Title: In Passing
Author Note: I’m just a girl, missing writing RomComs. Enjoy, maybe!
Mangoes.
Rice.
Bread.
Pads.
She scanned over her list for the 37th time.
It was 4 things, so surely, her grocery trip should be no less than 20 minutes. It was supposed to be a quick trip in and out.
Hinata went to grab a shopping cart, searching for the smaller ones. It was her method to not over-shopping.
Mangoes.
Bread.
Rice.
Pads.
“Maybe I should pick up a few cucumbers,” mumbled the young woman, as her cart rolled into the store. Her senses were flooded with colors and smells of fruits and veggies. “No,” she coached herself.
Pads.
Bread.
Rice.
Mangoes.
She approached the array of fruits. Opal eyes scanned prices and any sign of a sale. Something about being poor really does put things in perspective. She scoffed at the organic sign and reached for two okay-looking mangoes.
“If the pesticide kill me before the climate, oh well,” she muttered, stuffing them in the available plastic bags. The tired woman rolled her shoulders and glanced up at the cucumbers—just for a second. There was a man standing there, placing 7 cucumbers in a bag.
Mentally, she was preparing to judge him until she saw his cart—which had multiple smaller carts in them.
He was one of the Delivery Shoppers. She just knew he was NOT giving the customer what they wanted.
Her giggle must have triggered him, he whipped his head over his shoulder. She was taken aback by how attractive his face was, despite the actual look of disgust.
Her lips parted and cheeks warmed in embarrassment. Suddenly her oversized shirt and no bra situation felt very silly. She quickly turned her cart and bumped directly into the banana section. She shrunk more into herself and to avoid turning around, she grabbed a bunch of bananas and sped her little cart away.
Mangoes.
Bread.
Rice.
Pads.
Bananas.
In reality, he may have not even noticed her. He may have been looking past her. In reality, no one probably even noticed her knocking into the Banana Bin and therefore, there was no need to panic buy.
But…
“Okay, okay,” she grumbled. “I could use 5 bananas. I like them. They’ll be great breakfast.”
Even though she never eats breakfast.
:::
Sasuke was just trying to make a bit of extra money. Naruto talked him into being a “InstaShopper.”
There he was standing there trying to figure out what a half of pound of cucumber weighed when he heard the girliest, pitchiest giggle.
He peered over his shoulder to see a girl. While it looked like she just slumped out of bed, she was…
…bumping into the Banana Bin.
He smirked as she drove her little cart around the corner. She was attractive but if he wasn’t technically “working” then he…
…would still not approach her because he wasn’t a creep and didn’t feel like going viral for attempting to bother a woman alone. He had class. He had manners. He…
“…five should be enough,” he assumed. Next on his list was hotdog buns. He popped one earphone in and continued his shopping.
:::
Hinata stood, arms folded. Must there be so many opinions of bread? Wheat. Honey Wheat. White. Whole Grain. Potato.
“Potato?” She squinted, leaning towards the words. “Since when…”
“Excuse me, ma’am,” said an employee.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” She moved her cart backwards and crashed into the one behind her. Hinata turned to apologize and saw it was Cucumber Guy again. “I…”
His face remained stoic. And beautiful. She touched her own cheeks in a sort of jealousy. She panicked once again: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—“
“I…,” he started. “Need those buns.”
As the words left his lips, she witnessed his dark eyes widened. There was so much regret on his face, then in a split second, his face relaxed. He turned around without a word, without the buns and left the aisle.
Oh, that was…not suave.
She placed a loaf of the cheapest honey wheat bread in her cart and moved along. She needed to get out of this store before something silly and chaotic happens.
Mangoes.
Bread.
Rice.
Pads.
Bananas.
Luckily she ventured into the aisle with the rice without a hiccup. No signs of that cute cucumber-buns guy. She was almost done.
She swerved into the Care Aisle, and wished she had horse blinders because in truth—why not buy the toothpaste since she was already here. Oh, and soap. There would be no second trip if she also went ahead and got more shampoo. She’d be saving a trip, thus saving money. That’s girl math.
She finally got to the feminine care, grimaced at the prices before picking up her old faithful, no need to ponder, but she did dream of ruling the world and destroying The Pink Tax.
“I need a treat for sticking to my list,” decided Hinata.
Mangoes.
Bread.
Rice.
Pads.
Toothpaste.
Soap.
Shampoo.
…and bananas.
Yup, the list. She deserved a sweet treat. She smiled moving through the store, with an overwhelming sense of confidence. Opal eyes lifted to the signs above and noticed “Water, Wine and Beer.”
She needed a glass of wine with her future sweet treat, but more importantly she needed a cases of water for work. She turned down the aisle and saw him.
Cucumber-Bun guy holding her favorite wine. As she got closer, she noticed there weren’t many of bottles left. He glanced her way and moved to the other side, allowing her to cruise up to the aisle.
He had the last one.
Her hand touched the spot where the wine should be. She slowly turned to the wine in his hand. He looked from the wine to the piercing ghostly stare of the women in front of him.
She watched in horror as he scanned the bottle with his work scanner thingy, and placed it in his cart.
“That’s unfortunate,” mumbled the man.
No, what’s unfortunate is that she didn’t have one of those remotes to pause time. She’d use it to pause time and kick him in the shin. Maybe also a little kiss on the cheek because, hot damn, extra attractive people aren’t supposed to be in public doing mundane things.
What’s also unfortunate, had she not stopped for shampoo and soap, she would have beat him here.
But what’s most unfortunate is she said: “Don’t forget the buns.” Without thinking ahead, which would have been fine had she sped out the aisle but she needed water.
Mouth agape, his eyes followed her to the water section.
:::
He wanted to laugh because how dare she? He watch her then proceed to struggle with a case of water. Served her right! Wasn’t like the wine was for him! Wasn’t like he purposely withheld the cheapest, sweetest Moscato.
Karma was quick and just.
However, unfortunately for him, he could be a gentleman when the time calls for it. He left his cart, walking towards her. “I’ll help,” said the young man.
“No, i got it.”
“Do you?”
She did not. He picked the case up with ease. She noticed he had really nice arms as well. He sat it in the bottom of her tiny cart, it hung off the sides but it was the effort. He did notice her flushed face and smirked, “You’re welcome.” He returned to his cart.
She coughed: “T-Th-thank you!”
:::
Hinata placed a hand on her chest. Ovulation week was beating her up so bad. Openly staring at that man like that should have warranted an arrest, at the very least.
He left the aisle and she went back to grab an extra large bottle of a random moscato. She just needed a sweet treat so she could leave!
Mangoes.
Bread.
Rice.
Pads.
Bananas.
Soap.
Shampoo.
Toothpaste.
Water.
Wine.
She quickly tossed some jumbo cinnamon rolls into her stuffed cart and went to check out: she tried her best to go as fast as possible. The anxiety of people waiting on her had started to creep. She glanced at the line and there he was Cucumber-Buns one person behind her.
The employee helped her with her large bottle of wine and the wobbly case of water. She quickly finished and headed out the store. Though, part of her was kind of sad…
Some sort of strange thing happened between CBG (Cucumber Bun Guy) and herself. Maybe it was in her head. She purposely moved slowly out the store. Extra slow wheeling out her cart.
CBG could be a psychopath, possibility is high because most men are, and here she was hoping for one last interaction. So she stopped, literally to smell the flowers they keep outdoors.
“You…uh, need help?”
She turned to see him, a bit breathless. He motioned to the case of water.
:::
Truth be told, he scanned the hell out of those groceries…because truth be told, to Hell with seeming odd… he wanted her name, at least, it was the 21st century. Exchanging numbers was so 90s. However, he had to catch her before she entered the parking lot.
Creep scale goes through the roof when men approach women in the parking lot.
She smiled but shook her head. “I got it…but, um,” she stammered, pulling at her t-shirt. “Can I have your, mm, n—?”
“Yes—“
“Young man,” an elderly woman tugged on his arm. “Won’t you help me with these groceries. My wrist hurt an awful lot. It won’t take long!”
Her cart was filled and overflowing.
Hinata giggled as the older woman didn’t give him a chance to decline before pulling him away. “Uh, Sasuke is my name,” he told her.
“Hinata…” she waved.
He nodded. She nodded. Maybe next time, she decided. Maybe they’ll meet again in passing.
Mangoes
Bread
Rice
Pads
Bananas
Toothpaste
Soap
Shampoo
Water
Wine
Cinnamon Rolls
…and Sasuke? Mm.
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18 – Fish out of Water
wc. 568 | Bookshop AU
Sorry it's self (Nini) deprecating angst.
Ninira didn’t much like navigating the crowds of venues. She usually arrived early, sat in a seat and stayed there until the flow of people towards the door was manageable enough for her to handle. Any time she did dare to brave the crowd she tried to make sure she did so with a friend close by.
Estinien had joined her this time, for which she was grateful, she had needed the washroom, while he had stopped by the bar to grab a drink. He was now leading the way back to the table, Ninira following close as he parted the crowds enough for her to slip after him. They were nearly back to the group when a gaggle of girls intercepted them, or more specifically Estinien.
Two Au Ra, and a Miqo'te. Ninira couldn’t hear well over the din of the venue but it was evident what they wanted. A picture, something signed. Nastrond might not be famous by any means but they still gathered crowds, and fans. They clustered around, eager to speak with him and Ninira couldn’t help but notice how much more they seemed to fit in, especially when she compared them to herself.
They were tall, pretty, slender legs in torn jeans and fishnet tights. Thick platform boots and dark smokey makeup. One wore a Nastrond shirt that she had clearly modified herself, transforming it into a grungy sleeveless crop top. It suited her, she looked like she was made to wear it.
Ninira’s own band shirt felt baggy and awkward in comparison.
One was eagerly taking Estinien’s drink, offering to hold it for him, while the one in the Nastrond shirt pressed up close beside him, cheeks flushed. Their remaining friend, holding up a phone to get the perfect shot. She stepped back, forcing Ninira back into the crowd as she almost trod on Ninira’s toes, unaware she was even there.
They had no reason to notice her, she was just Estinien’s scruffy knee high shadow, following after him in hopes no one looked too closely and realized she didn’t belong.
She swallowed, a sudden lump in her throat.
The entire venue seemed to bore down on her, the crowd around her a sea of looming people who were all effortlessly coordinated. She was like a puzzle piece noticeably forced into the wrong hole, trying to act like she fit, like she matched. Her band shirt felt like a lie. Like at a glance anyone could deduce she was some fake of a fan.
The lump in her throat seemed to swell, it was hard to breathe. The venue was already so crammed, so stuffy. She needed to leave, to get outside.
Her jacket and bag are back at the table, it seems stupid to go back for them, she knows this but logic is hardly fulling her actions. She is panicking, pushing through the crowd until it suddenly breaks and she’s back at the table, snatching her things.
She’s half aware of her quick reply. “Need to go.” To the confused questions from her friends, if they even think of her as such, as she grabs her belongings and pushes back into the crowd. She can’t dawdle, can’t allow for the possibility for anyone to see the way the lump in her throat has now become a burning behind her eyes.
Crying here will just make her stand out even more.
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