After a long walk, we finally leave the bustling food district behind and enter a quieter part of Mistvale. The lively cries of merchants and the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat gradually fade into the distance, replaced by neat rows of storefronts lining both sides of the street.
This part of town feels completely different.
Instead of food stalls crowding every corner, the streets are filled with specialized shops selling everything from clothing, armor, and weapons to potions, maps, souvenirs, and daily necessities. Most of the businesses have already closed for the night, their wooden shutters drawn and lanterns extinguished, but a handful are still open, their warm light spilling gently onto the cobblestone road and welcoming the last few customers of the evening.
The atmosphere is noticeably calmer as well. Without merchants shouting to attract customers, the only sounds that remain are quiet conversations drifting from passing pedestrians and the occasional bell ringing whenever someone steps into a shop.
As I quietly take everything in, Eris suddenly snaps her fingers as though she'd just remembered something important.
"Oh! That reminds me!" she says, turning toward me with a bright grin. "We still need to buy you some new clothes."
"Eh?"
I blink in surprise.
"But... I don't have any money right now."
"Nah, don't worry about that." She waves the concern away without a second thought. "Think of it as my congratulations for getting the job."
She flashes me a playful wink before leaning closer, lowering her voice as though she were about to share some great secret.
"And besides..."
A mischievous smile slowly spreads across her face.
"We really need to buy you some undergarments."
I tilt my head.
"...Undergarments?"
Eris leans in even closer until we're almost face to face.
"You know..." she whispers, cupping her hands in front of her chest in a subtle gesture. "Something for your briskets... and your little muffins."
...
Briskets?
Muffins?
For several seconds, my brain completely fails to process what she's talking about.
Beef brisket?
Bread muffins?
Is she seriously hungry again already?
Then, all at once, the meaning crashes into me.
...
Oh.
...
OH NO!
Heat rushes straight into my face, and within an instant my cheeks are burning so fiercely that I swear I could probably fry an egg on them!
Right.
Undergarments.
Underwear!
I haven't even thought about it until now!!!
My face feels like it's on FIRE!
And there is a reason for that.
I swallow hard, suddenly terrified of the answer to the horrifying question forming in my head, and my voice comes out embarrassingly shaky.
"E-Eris... W-Whose undergarments am I... wearing right now?"
Eris tilts her head, looking completely puzzled by why I would even ask.
"Oh."
She answers as casually as if she were commenting on the weather.
"Mine, of course."
...
And just like that, my mind goes blank.
Every thought.
Every emotion.
Every functioning brain cell simply shuts down.
Wait.
I'm...
I'm wearing Eris's underwear?
...
I'M WEARING ERIS'S UNDERWEAR?!
OH.
MY.
GOD!
A tidal wave of emotions crashes over me all at once. Embarrassment, panic, confusion, and a dozen other feelings I can't even begin to identify collide inside my head until my thoughts become one giant mess.
I know I'm overreacting.
Logically speaking, it's just borrowed clothing.
Girls lend each other clothes all the time, don't they?
It's perfectly normal.
RIGHT?
...
Then why is my brain reacting like the world is ending?
The mere thought that I'm currently wearing something that belongs to Eris sends my imagination sprinting in directions it absolutely should not be going.
Indirect...
Indirect muffin touches…
...
AAAAAAAAAA!!!
NO!
BAD BRAIN!
VERY BAD BRAIN!
DAMN YOU, PERVERTED THOUGHTS!!!
I squeeze my eyes shut and desperately try to force every inappropriate thought out of my head.
Unfortunately, the harder I try not to think about it... the worse it becomes.
It's like my own imagination has declared war against me.
Meanwhile, Eris simply watches me with an amused smile, completely unaware of the catastrophic battle taking place inside my head.
"Hey, don't worry!" she says with an easy laugh. "They're mine, but they're brand new. I bought them last week and haven't even worn them yet."
...
Oh.
...
OHHHH.
For some reason...
That makes everything even worse.
The moment I realize she'd never actually worn them, another completely ridiculous emotion sneaks into my heart.
...
Wait.
Why am I...
Disappointed?
...
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!
I clutch my head in silent horror.
No.
Absolutely not!
We are ending this train of thought right now!
Just then, another problem presents itself.
The top.
Unlike the underwear, the dress itself fits surprisingly well. Eris is taller than I am and considerably more muscular, so her clothes are slightly loose on me, but they're still perfectly wearable. In fact, the clothes I'm wearing right now belongs to her, and I honestly like how comfortable it feels.
There is, however, one rather significant difference between us.
Her chest.
Eris has...
Well... two round, jiggly chiffon cakes.
Meanwhile, mine?
Two sad pancakes with tiny raisins on top.
In other words... I'm flat! Flat as a board!
I glance down at myself, let out what is quite possibly the biggest sigh of my entire life.
Right now, I am literally just wrapping a piece of cloth around my chest to keep my nipples from poking through the dress.
That's it.
"L-Let's just... go buy those undergarments!" I squeak, voice cracking.
Eris chuckles, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Yeah, let's go!" she grins, grabbing my hand and dragging me forward. "I know just the place."
Before I can say another word, she pulls me through the narrow streets while her tail swishes excitedly behind her.
After several more minutes of walking, we arrive in front of a quaint little boutique tucked between two much larger buildings.
A wooden sign hangs above the entrance, gently swaying in the evening breeze.
Eclipse Clothing Shop.
The elegant lettering is carved beautifully into the polished wood, and through the shop windows I can see the soft glow of candlelight illuminating shelves lined with neatly folded fabrics.
It's already quite late, and almost every shop in the district has closed for the night.
Looks like we made it just in time.
With a cheerful smile, Eris pushes open the wooden door, and together we step inside.
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