we hang out sometimes

While Myrron and Masa swept Paige and Seth away for shopping escapades, Otis was left alone with a glaring Noru.

“Come on.” Noru trudged off without looking to see if Otis followed. “Let’s get this over with.”

Though he struggled to keep up, Otis trailed behind. 

Noru grumbled something about finding the plainest store in town, but Otis didn’t respond, focusing on avoiding people and obstacles through his ruined depth perception. He succeeded in the endeavor until Noru picked up his pace too quickly upon turning a corner. 

Otis bumped into the wall and rubbed his forehead. It caused enough of a delay for Noru to vanish in the crowd. Otis started his attempt to catch up until he saw the display in the building.

Mannequins were dressed in patched up leather jackets, dark jeans, and boots resembling blocks of lead.

Otis’s remaining eye sparkled at the array of unnecessarily ripped and spiked clothing, when he heard Noru’s voice.

“What the hell are you doing?” Noru snapped. “I know you’re new to this whole ‘civilized society’ thing, but-” He cut short when he followed Otis’s gaze.

“What’s the name of this store?” Otis asked.

“Huh...maybe you’re not as hopeless as I thought.” He didn’t wait for a response before throwing the door open, but Otis still stared at the display, making Noru groan. “God, are you coming in or you just going to keep staring like a dumbass?”

Shaking his head, Otis hurried into the store after Noru.

An hour later, they emerged with arms full of skull-printed bags. Otis’s tattered cape was retired for a leather jacket, his pants now intentionally ripped at the knees, and the bandages over his missing eye replaced with a fashionable dark eyepatch.

“Not bad,” Noru commented, though he maintained his sour expression and dismissive tone. “Now I don’t have to be embarrassed to be seen with you.”

Otis raised an eyebrow. “...Thanks?”

“Don’t mention it.”

Noru started for the designated meeting area, but now he took care to walk alongside Otis rather than speed ahead. As they walked through town, heads turned. 

Mothers kept their children a safe distance. Older folks mumbled about the depravity of today’s youth, and almost every teenage girl flushed when they walked by.

“Hey, Noru?”

“What?”

“People are staring.”

“Yeah. What of it?”

“...Should we be worried?”

“God you really are stupid.” Noru rolled his eyes. “They’re staring because we look fucking awesome, so I suggest you shut up and act natural before you ruin it for us.”

For several moments, Otis did just that, but then his eye wandered to a brightly colored display of a toy shop. The selection catered to very young children, but Otis went to it without a moment’s hesitation.

“What the hell are you doing?” Noru snarled after him.

Otis pointed to a stuffed lion dressed as a clown. “Don’t you think Seth would like that?”

“I think you should walk away right now.”

“But we’re a bit early to meet up with the others.” Otis pulled out the pouch of remaining money. “And there’s still a lot to spare.”

“If you go in there, I refuse to be seen with you.”

“Then you can wait outside.” Before Noru could further protest, Otis walked inside. The jingle of children’s nursery rhymes escaped through the door as he entered.

Meanwhile, Noru stormed across the street to lean against a wall and scowl at anyone who passed him.

Minutes later, Otis walked out with a colorful box wrapped in a red bow, just large enough to fit a lion dressed as a clown. Looking over his shoulder, he waved at a gaggle of shopping mothers, one remarking on what a “nice, young man” he was. He grinned as he returned to Noru.

“You should have come in. Everyone was really nice. The owner even gave me a good recipe that she uses to trick her kid into eating vegetables. I think I’ll try making it for Seth tomorrow night.”

“I take it back. You really are as hopeless as I thought.” Nonetheless, Noru kept his pace matched with Otis’s as they made their way back.