My goodness. Thank you everyone, for your kind feedback and support. So many follows and favs now, this never happened to me before ;_;
Sorry for this part being so very late, I was so busy and it gave me a hard time *sigh* I hope you still like it ^^
And a quick clarification, since I got lots of anon feedback this time (thank you SO much, guys!) and I can only answer you guys here: I've got the whole story already planned out, there will be 8 (maybe 9) chapters and there won't be anything close to pregnancy- and baby-stuff ^^;
Sorry, but this is just not my cup of tea. However I love teenage stuff (I miss my teenage years *sniff* XD ) so the teenage awkwardness will continue :P
AND: Huge thanks and a lifetime supply of créme brûlée for Wulfric, who was kind enough to betaread :3
Chapter 3: Harpies
After explaining to Nod how the shower worked, M.K. went downstairs to grab a bite and call a cab.
With a bowl of cereal she entered the study and checked on the cameras, absentmindedly eating. Everything seemed peaceful in the forest, so she moved on and checked her e-mails. Suddenly she heard Nod calling from above.
Placing down her bowl, she rushed into the hallway and climbed up the stairs.
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Where are the towels? I don't want to snoop around, but... I'm wet and... yeah..."
"Oh!" M.K. froze in her movements, as she was about to enter the top floor. "Wait a minute. Are you... are you naked right now?"
"No. I'm nude."
"Oh, yeah? I didn't know there was a difference."
"Nude is, when your clothes are off," he said. "Naked is, when your clothes are off and you're up to something."
There was a moment of awkward silence.
"So you're not up to something?"
A sigh.
"Well, what do you think? I'm just asking for something to dry off."
She closed her eyes and counted to ten, leaning against the wall on the stairway with her back.
"Ok. Next to the sink, there is a white cupboard. Open that one. Towels are on the top shelf."
"What's a sink?"
Snapping her eyes open, M.K. turned her head and looked at the empty space of corridor in front of her. Should she just go and show him?
"Haha, just kidding. I'm messing with you."
With a relieved sigh, she sat down on one of the stairs, running both hands through her hair. True, Nod wasn't used to everything here, but he wasn't unworldly.
Moments later, she heard his naked footsteps on the floor, before the two top stairs creaked and he sat right beside her, only a white towel wrapped around his waist, hair still dripping wet.
"But the warm water from the pipes sure is amazing," he mused and stretched his arms.
She gave a short laugh and looked at him from the side. "I guess it is, when you're used to taking cold baths."
"Oh, it's not always cold. If there's not that much water, the sun heats it up pretty quickly."
"I see."
M.K. rose and dusted off her pj pants. "Food's in the kitchen. Go and eat something, I'll take a quick shower as well."
"Alright."
When he went down the stairs, she stared at his naked back and was glad, her dad already left the house.
Twenty minutes later, the cab honked in front of the house and M.K. quickly grabbed her bag, called for her boyfriend, and went outside.
She opened the door on the passenger's side and leaned in, surprised to find a stranger sitting in the driver's seat.
"Oh... where's Larry?"
"It's Larry's day off," the guy replied. "I'm Harry."
Raising an eyebrow, she slammed the door shut and opened the back one instead.
"Nod, come on. Hop in."
Cautiously, he came closer.
"Is this safe?" he asked, sounding wary.
"Yes," she said impatiently, since the taximeter was already running. "Look. It's like a bird, only with tires and on the ground. And you can't get wet when it starts to rain. Sounds good, eh?"
Still skeptic, Nod awkwardly climbed in on all fours and M.K. pushed him from behind, laughing, telling him to put his feet on the ground.
.
During the ride to town, the driver adjusted his rearview mirror and observed them from time to time.
"Your friend isn't from around here, huh?" he asked M.K., casting her another glance.
"What makes you say that?"
"Never mind."
Meanwhile, Nod was playing with the electric window like a little boy. She smiled and couldn't resist but running a hand through his still damp hair.
He turned his head and smiled back, before she motioned for him to look outside. They'd left the forest behind them a few minutes ago and were now driving through the fields.
"Here, you can already see the city in the distance."
"You mean that... gray, edgy mountain over there?"
"Yep, that's it."
Riveted to the indistinct image before him, Nod said while frowning: "It doesn't look very inviting."
"I know," she replied, "but trust me. You can get almost everything there. Clothes, food, books, electronic stuff, toys..."
"What about that treat you mentioned last night? Ice cream?"
She smiled. "Of course."
Minutes later, M.K. told the driver to park the cab near the pedestrian zone.
She paid, they got off, and Nod looked around with big eyes.
"These houses are so huge. Bigger than yours. And they're so close together."
"Yeah. The closer they are, the less you have to walk from one shop to another. Come now. We'll get you something to dress first, then you can go sightseeing."
Pulling him along, they entered a nice, little boutique, and she let him look around on his own first while getting rid of a young, dressed up lady, trying to help them.
"No, thanks. We're fine," M.K. said, preferring to search by herself and not with a shop assistant on her back, watching her every move, making nice comments just to sell more stuff.
After browsing for some minutes, Nod came to her, a necktie around his waist, fiddling with the ends.
"These belts are weird, but at least you have a great variety of colors and patterns."
Quickly she removed the tie and replied: "These aren't belts. It's a necktie. You wear them around your neck, like this... the ends are in the front, on your chest, yeah. But it's more for formal occasions."
"Such as?" he asked, looking down his upper body, toying with the longer end.
"Weddings, funerals, and certain jobs, where you make lots of money. Stuff like that."
"Still weird," was his only remark, before he tried to get out of it. The tie got stuck around his head with the knot at the side of his forehead. He laughed.
"Well, I could get used to that, I guess."
M.K. chuckled. "Only hipsters and rebellious college kids wear them like that. Now give me this and try on that grey shirt. It should be your size."
Shrugging he let her take away the tie around his head, wondered about what a hipster might be, and grabbed the shirt she had pointed out. It looked okay.
With a fluid motion, Nod grabbed the hem of his own shirt and pulled it over his head, getting rid of it by letting it drop to the floor.
Out of the corner of her eyes, M.K. saw that something wasn't going right. "No, stop! You can't change here!" she panicked and picked up the discarded shirt. "You need to go into the changing rooms for that."
Hastily she looked around, then urged him into the right direction, finally pushing him into one of the rooms and drew the curtain.
She sighed. Well, this went great. Not.
After passing him dozens of shirts, sweaters and pants, she could tell Nod was getting tired of this.
"I'm hungry," he complained when she took back some black pants he didn't like.
"Well, I guess we have enough for the upcoming weeks," she mused. "Now we only need to get you some socks and underwear, plus a pair of decent sneakers."
Opening his mouth to ask what sneakers were, she held up a hand. "Don't ask. Sneakers are shoes. Come on now, get dressed and I'll take all this to the cash register."
"The what?" he mumbled while slipping back into his own shirt, before reaching out to grab M.K.s arm and pull her inside the room.
"Come here for a second," he chuckled and she squeaked in surprise.
"Did I already tell you that you look gorgeous today?"
Dropping the clothes on the chair next to her, M.K. raised an eyebrow. "Are those the pick-up lines the Leafmen use to get the ladies?"
It was really cramped in the small space, with both of them in there, an armful of clothes on the black wooden chair, curtain drawn. With her back against one of the side walls and Nod leaning in, one forearm resting above her head, she had to look up to see his smiling face.
"Oh, just you wait," he answered, voice low and flirty. "I'm saving the best ones for later."
Laughing she put her arms around his neck as soon as he bent down to kiss her. He could feel her lips stretching into a smile under his kisses and drew back just enough to ask, "What is it?"
"Nothing," she replied, eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's just - I never made out in a changing room before. You're living life on the edge, huh?"
"You have no idea..."
.
As if they'd tempted fate, there was an ugly short coughing from outside the cabin just a minute later.
"Excuse me! These changing cubicles are only intended for one person at a time."
Breaking out into laughter, they broke their kiss, drew back the curtain and grabbed the clothes they wanted to buy.
M.K. put them on the counter and took out her wallet, while Nod had fun staring at the cashier, who obviously couldn't wait to get rid of those annoying teenagers - paying customers or not.
Thrusting the large bag into Nod's hands, they left the store and M.K. stretched her arms, looking at the sun.
"What a nice day," she said. "I'd say we pick some shoes and underwear, then we'll go for ice cream, okay?"
"Sounds good," he replied, checking out the busy street.
So many people walking around, having a chat, checking out store fronts and sitting in small cafés, enjoying the warm weather.
"Is it always like this here?" he asked, following her into a nearby shoe store where big posters advertised for all kinds of fashionable sandals.
"On sunny days like this - yes," she smiled at an old lady leaving the store as they walked in. "Also when it snows. During Christmas season the streets are decorated with thousands of twinkling lights and everyone is drinking mulled wine and chewing ginger bread, while picking presents for friends and family."
"I'd love to see that."
"You will," M.K. said, looking him in the eyes. "Even if you... I'll take you here again!"
.
After getting Nod a pair of white sneakers, M.K. looked for a department store next, where she could buy him the last items on her mental list.
When she found one, she ordered him to wait outside.
"It doesn't take long. Just let me handle this. I know your size now and erh... just wait here. Don't wander off, okay?"
A little bit surprised, he agreed and watched her disappear into said store. He placed the shopping bags on the ground and scratched his head before starting to observe the people around him.
Some of them were staring at him funny. Probably because he didn't really fit in with his current outfit. Stomper fashion sense sure was weird, he found.
"Oh, look at his boots, haha."
He turned around, to find two girls standing there, giggling and pointing at his Leafmen shoes.
"What?" he asked, wiggling his toes. "These are really comfy, plus they've got a good grip on the trees, when I... uhm..."
The taller girl, a blond chick with long hair, piercing blue eyes and a cup with a blue liquid in her hand, came closer and adjusted the sunglasses she'd shoved up her hair.
"So you're a sportsman, huh?"
"That's so hot," the other one said, laughing and flinging her brown hair back over her shoulder.
"Sort of," Nod answered, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"So what's your name?" the blond asked, taking a sip from her cup, staring at him intently.
"I'm Nod."
"Nod? For real? Haha, well, I'm Bethany and that's my friend Amber," she smiled, playing with her hair. "And what are you doing here, Nod? You waiting for someone?"
"Yeah, my girlfriend. She should be back any minute."
Amber made a face. "You have a girlfriend? Aww, what a pity."
"That's a reason, but no obstacle," Bethany cooed and gave him a flirty look. "Amber and me wanted to go into the park. Why don't you and your girlfriend join us?"
"I don't think that's a good idea," came a cold reply from behind Nod. M.K. stepped forward, a small bag in her right hand.
He turned his head, somehow feeling guilty, but before he could say anything, M.K. continued: "Bethany, Amber... nice to meet you here." Her voice was dripping from sarcasm.
"I see you already got to know my boyfriend."
"M.K.?" Amber was more than surprised. "You never told us you've got yourself a guy."
"Why should I? It's none of your business."
Bethany looked pissed. "Well, we better go."
"Please do."
"See you around, Nod," the blond girl said with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
.
"So you know these girls?" Nod asked, as they watched them wandering off.
"They're in my class," she replied with a sigh.
"Hm," was his noncommittal response as he grabbed the bags. "And you obviously don't like each other."
"No!" She shoved the small bag with socks and underwear into his free hand. "They're good for nothing, believe me."
"Sorry, I didn't know. Are you mad at me?"
M.K. looked up into his face and couldn't help but smile a bit. "Not really. They're harpies! And this only proves that I obviously got myself a very handsome boyfriend. Come on now, let's get some ice cream at last!"
tbc~
Again, I wanna thank all of you kind people, who left feedback - you're awesome and you rock and it made me very happy to know that you all enjoyed it so far!
Hugs and cupcakes for everyone!
Lummy~