You… he…. Bollo's the strongest! I mean.." He sighed and snatched the last bit of Roxi's toast from Tara's hand, earning himself a tickle in the ribs.
Bollo, who had been watching this from his bedroom door, shook his head at the lot of them and went back to sleep for another hour.
Around the time he was getting up for the second time that day, Roxi was finally ready to go shopping. She'd perked up a lot and was dressed to kill (sometimes such things were necessary to get the best bargains) in skinny black snakeskin print jeans, electric blue t-shirt decorated with a black lightning bolt and black lace sleeves, her comfiest pair of silver ankle boots and her customised leather jacket.
After Tara and Naboo had disappeared into their bedroom shortly after Roxi had dragged Howard (who was now recovering in his darkened room to some smooth jazz) off to help with her yoga and hadn't been seen since, so now Roxi was waiting on the sofa giving Vince advice on what to wear, in return for a quick fashion show of all his clothes.
Vince strutted out looking somewhat like Adam Ant and struck a pose in front of Roxi, to which she wolf-whistled and clapped in appreciation "Now that's a hot look!" She grinned. "But not really practical for shopping, Tara will kill you if you're pounced on by girls everywhere we go."
"Nah, she's used to that by now."
"Oh I see, you get lotsa girls do you? I get the feeling someone's an even bigger flirt than me!" She stuck her tongue out playfully, then fixed him with a daring gaze. "Ya know, I bet I could seduce any girl who liked you.."
"Bet you can't."
"Oh I so can – I'm good at getting women! They'll forget all about you and love me instead."
"New pair of boots says you won't."
"Oh you're so on!" She stuck out a hand to seal the deal.
Vince shook as Tara breezed out of the bedroom, patting down her clothes. "Shall we go?"
Roxi gave Tara a suspicious look, then pleaded with her. "Your brother looks like a double for Adam Ant, who I happen to think is unbelievably hot, please make him change!"
"No, I'm not waiting around for you two any more."
"Waiting for- where the hell have you been? I was actually ready before you for once!"
"….Getting ready. And waiting. Now come on."
"Yeah, sure you have." Roxi got up off the sofa and stood next to Vince, looking at Tara accusingly yet playfully. "Hey Tara, who would you rather sleep with, me or Vince?"
"……What a ridiculously disgusting question to ask Vince's sister."
"Well it's not like we're far from being sisters. And I'm only trying to prove to Vince that I can seduce women better than he can."
"Don't tell me – he bet you a pair of boots. Well, you won 'em, you sexy bit of totty you! C'mon, clothes aren't gonna buy themselves."
"Score!" Laughed Roxi, then saw Vince's sulking face. "Aw I'm only kidding Vince, we'll do it properly when we're out, Tara's a bit biased. But she is right, let's get going!" Roxi took the stairs two at a time, obviously excited about satisfying her shopping fix.
"Woah, hang on, can I wear this or not?" Asked Vince.
"I think you should wear it… when we're alone sometime.. and sing Adam Ant to me." Roxi winked, then giggled to show she was joking. "Go and change into something that's quick to get on and off in the changing room."
"Oh yeah, good idea." Vince grinned and scurried away, leaving Roxi and Tara waiting on the stairs.
"I'd say we should go and sit back on the sofa, but the prospect of trying on lots of nre things should hurry him up so we might as well wait here." Shrugged Tara.
"Sure."
"Oh yeah I forgot, Naboo asked me to give you this," Said Tara, standing up on her tiptoes and giving Roxi a quick kiss, "as a thank you for the corset."
Roxi laughed. "Looks like I'm definitely getting those boots. Perhaps I should go and uh, tell Naboo he's welcome?" She winked, making to head back upstairs.
"No!" Cried Tara, grabbing her arm and laughing. "Mine." She said, her face the embodiment of 'please?'.
"You're too cute! Would I ever do that to you?" She giggled and wrapped her arms around Tara's waist, picking her up as she squeezed her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad I came here!"
Tara let out a happy mewing sound as she was squeezed. "Me too darling."
"You'd better watch out then, I might never leave!" She threatened, gently placing Tara back on the ground.
"You're right, I should be more careful." Tara grinned devilishly. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to stay if I did… this!"
She lunged at Roxi's waist and started tickling her. Soon the two girls were nothing but a giggling heap of limbs and hair, which is how Vince found them.
"You had a tickling war without me?" He pouted. "You'd better make that up to me at the checkout."
He stepped over them and led the way to the tube station.
"No, it's only been two and a half hours…. Three and a half if you count lunch! You can't go already!" Protested Roxi.
"Yeah, we've still got to hit Mr Shank's Scarf Emporium, Big Fat Hats, Chocolate Dome, Octopus…" Said Vince.
"And Topshop!"
"Yeah, you've gotta come to Topshop!"
"I told you, I can't!" Said Tara. "Macky Steve's got some sort of jungle flu from an IKEA hotdog, I've got to go in and cover for him."
"IKEA hotdog my ass! Fine! But you have to wait until I try this on." Roxi held up a black and red striped punkish looking dress. "'Cos I know you give good opinions!"
"He did! It made his ears go purple!" Tara called to Roxi's back.
"That's what you get for eating food from IKEA." Vince said with a sigh. Silly people, eating silly food from silly places.
"I dunno, their chips aren't half bad." Pondered Tara.
"What?! McDonald's are way better!" Vince retorted.
"Obviously, but I'm just saying, in their absence…. Better than Burger King at least."
"Yeah well, anything's better than Burger King."
"That's true."
Roxi was stripped down to her underwear now when a thought crossed her mind, and she called out. "Hey Tara, what time d'you finish? We could all go out for a meal, my treat!" She turned to the dress on the hanger and admired it for a moment before trying to work out which way to best put it on – it had a lot of straps.
"Umm.. should be about six? So that could work, thanks! Can we have-"
"Chinese, yes we can." Laughed Roxi.
"'Ere Tara." Said Vince. "How come if you and Roxi know each other this well she hasn't come to visit before?"
"I think she was a bit torn… Roxi's as nosy as they come, but when you move around a lot.. going to people's houses, where they're all happy, it's kinda hard. It reminds you of everything you don't have. It's easier to meet somewhere neutral."
Vince nodded thoughtfully, then realised how Tara knew how Roxi would be feeling; it was how she would have felt when travelling around, before she moved into the flat to be with Naboo.
He suddenly hugged his little sister tightly, which took her by surprise somewhat as she'd been facing the other way looking at the rejected clothes on their sad and tarnished rail "Woah! You alright Vince?"
"Yeah. I was thinking about you."
Tara smiled, and turned in his arms to hug him back. "Really, if I have any more hugs like this today I won't have any ribs left!"
"Then you'll be all squishy and cuddly won't you?" He joked, then turned to look at the changing room, hugging Tara a little tighter as he said "Woah…."
Roxi had re-emerged in the dress. It was a little bondage, as is the punk style, but looked incredible; clinging in all the right places and flaunting her hourglass figure, the red made her hair stand out even brighter. "Hey, whaddya think? I'm not too sure…"
"… I think it's a good thing Vince is holding me back.."
"Vince! Are you spoiling all my Tara-loving fun?!" She giggled and twirled, pausing with her back turned to blow a kiss over her shoulder, then continued so that she was facing them, legs slightly apart with one knee bent in towards the other.
"I.. you.. I.." Vince stammered, half thinking that she looked really hot, and also wondering how he'd look in the dress. "Oh sorry." He let go of Tara. "There, you're free. Go rape."
Tara squealed and ran towards Roxi, jumping on her and causing them both to fall back into the cubicle, luckily not tearing the curtain, which fell mostly back in place over their assorted legs.
Roxi reached up to give it a tug shut, then called out with fake moans of "Oohh Tara! God that's soo good! Uh give it to me! Take it, TAKE IT! TAKE IT LIK A BITCH TARA!"
This was followed by Tara's uncontrollable laughter, and Roxi's fits of giggles.
"That's right Vince I'm sexing her up.. hey I never knew your sister was this good in bed. Or, the changing room floor.."
"Oh I'm good anywhere baby." Said Tara huskily, laughing again.
Vince was currently huddled under a rail of clothes with his hands over his ears, whimpering. "Anyone else.. but not Tara… argh my brain!"
"Should we stop?" Tara whispered.
"Yeah maybe… he seems more disturbed than he should be.. has he ever walked in on you and Naboo? Did you scar him for life?!" She mock-glared.
"No! ….well, almost, once, but… we always thought he didn't realise what we were… ahem.. doing."
"Well um… this is a guess, but I'm thinking maybe he realised exactly what you were doing." Roxi said as she stood, helping Tara up and drawing back the curtain to see Vince's boots giving away his hiding place.
"He did ask if we wanted to go play badminton. Which looking back, I suppose is rather odd. Poor Vince, talk about chi- grown-man trauma."
"Badminton?!" Roxi snorted with laughter. "Here, let me handle this, I'm good with chi- grown men. What was I thinking, I'm terrible with children." She shook her head as she walked over to Vince, pulled the clothes back and crouched in front of him. She held out her hands. "Come on Vince, come with Roxi and we'll find you some pretty shiny clothes!"
Vince's bright blue eyes peeped out from under his fringe. "Can I get a new hat?"
"Yup! One that looks really, really good on you and will make the Camden Dollybirds swoon at what will be your new shiny boots." She said softly, all the while thinking that she was glad to be a rock chick and not a dollybird.
Vince reached out with both hands for the girls to help him up. "I like the sound of that! Let's go!"
Roxi laughed. "Off you go then, go find pretty things, I need to find a way out of this dress.."
Watching Vince head back towards the main shop and Roxi retreat into her cubicle, Tara said "…I'll see you later then…"
"Oh, we forgot Tara!" They hurried back to hug her goodbye.
"Bye guys, enjoy yourselves and keep an eye on each other! Actually, Vince, gimme your wallet."
Vince fished in his pocket.
"This is a purse.." He shrugged. "Whatever. Right, you've got..." Tara counted. "A hundred and-! Jesus Vince, how did you get this much money?!"
"People hired me to drag their reluctant friends out to parties and make sure they have a good time. The idea fell apart a bit though once I got mistaken for an escort and almost arrested."
"Right…. I'm taking your credit cards, all you have left to spend is cash ok?"
"Yes mum ." He moaned, and Tara poked her tongue out at him. "I suppose you're gonna take Roxi's cards too?"
"No, what she spends is up to her, she's got money from her show and doesn't have to contribute to rent!"
"What?!" Cried Roxi. "I am so contributing to rent, as long as I'm staying with you you should treat me like everyone else." She fished in her overly large bag for her purse and flipped through it, handing over all but one card. "I have one for real emergencies, clothes that'll never be seen and stuff.."
"Put those away you aren't paying rent unless you're planning to move in! Gods, even I didn't pay any for ages and I'm Vince's sister, not even a proper guest. But I mean, if you insist on giving me all your cards, I suppose I could do a little internet shopping when I get back...."
"Go for it, take them, Agent Provocateur have got a sale on. And yes I am totally paying rent, I've got an actual bed, you were only sleeping on the sofa. I'm paying." She said stubbornly.
"Alright alright, you can pay my share if you like. I certainly won't have the money if I don't get to work soon. Shall I see you both later then?"
"Yep, back at the flat!" Roxi hugged her again before skipping back to the changing room.
Tara left, shaking her head. What have I unleashed on the unsuspecting world?
Roxi found getting out of the dress far easier than getting into it, and was soon leaving the changing room, dress folded over her arm. She found Vince trying on hats and flirting with a sales assistant, who's only response when he asked for her opinion of a hat was "you're a god."
Roxi turned to face the nearest mirror and pulled out a red lipstick from her bag, applying it to what had been tastefully clear lipglossed lips… ah well, she was never without red lips for long! Smudging her eyeliner for a smoky look and messing up her hair sexily, she grabbed a tight black cinch belt and buckled it just under her already ample bust for added 'oomph!'
She sauntered over to Vince and his admirer in a predatory manner, licking her newly reddened lips and peering out from under her eyelashes and turning to the sales girl. "Hey sweetie." She said huskily. "I need an opinion on this belt, what do you think? I don't know if maybe I should get a tighter one.." She demonstrated.
The girl looked at her in awe. "Wow I… can I have your number?" She asked cutely.
"Oh I don't date." Roxi replied silkily. "But if I did it'd be with you!" She smiled and pressed a kiss to the girl's cheek. Once the girl had gone on her way, Roxi turned to smirk at Vince. "Vince nil Roxi one!"
"Yeah, we'll see." He said. "C'mon, let's go somewhere else, I'll beat ya yet!"
"Keep dreaming honey." She handed the belt to him and sashayed away with a flick of her hair to pay for her dress.
Vince stood for a moment in a small amount of shock, then grinned. This new friend of his was cool.
Some time later, Vince and Roxi were in yet another changing room (their seventeenth of the day), although this time it was Roxi waiting for Vince to try something on. "Hurry up!"
Vince grinned as he looked in the mirror. He was decked out in what he thought might be his best outfit yet; a ridiculously short lycra skirt clung to his thighs, teamed with a gold armour chest plate, gold boots, a blonde quiffed wig and large angel wings.
He strode out of the changing room to pose in front of Roxi. With his arms held out to the side and his legs slightly apart, he looked strangely reminiscent of a gleaming golden starfish.
"Oh my god!" She laughed. "Where did you find that?"
"I am Sunflaash! I am from da foochaaa!" Vince proclaimed in what must've been the oddest voice he'd ever done. Where it had come from he didn't know, but he did know that it was lots of fun. "I found this in da foochaar." He giggled in a cute, high pitched voice.
"That is the weirdest accent I think I've ever heard." Said Roxi, more in awe than amazement, surprised to find that she was oddly turned on by this 'Sunflash'.
"Yiiis thank yhoo. Itz a mixtaare of chav and Chineez." He flicked his hair with a smirk.
Roxi thought for a second, then spoke again, mimicking the accent. "You mean like Chavise?"
"Yiiis pretty one… come and join my quest for foochaar fun! We are from a planet called Camden, oh yar!" He grinned, moving his hands in a robotic manner.
"I will need ahn outfit liek yours if I am to belong in da foochar."
"We will fiind you someting pretty one! You aar now called Starshiiine!" Doing the giggle again, he pulled her up and took her by the hand, off to find a matching outfit.
Tara let herself back into the flat at a quarter to seven, rubbing her eyes a little and hoping Vince and/or Roxi wouldn't jump on her before she'd had a chance to sit down and have a cup of tea. Maybe a cuddle.
Ascending the stairs, the only person she could see was Howard, scatting quietly to some jazz. "Hey Howard."
He looked up guiltily as he saw Tara "Oh hi! Cup of tea?" he asked automatically
"Oh Howard, you're a diamond." She sighed. "Where's everyone else?"
"Naboo and Bollo are out on shaman business, and I thought Roxi and Vince were with you." He enquired, as he busied himself with the kettle. You had to hand it to Howard, after years of practice, he made a mean cup of tea.
"No I left them hours ago, I'm surprised they're not back." She tilted her head. "Actually that isn't all that surprising. Probably shouldn't have left them alone."
"Come on Tara, they'll be- actually, you're right, they shouldn't be allowed out together alone."
"Together alone?"
"You know what I mean."
"Hehe, I do. Oh thank you." She said as Howard handed her her tea and sat down next to her.
Tara let her head fall against his shoulder, and pulled his arm around her shoulders.
"Tired?" Asked Howard.
"Yeah, I've been running around after all sorts this afternoon, you wouldn't believe some of the stuff that goes on in that place. Not to mention Vince and Tara dragging me around here there and everywhere. But anyway, how's your day been?"
"Uneventful. I haven't done much since this morning's jazzercise. It was a good one though." He said, sipping his tea.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I went up a level so it's getting rather intense now." He smiled. "There's some hot trumpet solo's coming out of that town hall let me tell you, we all worked up quite a sweat."
"Worked up quite a sweat in a cramped room with a bunch of other men did you?"
"Yes I- oh, shut up." He grumbled, and Tara giggled.
"So you've just been in a jazz trance the rest of the day then?"
"Pretty much."
"Cool." She said, and Howard smiled a little knowing that she was the only person he lived with who'd say that without sarcasm.
"So, how's Roxi enjoying it here then? Is she like you, prefers the wilderness to a concrete jungle?"
"Ah no, she's definitely a city girl at heart, she loves it here. Not like me." She laughed, but Howard frowned down at her a little. "No, I mean, I love it here, but I prefer the countryside to big cities, to live in at least, like you do. Roxi's more like Vince."
"I see. So she... wouldn't be interested in...'
Tara smiled indulgently at him. "Sorry Howard sweetie, you're not her type."
"Oh." He said, disappointed as usual. "Course."
"Ah Howard. You know if I'd met you first I.. actually, I did meet you before Naboo, but…" She shrugged a little, and kissed him on the cheek. "Mwah. Chin up, Adventure Man."
She tapped him lightly on the cheek, smiling, and got up to have a quick wash and get changed to go out.
Howard sighed. Pity. That's what it was. Pitied by a twenty-two year old who was already engaged, and why not? He had nothing going for him, no 'significant other', no-one.
Tara stopped at his sigh, and smiled sadly to himself, knowing how he'd be thinking. She walked up behind the sofa and wrapped her arms around Howard again. "You'll find someone darling, you're so lovely. Hey, Roxi said she'd take us out for a meal tonight, maybe there'll be a gorgeous waitress who'll take a shine to you!"
They were interrupted by the return of Naboo and Bollo. Bollo noticed Howard looking more down than usual and raised an eyebrow at Tara, but said nothing about it.
Walking over to his fiancé he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the cheek. "Hey, good day at work?"
She leaned her head against him. "Tiring day." She said, prompting another kiss. "You?"
"Not too bad. Saboo's being a berk and Tony's trying to organise some party or another…. The usual." He shrugged and looked around. "The giggle twins still out?"
"Yep. Roxi said she'll take is out for a meal this evening though. If they ever come home, that is."
"Nice of her." He smiled. "It'll save the cooking and washing up, Bollo'll be pleased."
"Bollo's marigold's wearing thin." Grunted the gorilla.
"We'll buy you new one's for your birthday." Muttered Naboo distractedly, most of his attention on Tara.
Bollo rolled his gorilla peepers as Tara pulled her hand across her forehead and yawned. "I think I'm gonna have to go have a nap or I'll be falling asleep at wherever we're going tonight."
"You want me to come with you?" Asked Naboo.
"Yeah." She smiled softly. "Until I fall asleep at least."
Naboo followed her into the bedroom, leaving Howard on his own with Bollo.
"Bollo think Howard should stop moping around, is not attractive"
A little over an hour later the clunk of heels were heard, and Vince and Roxi rushed up the stairs. At least, they used to be Vince and Roxi. Vince was still in his Sunflash costume, and Roxi had now joined him in the bizarre attire, donned as she was in a corset with Romanesque straps, a pair of gold hot pants, gold boots that came to just over her knee, identical angel wings to Vince's and a long blonde, loosely curling wig. She was dressed as Starshine.
Bursting into the living room, they both pulled the same starfish pose.
"I am Sunflaaaash!"
"And I am Starshiine!"
"And we are from da foochaar!" They chorused, doing their futuristic poses again.
"And you're both freaks." Said Tara.
"Yoo just think dat cos yoo don't know of da foochaar!" Vince protested.
"We're from a plaanit called Camden!"
"Oh yaar…"
Roxi grinned… his voice sounded good when he said that. "Oh yeah!"
"No Starshiiine! Oh yaaaar!"
"Oohhh yeah!" She laughed the weird laugh, getting the phrase wrong on purpose just so he'd say it again.
Vince pounced on her, wrestling her to the floor, until he was on top of her and pinning her down. "No! Oh yar, oh yar, oh yar!"
"Steady you two!" Laughed Tara, peering over the back of the sofa with Naboo.
Roxi looked up at her mischievously. "Ooooh yaaaaaar." She said throatily.
"Much betta! Really good Staaarshine!" Exclaimed Vince, getting off her and helping her to her feet.
"Uh oh." Tara's eyes widened at the way Roxi was looking at her.
"I come here from distant planet for sexing's with short girl named Taaaaaraaaa!" Roxi pounced on Tara, pushing her to the ground.
"Not again!" Came Tara's slightly muffled cry.
"Staaarshine control yourself! We are here to seduce and make fun of Jazz poet " Said Vince, laughing the strange laugh again.
Roxi stood up and copied him, hands on her hips. Vince copied her, and Roxi copied him. This would have gone on for some time, had it not been for Naboo asking "So why're you two so late?"
"Yeah," added Tara. "The shops shut at about half five, it doesn't take two and a half hours to get home unless you walk here and back three times!"
"Aw we were in Topshop! It was genius! The manager got serious hots for Rox here" Vince grinned, giving her ass a playful smack "And stayed open late just for us! We went crazy in the changing rooms! Feathers in places there should never be feathers!...Like shoes!"
Tara looked at them for a moment. "....I'm so glad you added 'like shoes' to that."
Vince looked cutely perplexed "Where else would they have been?"
"Um.. never mind. So that's where you've been all this time is it, partying it up in TopShop? We've been waiting to go out, by the time you two are ready to go it'll be time for breakfast!"
Roxi looked apologetic. "We'll be quick, I promise!" She jumped lightly up onto Vince's back, wrapping her arms and legs around him. As one of both of their greatest passions, the shopping trip had done wonders for their friendship, and Roxi and Vince were now very close.
Vince held her legs to keep her in place as she cried "Yay, go Vincey go! We have pretty new outfits to wear!"
He grinned, and charged into what was currently Roxi's bedroom.
Sat closely together on the sofa, Naboo whispered in Tara's ear. "You know, if those two ever got together, we'd have to deal with the worst displays of public affection in the world."
"My god you're right....." She replied. "Something must be done."
Naboo thought for a moment. "Lock them in separate rooms without their favourite clothes until they promise to avoid each other like outdated flares?"
"I think it'd have to be two empty rooms... otherwise they'd do a Julie Andrews and customise the curtains or something."
Naboo laughed a little at the preposterous notion of Vince deigning to wear curtain material. "True. And we'd have to take their mobiles away."
"Obviously."
"One problem though."
Tara turned to look up at him. "Yeah?"
"We know it's pretty much gonna be inevitable. They don't."
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