TEXT; UN: lionheart

[silentnarration]

I don't understand why these customers behave like assholes. It's just an expensive grocery store.

A woman slapped me because we ran out of the good avocados. This place is stupid.

Don't shop at Premium Foods.

Edit: who's censoring this

Comments

[merged]

Lane 5? All right, I'll come by. I need to pick some stupid shit up, anyway. [ Oh, hold on, wait a second. ] Wait, do you think they'd let me shop there? I... am not exactly the classiest looking girl in the room.

[ Her fashion sense is 'Goodwill Chic' and the more worn her shoes are, the happier her feet are. ]

[silentnarration]

They don't kick anyone out. As long as you don't mind judgmental looks. But I think their opinions aren't worth worrying about.

[merged]

Sounds just like high school, can't wait.

[ god, squall, you poor guy. ]

[silentnarration]

[It's suffering. Truly.]

School is more tolerable.

[Not that he knows what a normal high school is like.]

You can message me if you need a hand but I won't see it if I'm on duty.

[merged]

I have a hard time imagining that.

Send me a selfie and I'll just find you if I need you. [ because surely you want to be bothered at work, yes? ]

[silentnarration]

People usually leave me alone.

[Barring a few individuals.]

What's a selfie??

[merged]

[ ... All right, not everyone can know everything. Different worlds, times, whatever. Not weird.

In just a moment, Squall is sent a photo image of Heather, shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes accentuated with dark circles. She doesn't bother trying to grin. It feels weird. ]

Selfie, see. A picture you take of yourself using the front facing camera on your phone.

[ She may or may not have also found this neat app that gives her rabbit ears or hearts on her cheeks. Ah, technology! ]

[silentnarration]

[Oh. A photo of themselves. Makes sense. Guess he'll know now if she walks up to him.]

Hang on.

[He'll snap a photo of himself. No smiles from him either. He looks entirely too serious. A mess of soft brown hair, bright blue eyes, a scar in the center of his forehead.]

[merged]

[ fistbump for serious face ok ]

All right, you'll be easy to find.

[ In about ten or so minutes, Heather locates him in the store. There's a tan bag slung over her shoulder, mostly empty. She was going to see if there was anything to buy here, but... ]

Damn, shit here is stupidly priced. [ Premium seems to be in reference to the pricing, huh? ]

[silentnarration]

[She came up right as another customer has walked off. And he looks deeply annoyed at the stupid questions he's had to field today. He honestly can't tell if he prefers stocking duty or cashier duty.

He's ready to give her his usual cold treatment when he recognizes her.]

Oh, it's you. [He dials back on the chill though he still appears distant. He shrugs.] They are. They're genetically modified and organic. That's what they claim.

[merged]

[ A man walking by seems to shoot them a look and Heather levels a glare, raising her middle finger at him. It's difficult to refrain asking him if he needs something in a less than pleasant tone. ] You'd think in a city where people can get magic tattoos and futuristic bodily upgrades, organic would mean fucking zip.

You don't think they're bullshitting their customers, do you? [ He did say that's what they claim and, honestly, she'd be totally fine with these people being ripped off. ]

[silentnarration]

[Squall raises his eyebrows at the casual display of rudeness. Well, that's refreshing. He already finds her acceptable on the network. This just adds to that. He shrugs again.]

I don't make the rules. They do taste better but taste doesn't mean it's healthier.

[He makes a vague gesture towards the shelves.]

What are you looking for?

[Might as well spend some time with someone tolerable and he can pretend he's working.]

[merged]

[ Heather is cheap and, thus, has cheap tastes. She wants trash, thank you very much. She gives it a thought and then shrugs. ]

Poptarts? Or, fuck... [ Hold on, that's a brand and it didn't exist in the last store and it probably won't exist here. How the hell does she describe fucking poptarts? ] Strawberry... breakfast... pastries?

[ She never knew how much she'd miss recognizable brands, ok. ]

[silentnarration]

[He frowns. The description only increasing his confusion. He tilts his head to the side.]

Have you tried the bakery?

[Yes, this will go well.]

[merged]

I'm actually looking for something less... [ Oh god, how does she put this without it sounding... really gross? The answer: you kinda don't. ] fresh. You know, prepackaged crap that has a shelf life longer than you really should be comfortable with?

Back home, they're usually found with things like breakfast cereals. [ Please know what cereal is because she has no idea how to explain that, either. ]

[silentnarration]

[He knits his eyebrows at the thought of long-lasting pastries, but it also sounds like it's more of a snack? He kind of wants to try it if they can find it. Canned and prepacked food is a familiar concept at least. He gestures behind him with his thumb.]

Cereal's over there. There's a screen you can use to look up items too.

[Might be faster than trying to help him understand poptarts.]

[merged]

Oh, fancy that. [ She turns to look where he gestures and when she looks back at him, she grins. ]

Thanks for the help. You ever want a drink, stop by The Ginger Jester and I'll hook you up. [ He could probably use a free drink or two working in a place like this. She knows she would (bad, heather, don't encourage young people to drink). ]

[silentnarration]

[Does it count when the young person is a soldier who could use some anyway? He blinks at the offer and nods.]

Sure.

[What's the harm? Bars are a good place for information anyway. He'll watch her head off before he goes back to work. Strange girl but maybe a friend too? Who knows.]