Work Text:
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Natsuki lost count of how long she was tapping her foot impatiently for. As she stood awkwardly under the enormous blue overhang, a few of the volunteering Salvation Army members there for Christmas donations shot her looks of vague concern. It wasn't her fault that she was loitering outside Walmart though! Yuri had promised to meet her at 5:00 *sharp* to shop with her, and it was already 5:27. Well, okay, it was more like she timidly went along with Natsuki's flustered insistence. 'Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all.. We're not even that close as friends. She's not going to take time out of her day just to meet my ass at a grocery store, she obviously has better things to do.' thought Natsuki. As she shifted her weight, about to walk away, she spotted the other girl's car pull into the parking lot. Finally! About time.
The purple girl ran over to Natsuki, looking frantic. "M-my apologies! I got rather caught up in my writing, and by the time I had finished it was already late..." Yuri admitted sheepishly.
Natsuki huffed. "Geez! Just say you didn't want to come." At Yuri's look of dismay, however, Natsuki deflated. "Look, let's just go inside. I'll show you how a real pro sniffs out deals!" Natsuki pointed her thumb at her chest grandly for emphasis. Yuri snickered, and Natsuki smiled slightly in return. The pair began walking together towards the gates of capitalist hell, chatting lightly about their respective days. Natsuki, of course, conveniently leaving out her fight with Papa earlier about spending their money on this expenditure. In her distraction, Natsuki may or may not have totally collided with one of the judgemental Salvation Army guys. Who may or may not have furiously rung his bell in return, while Natsuki ran off in a huff, with Yuri laughing behind her.
The two entered the store, and Natsuki promptly realized she had no ideal what the hell she picked Walmart as a destination for. Papa had already bought their supply of groceries for the week, and they really couldn't afford to splurge on more random stuff with the bills coming up. She tried not to pull a face as she remembered the berating Papa gave her about that particular subject. But, Natsuki supposed, just about any location would push them over budget. Whatever. She'll just buy some snacks with Yuri and head out. Loathe as she was to admit it, Natsuki really just wanted an excuse to spend time with Yuri outside of the club. Yuri was nice to talk to over the phone, but at the club, all the conversation Natsuki could wring out of her was about her weird fantasy novel of the week. The two headed to a random aisle, stopping briefly to smell the candle wax and look at the super marked down Halloween decorations they were so desperately trying to get rid of. Natsuki didn't care too much about that though, as she was, once again, a bit distracted, as Yuri's hand was way too close to her own. Not that she noticed for any reason!! It was simply a pressing observation. Just as she was about to pull away, Yuri turned to her.
"Um, Natsuki? This has been nice, but why did you pick this location in particular?" Yuri asked gently. "I mean, don't take this the wrong way! But it appears you don't really have any shopping you need to do..." she finished. Natsuki's mind went blank. Shit! They were nowhere near the snacks, so she couldn't make that excuse.
"Uuh, I just had some stuff to pick up! Like.. toilet paper!" Natsuki looked to the rolls on the shelf beside her, and promptly knocked several packs into the cart with not a shred of grace. Yuri looked bewildered for a painfully long second before nodding sheepishly. Natsuki spent an even more painful moment calculating the cost of all those rolls in her head. For the first time in her life, she wished for the merciless arrival of diarrhea, if only to have an excuse. The two stalked around a few more aisles, with Natsuki grabbing random things to save face, and Yuri sheepishly asking to buy a few things as well. Nothing unusual: hair spray, a hair brush, sweet but overbearing lotion, lavender-scented cubes, a wax burner, a lighter, etc.
"Hey, Yuri, you really, uh, like to smell nice, don't you?" Natsuki noticed as Yuri put a pack of cubes in the cart, finally broaching a new topic of conversation. Realizing what she said, though, she quickly sputtered, "N-not that I'm, like, judging you, or anything!" As if that was her main concern.
While Natsuki hotly averted her gaze, Yuri giggled lightly. "I-it's alright!" she exclaimed, trying not to laugh. "I find that proper hygiene and a relaxing atmosphere can really benefit the flow of creativity. Normally, I'd prefer incense, but I find large stores like this value cheapness over quality."
"...Sorry for taking you to such a lame place, anyways. I don't really know what I was thinking." Natsuki huffed. "I was trying to save money, and instead of asking you to a cheap café or something, I took you here!" she grumbled, shaking a cereal box for emphasis. Yuri shuffled awkwardly in place.
"..It's not the most, um, exciting place in the world. But, as you observed, I suppose this can be a nice way to learn about each other, and what the other enjoys, without the pressure of conversation." Yuri remarked, carefully.
Pushing down her thoughts of the massive stack of toilet rolls, and the cereal box, Natsuki inquired, "Without the pressure of conversation?" Yuri's hands met her hair. Natsuki knew the other girl was shy, of course, but she was still really hoping the other girl would open up. Instead, Natsuki just kept finding ways to make it weird.
"Indeed... I really wish I knew how to be as bold as you, sometimes." Yuri muttered. The cart was fully stopped, by now. Yuri's hands began to form knots in her hair. Natsuki, without thinking, took her hands.
"Look. I know that you're quiet, or whatever. But I've seen how you get about your favorite novels! You're.. bolder than me, in that regard. Sharing what you're passionate about." Yuri brightened, following Natsuki's words. "Now, let's check out, and maybe next time I'll take you somewhere less lame!" Natsuki finally remembered to drop Yuri's hands. The purple-haired girl gave a smile and a nod, and Natsuki took that as a sign to veer the cart around and make it back to the front. She totally didn't almost hit an old lady looking at Frosted Flakes in the process. Totally.
The two girls trudged through the labyrinthine halls of the Walmart, resisting the urge bravely to grab any more items and add to the already painful total Natsuki was counting up inside her head. The pair shared jokes and conversation with such an ease that both Yuri and Natsuki felt a bit of weight coming off their shoulders. As they encountered the fabled check-out lines, Yuri took a look inside her wallet. "Damn! I forgot to bring my cash!" she hissed, quietly. Natsuki just gripped the cart's handle harder. Her dad was definitely giving her shit later.
Feeling a bit of dread, but not willing to disappoint Yuri, she carried on through the line. As she placed all her items on the belt, Natsuki could have sworn she felt the cashier staring into her soul. That feeling intensified as she swiped her card, only to have it decline. Again. And again.
"Ma'am, if you can't pay for your items, you're going to have to put them back. Unless you want me to call somebody." The cashier said, with only the slightest amount of inflection.
"N-no, it's fine! If I just..!" Natsuki stammered, but the cashier was already thrusting her card into her palm with one hand, and gripping his phone with another. Natsuki felt her cheeks burning and whipped around to take her items off the belt, before she felt a very real sensation of heat. Above her head, Yuri held the can of hair spray, and the lighter. Screaming, the cashier ran off, as well as several of the customers nearby.
"RUN!" Yuri yelled, and the two of them booked it, items shoved back into the cart. The two managed to run out of the store unscathed, as security was apparently feeling quite lazy today. Luckily, the two only had to pool in Yuri's car, as Natsuki lived close enough to have walked in the first place. Huffing and puffing, Natsuki finally turned in shock to the other girl.
"What was that all about?!" she demanded.
"How was that for being more bold?" Yuri panted out. Across her face was a nervous smile, and her arms betrayed a slight jitter. Natsuki only laughed in response, and she came to find her father in a perfectly tolerable mood upon coming home. More importantly, Natsuki was DEFINITELY certain that she was going to invite Yuri to more places. Just, maybe not any more stores any time soon.