Numbuh 1 was sitting on a stool in a clothes store inside a shopping mall, his mother went shopping and decided to take him along since he wouldn't leave his treehouse for a week busy with missions "Mom… I'm not interested in women's clothing if you didn't notice!" Numbuh 1 said while being led inside a woman's clothes store
"Some time off that dusty treehouse will do you good Nigel, plus when you have a girlfriend she will want to get your help regarding her clothes" Her mother chuckled while looking at some clothes in the store
"Mom… I already told you I don't have the time for such things…" Numbuh 1 said while remembering his last girlfriend and shivering in terror
"Your father used to say the same thing" His mother laughed "You will find a nice girl who respects your time one day dear, but while that doesn't happen you will help your mother, consider it practice" her mother smiled at him
Numbuh 1 was waiting for his mom in front of a fitting room "Mom… you really think this is necessary?"
"Of course dear, even you need a sense of fashion" her mother chuckled while inside the fitting room
"Nigel?" A familiar voice asked with a confused tone of voice
Numbuh 1 followed the sound of the familiar voice only to see his boss Numbuh 362, she wore her usual clothes but without her helmet "Numbuh 3- I mean Rachel?" Numbuh 1 looked at her a bit surprised
"What are you doing in a girl's clothes store?" Rachel asked then gasped "You are peeping on the girls?" She asked in a jokingly tone
"W-What? No! My Mom dragged me over here, says i'm spending too much time doing missions" Numbuh 1 groaned while blushing a bit at her
"Rachel chuckled "I was kidding, relax" she gave him a light punch on the shoulder "You could use some rest though, she may be right" Rachel said scratching her chin
"Well would you look at that, my little Nigel has a friend with some sense in her head" Numbuh 1 mother came out from the fitting room with a couple of new clothes in a bag "he is always so impatient, how is he gonna manage to keep a girlfriend if he can't even wait for her in the fitting room?" His mother chuckled
"Thanks Mom, that's all she needed to hear…" Numbuh 1 was blushing "What are you doing in a place like this anyway?"
"Well… I'm kind of in the same spot as you, My mom said I'm spending too much time on moonbase working and not worrying enough about girl stuff" Rachel scratched the back of her head smiling at him a bit embarrassed "She gave me my Dad's credit card and said I can't leave until I buy some new clothes" Rachel blushed
"I like your mother already" Numbuh 1's mother chuckled. "I already bought what I needed…" Numbuh 1's mother scratched her chin while thinking, she then saw the two young operatives blushing a little "You know what? Young Miss, would it be okay if my Nigel made you company and helped you with your shopping trip?" His mother asked Rachel in a gentle tone
"WHAT?!" Numbuh 1 and Rachel asked, Numbuh 1 with horror in his look while Rachel with an excited look
"It would be more than ok" Rachel chuckled "I agree he doesn't understand everything about girls, I will be sure to give him a few pointers" Rachel laughed
"I'm glad you agreed. Nigel Dear, when you two are done meet me at the parking lot" His mother said as she left for the cashier
"Clever move Rachel, I'm gonna waste some time on the candy store, Thank-" before Numbuh 1 could leave Rachel grabbed him by the neck of the shirt from the back "Huh?" Numbuh 1 was confused as to why he couldn't walk further. That was when he noticed Rachel was holding him in place "Rachel?"
"I wasn't helping you" Rachel grinned "You are helping me pick up some clothes" Rachel said
"What? Why?" Numbuh 1 asked
"Why? Well…" Rachel blushed and looked at him a bit flustered "I thought it would be cool to have someone accompany me…"
"Oh… Sorry…" Numbuh 1 scratched the back of his head embarrassed "I guess it can be nice" Numbuh 1 smiled
"Alright… Shoes first" Rachel went to the footwear section of the store, she looked and compared a few choices "Hmmm…" Rachel had a pair of orange sneakers in one hand and a pair of simple aqua-colored flat shoes "What do you think?" Rachel smiled and asked Numbuh 1
"I… I'm not really the best person to ask about fashion Rachel" Numbuh 1 blushed smiling at her
Rachel chuckled "Really? The shades are so stylish though" She smiled at him "Here, I will help you decide" Rachel took off her boots and put on the flat shoes first "They are very feminine, they look delicate and pretty, I like them but they look too adultish" Rachel said while she walked around Numbuh 1 with them
"You can walk with those things?" Numbuh 1 asked while looking at her feet
"You are thinking about high heels" Rachel laughed "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing one of those, I can walk just fine with these, though it would be a problem to run with them" she said "What do you think, they look good on me?" Rachel asked him smiling
Numbuh 1 blushed "Yeah but… They don't look like something I would normally see you wearing…" Numbuh 1 said in an awkward tone
"Hmmm…" Rachel stopped for a moment and then took off the flat shoes, she then proceeded to put on the orange sneakers "I love orange" Rachel smiled "They are comfy and practical, if the flat shoes were adultish these are teenish" Rachel laughed
"I like them" Numbuh 1 smiled at her "They suit you" Numbuh 1 smiled
"So the feminine flat shoes don't suit me but the boyish sneakers do… interesting" Rachel put on a serious facial expression and looked at Numbuh 1
"N-Not what I meant! I swear it has nothing to do with it!" Numbuh 1 said embarrassed realizing his mistake
Rachel burst out laughing at his reaction "Relax… I was making fun of you, I also liked the sneakers better… I will indulge myself a bit on my femininity though" Rachel said as she put handed him the two boxes "I will take both" Rachel laughed
"W-Why did you make me choose which one was better then?!" Numbuh 1 looked at her a bit angry
"Because I thought it would feel nice to hear you saying I look good in them, I was right" Rachel smiled at him
Numbuh 1 blushed "I… I see…" Numbuh 1 held the two boxes with one arm and fixed his glasses trying to get a hold of himself "Now what?"
"Now you wait in front of the fitting room, I have to get some stuff and I can't really ask for you to choose" Rachel smiled blushing a bit
"What do you mean?" Numbuh 1 looked at her confused
"I'm buying Underwear" Rachel grinned at him as she left "Meet me in the fitting room" she said as she left a very embarrassed Numbuh 1 behind, his cheeks were burning red
Numbuh 1 was sitting in front of the fitting rooms for a couple of minutes now, he was still flushed imagining what Rachel bought for underwear, he would shake his head from time to time telling himself he shouldn't think about his superior like that
"Huh… You are still blushing" Rachel approached him. she carried a few hangers with panties and bras on them, Numbuh 1 looked at her underwear a bit embarrassed, Rachel noticed that and smiled at him"Relax, not every bra is battle ready armor" Rachel laughed
"S-Sorry I didn't mean to stare at them" Numbuh 1 said
Rachel blushed and smiled at him "It's okay, you are a boy after all" Rachel looked at the underwear she chose, they were mostly matching colors with her usual attire of Orange and Aqua with different patterns like stripes or polka dots but some were plain white as well, she got inside the fitting room and started undressing, Numbuh 1 could hear the sound of her clothes falling to the floor inside the room
"S-Shouldn't I wait somewhere else? It must be embarrassing for you" Numbuh 1 blushed
"I don't mind…" Rachel felt her chest tighten a bit after saying that
"Oh… Okay…" Numbuh 1 lowered his head still feeling a bit shy around Rachel, she was his leader and he was trying his best to not see her in a way that felt wrong for him to think about
"So… How have you been doing lately?" Rachel asked
"Could be better, Numbuhs 3 and 4 are dating now and trying to make them pay attention to missions is starting to annoy me" Numbuh 1 said
"Those two? It was about time, They didn't pay much attention to your missions briefings as far as I know" Rachel chuckled
"Fair point" Numbuh 1 laughed "How are things going in moonbase?"
"Same old, just boring paperwork" Rachel said she was trying to put on her new bra and then clicker her tongue in annoyance "This thing…"
"What?" Numbuh 1 asked her still thinking it was about her work as supreme leader
"The bra doesn't wanna close…" Rachel said in an annoyed tone
"Oh…" Numbuh 1 blushed he then felt a hand coming from inside the fitting room pulling him inside "Rachel?!"
Rachel had her back turned to Numbuh 1 while holding the bra with one arm, she still wore her pants "Relax, you are seeing nothing special" She said blushing still a bit annoyed, just put this damn thing for me" Rachel gestured with her eyes to both hooks in her bra
"O-Okay…" Numbuh 1 held down his breath and looked at the straps on her bra, he managed to hook both sides in a flash "There… done…" Numbuh 1 said a bit flustered
"Thanks… You can go n-" Before Rachel could finish she heard the steps of someone approaching
"Someone in there? Need help with anything?" a clerk asked Rachel from outside the fitting room
Numbuh 1 was about to scream in panic when Rachel covered his mouth and held him from behind "No! I mean… No, I'm fine, just trying on some underwear, no need to worry" Rachel said in a nervous tone
"Be sure to take a look at our spring collection for skirts as well" The clerk said then went on her way
Rachel poked her head out of the fitting room and looked around making sure no one was around "That was close…" she sighed a breath of relief "You okay?"
"My heart is pounding like a construction site… aside from that I'm okay" Numbuh 1 said while panting
"Sorry about that…. I just really hate putting on these things" Rachel blushed, she then noticed Numbuh 1 was staring at her Bra "Hey…" Rachel blushed and pushed him out of the fitting room "I'm happy you like the design but that doesn't mean you can stare at it" she said in a jokingly tone
"I'm so sorry…." Numbuh 1 was back to sitting in front of the fitting room covering his face with both hands ashamed
"Don't be, I was the one who asked for your help anyway, these things happen" Rachel. said "And besides, I'm happy you see me as a girl enough so you can get embarrassed while looking at me, most operatives just think of me as their leader" Rachel laughed "Thanks… I guess"
"I… You are welcome" Numbuh 1 blushed and smiled feeling a bit more comfortable with the situation
After grabbing the ones she liked and went for the main area of the store "Now let's see…" Rachel looked around a multitude of clothing options "Mom was right… this store isn't bad at all…" Rachel said while feeling the fabric of a dress
Several minutes later Numbuh 1's embarrassment was replaced by boredom, Rachel managed to find a few clothes that picked her interest, he was now waiting in front of the fitting room where Rachel tried on a few clothes, Numbuh 1 was sitting on a stool resting his face on his hand already tired
"Alright… first one" Rachel burst from the curtains, she was wearing a jeans jacket on top of an orange plain short dress, she wore thigh-high black socks and had the aqua flat shoes from before "What do you think?" Rachel smiled at him blushing
Numbuh 1's boredom was instantly replaced by excitement, it wasn't every day that he saw his leader in casual clothing "Y-You look beautiful!" Numbuh 1 blurted out
Rachel smiled at him even more "You think so? isn't it too much?" Rachel asked him in an embarrassed tone
"N-Not at all sir" Numbuh 1 said
"Drop the Sir, It's Rachel here, remember that" Rachel grinned "I'm definitely taking these, wait for a second, there is more stuff I wanna try" Rachel went inside the fitting room, she was radiant inside humming a song happy that the boy she liked thought she looked beautiful
Numbuh 1 was covering his face only now realizing what happened, he liked Rachel but dating someone from Kids Next Door and on top of that the supreme leader itself was a breach of protocol in Numbuh 1's mind
A minute or two later Rachel came out of the fitting room, she was wearing a loose light blue shirt, dark orange loose pants and the orange sneakers from before, she also tied her hair back and sported a light orange baseball cap "What do you think? This is more for walking in the street, it's also kinda comfy" Rachel said and then turned around
Numbuh 1 blushed "I-I think you look cool…" He said a bit flustered looking at the back of her neck
Rachel looked at him confused and then smiled at him blushing "Wait a second…. are you the kind of guy who gets happy when he sees the nape of a girl?" Rachel laughed
Numbuh 1 kept quiet and tried averting eye contact blushing even more a bit ashamed
Rachel smiled at him a bit embarrassed but deep in her thoughts she was celebrating her choice "I'm only using my hair like this from now on" she thought while blushing to herself
After paying for her stuff Rachel left the store, she carried two boxes with her new shoes while Numbuh 1 carried the bags with her new clothes "W-Where to now?" Numbuh 1 asked
"Let's go to the food court since we are here, You must be famished" Rachel said
"I… I don't wanna make trouble for you" Numbuh 1 said
"So considerate" Rachel sighed a bit lovestruck looking at him "It's no trouble at all" she laughed
Numbuh 1 got a little confused with the look she gave him just now but just shrugged it off and followed her to the food court
After a few minutes they were sitting at a table, Rachel was eating a hamburger with fries and a medium coke "So? You wanna talk about what happened with Lizzie?" Rachel said "If I know you well you didn't talk about it with anyone yet"
"You guessed correctly… there isn't anything to talk about, I have no time for this stuff, Leaders like you and me can't afford to have this kind of relationship" Numbuh 1 said while eating his meal, he ordered a rib sandwich and a large coke
"This is bull" Rachel said "The girl was just that crazy, trust me" Rachel said as she grabbed a french fry and ate it
"Yeah she was… but I think it could have happened even with normal girls like you, it must be hard wanting to date someone and that person always being busy" Numbuh 1 said before taking a sip from his coke
"Do I need to remind you what my job is like? I don't care about going on dates, I care about having someone I love" Rachel sighed
Numbuh 1 paused for a second "Maybe you are right…" Numbuh 1 said "Sorry to ask, do you have someone you like?" Numbuh 1 asked her blushing
"Sure do" Rachel smiled to herself "He is a bit oblivious though" Rachel rolled her eyes "What about you? Have you moved on?"
"I guess, there is this girl but I don't think it would work" Numbuh 1 said as he finished his meal blushing
"For real? And you aren't even going to try?" Rachel looked at him a bit curious as she finished her meal
"Better not to, she is an operative, it wouldn't be professional of me" Numbuh 1 said while trying to avoid looking at Rachel
"What a coincidence, the guy I like is an operative as well" Rachel laughed "Don't worry about it, you don't need to be professional all the time, think about yourself from time to time" Rachel patted him on the shoulder and got up
In the parking lot, Rachel and Nigel were walking together, Numbuh 1 was seeing her off as Rachel put her clothes inside the trunk of her Roadstar "It was a bit weird but thanks anyway Rachel" Numbuh 1 said smiling at her a bit glad his shopping day was finally over
Rachel laughed "Don't worry about it, oh yeah, I forgot something" Rachel said while approaching him
"Really? We can go back an-" Before he could finish Rachel gave him a kiss right on the lips cutting him off, she kept kissing him for a few more seconds until she backed off a little "R-Rachel?"
"Man, you really are oblivious" Rachel chuckled while blushing "What kind of girl asks any boy all of a sudden to help her with her bra?" Rachel laughed
"I-I'm the boy you like?" Numbuh 1 looked at her in disbelief
"Look, if the kiss didn't make it obvious I don't know what else I can do" Rachel laughed in a happy tone "I know you must be confused, so I'm going to let you think for a while, meet me tomorrow at Moonbase, I will be waiting for your answer" Rachel said while getting inside her Roadstar and disappearing in the distance
Numbuh 1 looked at the night sky feeling a bit weird in a mix of happiness and confusion, he then sighed "Well… I wouldn't be able to confess first to be honest" he said and then went back to his mother's car. It was late in the night when Numbuh 1 laid on his bed inside the treehouse, he sighed while looking at the ceiling thinking about what he should do "The amount of buzz this will have tomorrow..." Numbuh 1 groaned
Numbuh 1 had just arrived in the global command room, Rachel was sitting at a desk, she was wearing her usual clothes but her hair was tied back like yesterday she waved at him smiling while blushing a little and approached him "Look… about yesterday… it was wrong I shouldn't have done that all of a sudden…" she looked at him a bit embarrassed
"It's okay, I was too worried about some kind of breach of our work relationship to be able to confess, I'm glad you did in fact" Numbuh 1 said
"Is that a yes?" Rachel smiled at him
"Only if you want to" Numbuh 1 said
Rachel hugged and kissed him in the middle of the global command, a few operatives glanced at them but didn't pay too much attention but the vast majority kept staring at them incredulous at what they were saying
"Aaaalright folk, that's it, there is nothing to see here" Numbuh 86 suddenly appeared and waved off the crowd of operatives that was forming "And you two, you look cute but please can you find a room?" Numbuh 86 said a bit embarrassed
"Sorry…" they both said as they left for Rachel's personal office
"So? How do you wanna make this work?" Rachel asked
"You are by far the busiest between us two, you should decide when to meet" Numbuh 1 said
"Fair point, I will try pulling a few strings and make our breaks match" Rachel chuckled
"Usually I would say this is wrong but... I guess it's worth it" Numbuh 1 laughed