Work Text:
It was 3am, Nefer was hungry, sleep-deprived and in no mood to entertain any of her roommates’ shenanigans.
Nefer was a calm and calculative person, so she would definitely not lose her cool when she was met with an empty fridge.
Right?
The trip to the mall the next day was silent, mainly because Nefer was still in need of sustenance and everyone else was barely awake.
It was her own fault really, considering that she lived with Lauma and Varka who rarely eats at home because of their jobs and Flins, who had little to no appetite for anything that wasn't fish. The only one that actually eats and cooks food at home was her.
Still, it doesn't help that she has missed breakfast, and her late dinner. She was currently running on one of Varka's energy drinks, so she resigned herself to sulking in the backseat of the car.
Lauma was behind the wheel, steadily weaving through traffic, and Flins was sitting to her right. Varka and Nefer were both banned from driving, after multiple incidents that she would rather not go into full detail about.
After a quick detour to the food court for breakfast, Nefer was finally ready to shop.
Unfortunately, Nefer probably would have not brought her partners with her if she had not been severely food deprived.
“Put that back.”
“But-” Flins started.
Nefer stood unyielding, staring down Flins like he was a dejected puppy.
“Nefer, you know I don't like drinking plain water. Please.” Flins was still directing his pleading look at her direction.
“Normally I would agree. But aren’t you the one trying to sneak wine into the shopping cart right now?”
Varka freezes, hands guilty holding two bottles of dandelion wine behind his back.
Flins merely blinks innocently, putting on his most convincing pitiful look, along with a small smile.
Nefer's resolve crumbles, if only a little.
“Tch. You're glad I love you.” Nefer huffed.
Nefer plucks the wine bottles from Varka’s hands. But instead of turning towards the shopping cart as they hoped, Nefer returns it to the shelf and drops a packet of grape juice boxes into the cart.
Flins blinks.
Flins was used to getting what he wanted easily. Unfortunately for him, Nefer was not easy.
“Dear, look at those poor creatures.” Lauma bemoans for the third time today.
Nefer hums absentmindedly in response, shuffling their group through the maze that was the seafood section.
It was far too crowded for her liking and Lauma wasn't helping that much either. She kept stopping in front of the enclosed glass aquariums, peering in at the marine creatures that seemed frozen in their confinement.
“You can practically hear their screams for help through the glass. We need to save them, Nefer.”
Nefer considered her options, she could either indulge in her girlfriend and play along or she could simply turn back to her half finished shopping list. One of the options sounded more tempting than the other.
“Indeed.” Flins's smooth voice sounded from behind. Archons, Nefer thinks as she braces herself for whatever he was going to say.
“We must rescue these fish from captivity and bring them back to our home. Might I suggest this one,” he says, pointing towards one of the salmon in the fish tank. “This one in particular looks fat and healthy, it would look good on our dinner table.”
Nefer counted to three before Lauma gasped offendedly. Looking at the scene before her, Nefer decided she wanted no part in it. Taking her cue, she left her angry girlfriend, who was now pinching a pale ear in a bruising grip, to give Flins a lecture that was no doubt threatening to burst from her mouth.
Nefer stood with her hands crossed across her chest, eyes staring daggers at the bane of her existence.
The tin can sat just out of her reach, despite her best efforts.
A rumbling laugh abruptly, startled her out of her stare-off with an inanimate object.
She turns around to find Varka, the very same tin can she was eyeing was now in his hold.
He dangles it just above her head, as if taunting her. His smirk was way too smug, Nefer really wanted to wipe it off.
“Varka.” Her tone held a silent warning.
“Looking for this, darling? Y’know, you only have to ask.”
Varka falters as Nefer stops in front of him, her eyes shooting a shiver down his spine.
Without a word, she presses down on his foot with her heel, causing his body to crumple.
Without so much as a glance back to his pained form, she snatches her prize from his hand.
As always, Nefer turned out to be the victor in another one of their little games.
The rhythmic tapping of her show did little to ease the frustration bubbling inside her.
She was at the checkout, waiting in line to finally leave the place. The person in front of her was taking way too long.
Wearing her best annoyed face, Nefer approached the cashier, aiming to display just how displeased she was, just for a vein to pop up even more at the sight of the stammering cashier.
“Boss Nef?” Jahoda couldn't hold back her screech of surprise, compelling Nefer to send her another icy stare,
“Uh what are you doing here? The poor girl mumbles out, hands scrambling to find purchase on Nefer's groceries.
“I’m just trying to buy some groceries,” Nefer says in a faux sweet voice, “in which you are not helping.”
“Tell me,” Nefer says, tone dangerously low, hand gripping Jahoda's hard enough that her decorative nails dig a bit into the skin, “what are you doing working at the supermarket. Do I not pay you enough? Don't be shy, tell the boss.” Nefer's eyes glint.
Jahoda gulps, but remains completely still in her hold.
Before the situation could escalate any further, a broad hand was set on Nefer's shoulder, and sky blue eyes met her own.
“Ahem, sorry to interrupt this ‘meeting’ but you're holding up the line, dear.” Varka said gently, trying to placate Nefer.
Jahoda looked at Varka like he was her guardian angel, Nefer looked like she wanted to slit his throat.
Still, she relented her merciless hold on Jahoda and minutes later, Nefer left with Varka in tow, who was now pushing the filled shopping cart.
Nefer found Lauma in the pet shop by the entrance of the mall, with no Flins in sight.
The pet shop, usually filled with the dreary air of lifeless looking animals, was brimming with a myriad of sounds.
A further look in revealed Lauma, crouched down to pet the little rabbits fighting for her attention. Lauma always had a natural talent with animals, she seemed to be able to understand and even talk to them and the animals in turn adored her.
Lauma looked up with a soft expression on her face, a baby bunny cradled in her arms. Nefer almost melted on the spot.
“Nefer, can we please take this little one home?” Nefer sighed. It had not been the first time Lauma had asked her for a pet, and she had a sneaking suspicion that it would not be the last. Nefer always said no, and this time was not any different. She would give anything to see Lauma happy, but leaving animals around Flins always did not bode well for either party.
Speaking of Flins, it was time to look for their mischief making partner. As Lauma left the store, the birds screeched and the dogs gnawed at the bars of their cages. However, Nefer wouldn’t necessarily say she regretted leaving the distressed employees to the mess, if that meant she could be one step closer to leaving the building.
Luckily, Flins did not go far. In fact, he was at the shop across from the pet shop.
Flins did not flinch when the door chime rang as Nefer stepped into the shop, entirely focused on the shining assortments placed before him. His eyes were shining in a way that rivaled even the brightest polished gemstones.
A harried looking attendant stood by the side, hands pressed together tensely. “Um, sir. Please stop taking apart the value of our products with your eyes, you're scaring off new customers.”
Flins returned a sheepish look, though his fingers were still running across the smoothed surface of precious jewels in quiet deliberation.
“I'll take it from here.” Nefer says calmly as she latches a hand onto Flins's forearm. “I'm sorry for the inconvenience he has caused.” Nefer's voice betrays no hint of emotion, but Flins observes the rising flames of anger in the hard glint of her eyes that tells him to knock it off.
“My apologies,” he sweeps his hand in front of his chest, bowing in half, “I only meant to give you some tips for your business, I did not intend to cause you trouble.” He says, tone earnest.
The attendant, suddenly very aware of the four pairs of eyes on her, gulps, and mutters something unintelligible.
Nefer takes it as her chance to leave, and finally finally, they get in the car and drive home.
Nefer blinks blearily, slowly registering her surroundings. After the exhausting day that was the shopping trip, she had decided to take a short nap.
As she rubs the remnants of sleep from her eyes, a delectable smell wafts into her room.
Following the trail leads her straight to the source, a dish of hot food sitting on the counter. The dish was speckled with colour, greens of freshly cooked vegetables and the white of the egg. A note sat next to the plate, words scribbled down with care.
Nefer smiles, maybe today was all worth it after all, if that meant that her partners would cook for her like this more often.