Chapter Text
🎵"You take what you want
You get what you take
You take what you want
You get what you take" 🎵
"But I've got something, man that you're fuckin' money cannot buy-" you finish the lyrics to the song playing on the overhead speaker as you rummage through a variety of different and colorful looking vinyl's your mind set on finding a very specific one that you plan to put on hold and purchase on your break. You hum along to the rest of the song and bob your head a little to the sound of the brash guitar, you rummage a little more but before you could move on to the next section you hear the chime of the little bell attached to store door notifying you a customer has walked in.
" Hi welcome in let me-" before you could finish your rehearsed customer service script you pause noticing it's just Imogen.
"Welcome back freeloader" is what you greet her with before beelining back to the vinyl section, you notice her trail after you and let out a dramatic sigh
"Is that anyway to treat a customer lowly employee? I'll have you know I'm a regular here and I'm friends with the own-" before she could continue her comedic ramble you jump in to retort
"Yeah, but the only thing you come in here to do is use our equipment and leech of my employee discount, so I'd be less of a pain in the ass, if I were you" You finish.
She gives you an audible gasp, and gives you a look of disbelief for a few seconds before breaking into a chuckle "You got me there, I'll be on my best behavior from now on swear" she says as she wraps and arm around you, you laugh along with her "that's what you always say"
You look over at her and raise a brow.
"Imogen is there a reason you came in here for? or are you just here to use the equipment again?" you ask with genuine curiosity.
"Yes! I did have something important to tell you but...I actually forgot" she says muttering the last part so quietly its almost inaudible "Shit...It was actually pretty important too Pitt told me to tell you when I saw him earlier"
You notice her fidgeting with the zipper of her jacket "Hey no sweat, if it was really that important why didn't he just tell me himself?"
"He ran out of credits..." She giggles
Yep that sounds like Pitt alright.
"Well maybe I'll stop by the Pub afterwork and see what was so important"
"Mind if I tag a long?" She asks
"Fine, but no drinks I am not carrying your drunk ass home again if you blackout"
You hope your words are believable enough to sway her, but deep down you don't really mean it at all, Imogen is one of your closest and dearest friends of course you'd look after her even if you hated the aftermath of her drunken stupor.
"Ughh you're no fuuun!" she whines
"Yeah yeah can it before I change my mind"
The rest of the hour goes by fairly smooth with Imogen still lingering around and leeching as usual. Using the test equipment that's out on display not really playing anything on the instruments but rather experimenting with their sounds and how they work the only instrument she plays with a level of expertise is the guitar, she plays a few riffs here and there and you recognize some of the songs they're from, deciding to tease her a bit you call out to her
"Play wonder wall!"
She calls back out to you
"Shove off!" and sticks her tongue out at you.
You let out a laugh and make your way to the front counter to reorganize the mess of pens and sticky notes scattered around before continuing your main quest of looking for that sweet sweet record you can't wait to get your hands on. There truly wasn't much to organize just putting the sticky notes in their corresponding place and fixing the pens up into the cup they belonged in, you play with the end of a pen that has the face of a cat on it and smile it's one of your favorites and you're oddly surprised a customer hasn't stolen it yet. All the pens have some quirk to them whether by their design choice or shape and you appreciate that greatly because albeit it being a small insignificant gesture it's always the small things that get to you.
As you're lost in though you're brought back to earth by the familiar jingle of the front door opening, you glance around and notice Imogen still on the guitar so it must be a customer, you walk past the counter and greet them, however you're greeted by an interesting sight.
"Hey there welcome in let me know if you need help with anything"
The Azure haired male gives you a slight smile and nod
"f'anks luv" and then makes his way to the records.
Wow the British accent... You look over to Imogen and notice she's already looking at you, it seems she also noticed his entrance because she's raising her brows suggestively at you while glancing at the male and then back at you. You roll your eyes at her and flip her off before continuing your search, you approach the record section as well and go through them while doing so you occasionally peer at the guy who's a few rows across. You observe the types of records he pulls out to inspect. However, after a few minutes you stop that because it's probably a little creepy and it'd be bad for business to lose a customer. And so you continue to dig through for a little getting lost in thought as the letters and album covers of all the records start to blur together 'geez when did our catalogue get so big?' before you know it you finally come across what you've been looking for.
As you reach for it you feel another hand grasp your own which causes you to jolt and look over. It's the Blue haired guy who looks at you just as equally surprised
"Oh my I'm so sorry luv I didn't meant to stardle ya" he says
"Oh, it's fine...You like the velvet underground?" you ask
He breaks into a grin "Yeah one me recent favorite's I've been trying t'a branch out more in my music taste and that Nico- is that e'r name?" You nod in confirmation "She's got a great voice I quiet like it" He finishes and notices his hand still on yours he practically jerks it away from yours "Sorry!"
"No worries" You smile at his explanation "Yeah they're pretty great I think this is a good pick if you like experimental rock"
Before you knew it the two of you had branched into a conversation about bands and music and even sharing some recommendations of each other's favorite artists still with the record in your hand. The conversation flowed so smoothly it was almost like two old friends reuniting again it felt oddly....nice. The moment was cut short by the time you both reached the counter you went to the other side to ring him up.
"Did you want a bag?" He nods
"Yes please" he says
You start ringing his items and analyze the records he chose, all classic British rock bands, no surprise there but they're all good bands so you give them a nod of approval, you set the velvet underground record on the counter, you chew on your bottom lip before deciding whether you wanted to keep it or let him have it, there wasn't much time to stew on it before you made your decision.
"'o'w much for the velvet underground record?" he asks while tapping on the glass of the counter
"On the house" You smile and slip it into his shopping bag with the rest of his purchased records. He looks startled at your reply
"No! no no I couldn't possibly take it for free...I g- gotta support the local music stores!" He yelped
"Well you did buy a few already so there's truly no harm, consider it a gift from me to you for having impeccable taste in music. Besides I've listened to that album way more than a normal person should" You pause "However I would like something in return...." you add
He looks at you nervously with that statement which almost makes you feel guilty for teasing him.
"W-what would that be?" He asks
"Your name"
You watch his eyes widen and his facial expression shift to one of relief, he chuckles and shakes his head, before extending his hand to you
"It's Stuart, Stuart Pot but feel free to just call me Stu"
You take his hand in yours, and immediately feel the rough texture of his skin on your own
"And your name?" He asks
"(Name)" and shake his hand solidifying the introduction.
The two of you stay like that for a few seconds longer than what was probably appropriate, before you hear a ringtone break the silence, which is when Stu breaks the contact and reaches deep into his pockets to fish out his phone.
"Oh shit I'm late!" He exclaims, and grabs the bag with great haste, just as he's out the door he calls out.
"See ya round (Name)!"
The bell chimes signaling his exit.