TWs: Unless cross-dressing somehow triggers you, feelings of being watched (dread/anxiety), getting found out, overprotectiveness
That weekend, Matt and Tord went to the shopping centre. It was basically a bunch of strip malls with a food court in the middle.
So a mall just titled differently.
"Hm... what do you think about this shirt?" Matt held it up to his chest.
"Too happy," Tord grumbled.
"Too h- oh." Matt was confused until he realized that the shirt he picked out had smiley faces all over it. He smiled as he put it back, "Upset with the concept of happiness, Tord?"
"Of course not; I just hate things that are too happy." Tord glared.
Matt nodded as he went over to a different rack, "What about this one?"
He held up a purple off-shoulder sweater that had bell sleeves.
"I like it." Tord hummed.
"Are you just saying that?" Matt pouted.
Tord scoffed, "As if I would just sit around and let others judge you. If you don't look good in something, I'll say it."
The ginger looked at him questionably, "If you say so... now to find something to match this with."
The duo went along the aisles, Tord following Matt closely. The taller stopped to look at something momentarily, then muttered something to himself and shook his head, continuing to another aisle.
Tord noticed this, looking in the direction Matt did. He realized what it was and figured Matt had forgotten that he told the ex-leader.
When Tord caught up to Matt, he was having trouble picking out what matched the shirt.
"Maybe this-? No... or I could do this?" He muttered to himself as he flipped through the rack.
"Matt?" Tord spoke up. Matt hummed, still focused on the rack, "You do realize I know, don't you?"
Matt stopped, his hand frozen on the clothing rack. He blinked and looked at Tord, "Know what?"
"You're a cross-dresser." Tord elaborated.
Matt was silent, looking anywhere but at his friend, "Ah, you do know..."
Tord sighed, "Matthew, look at me."
The taller slowly looked at him.
"The thing I told you when I found out was: 'clothes have no gender.' It's just something that society puts in your head to fuck you over. It's not anyone's business whether you like to wear something that's comfortable for you." Tord stated, "Also, men have worn skirts in the fourteenth century, so why can't we wear them now?"
Matt was silent for a moment, looking at Tord with watery eyes, "You're right."
"Now, didn't you want to look through the skirts?" Tord asked.
Matt grinned as he nodded and skipped over to the skirts, "I was looking at this white skirt..."
The taller pulled it off the rack, showing Tord. It was a white pencil skirt that looked knee-height.
"So, what do you think?" Matt drew the items in front of his body.
"Very cute, except it needs something..." Tord pondered.
"Like a necklace? I'm pretty sure I have plenty."
"Yes, that's it. Anyway, is that all you needed?" Tord glanced around.
"I think so. I'll go ahead and pay; you can wait outside if you want." Matt walked off to the register.
Tord went ahead and waited outside the store. While waiting, he got a chill up his spine, and there was a pit in his stomach. He had the urge to rub his bandaged eye, the itchiness becoming almost unbearable if not for Matt calling out to him.
"...ord?" Matt's voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Hm? Did you say something?" Tord looked at him.
"I asked if you wanted to go somewhere." Matt smiled.
"Oh, yeah." Tord started walking.
As they walked, the ex-leader still had an uneasy feeling of dread. Now and then, he glanced around, trying to find what made him so anxious.
Tord finally found what he was looking for, going in immediately. Matt didn't question why they were at a store that sells metal.
The Norsk looked around, going to where the smaller pieces were.
'The smells here are weird...' Matt thought as he glanced around.
Tord looked through the inch-by-inch pieces in front of him, trying to find specific material. He made a little noise of victory as he found it.
'Now the barrel...' Tord peeked around again, walking down the section until he saw the materials.
"Okay, we can go." The light brunette said as he grabbed the materials and headed to the register.
Good thing he stole money from Pau that morning.
After paying, Matt practically dragged Tord to his favorite shop: an antique store.
"This is my favorite store to shop at, and the mirrors are so lovely!" Matt gushed as he pulled the door open.
Ten seconds in, Tord felt like he was in a minefield, except filled with glass.
'These are antiques?' Tord thought as he looked around. He glimpsed at a tag on a plate, 'How is this more expensive than a flash bomb!?'
Tord slowly walked around; cautiously. If he ever broke one of these items, he would either be paying a life debt or a lawsuit.
"Tord, look at this," Matt called. The light brunette carefully walked over, "Isn't it pretty?"
He was looking at a multi-colored spinel beaded bracelet. It was like a gradient of color all around the bracelet.
Tord thought for a moment. Looking at the price, it was one of the cheapest things in the place. He also figured he owed Matt for a lot of things already.
"Do you want it?" Tord asked.
"Of course!" Matt nodded, about to pick up the bracelet and the box it was in, when Tord suddenly swiped it before him, "Uh, Tord?"
"Consider this a present," Tord said as he turned around to walk to the register.
"You don't need to pay for that, Tord." Matt frowned, following Tord closely, "I have plenty of money..."
"I know." Tord placed the beaded bracelet on the counter, waiting for the clerk to ring him up.
"But..." The ginger quietly sighed.
The light brunette looked at him, "Just let me pay for this one thing, Matt."
The taller whined but uttered, "Fine..."
"Are you hungry?" Tord asked as he gave him the tiny bag containing the bracelet.
"Not re-," Matt spoke.
"You!" A voice yelled.
Suddenly Tord was yanked back harshly by his hood. He managed to keep his balance as he saw the two people he dreaded seeing.
The person who yanked him back, Tom, looked pissed off as he went over to Matt and Edd. The Cola-lover seemed to be checking if Matt was okay.
Matt swatted away Edd's hands as he huffed, "Guys, what are you doing?"
"What are we doing? What is he doing!?" Tom pointed to Tord, "He shouldn't be here!"
Tord sighed, 'Leave it to Jehovah to ruin things...'
"Matt," Edd spoke up, significantly calmer than Tom, "What are you doing with him?"
Now that sentence made Tord's heart sting.
"We were just hanging out!" Matt frowned.
"Hanging out?" Tom quirked an eyebrow, "With the traitor, of all people?"
Tord rolled his eye, but before he could speak up, he got the same chill down his spine, and the pit in his stomach felt like it grew more profound. The Norsk looked around, his head whipping in multiple directions.
Someone was watching him.
Then he felt someone punch his shoulder, making Tord drop the bag he was holding.
"Earth to Communist, we've been calling your name for a few minutes!" Tom yelled.
"Tom, I said gently!" Matt scolded.
"Agh, what is it?" Tord growled as he picked up his bag.
"You gonna explain why you're here, or do we have to call the police?" Tom confronted.
Tord took another look around the area. A public place wasn't the best to discuss this. He turned to the others, saying his thought, "Let's discuss this somewhere more... closed off."