05 – Shopping + Trolling = Tomato
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The day after, when Soma was discharged, Russo took him home with him. Russo lived near the base he mainly served at, in a quaint orderly little town built especially for the officers and their relatives. It was a spacious two-bedroom apartment in a building by a park. The front door opened with a retina scanner instead of a key, and Russo had Soma register his iris so he could come and go as he pleased.

The interior of the apartment was minimalistic and practical, clearly the home of a military man. Russo showed Soma around.

[Sorry, it’s not much to look at.] He said, suddenly regretting that his home isn’t very cozy.

[It’s fine. Thank you for letting me stay here.]

[Don’t mention it. Soma, what do you say we go shopping? I’m fresh out of food.]

[Sure.]

[And you need clothes and other necessities too.]

[Right… Is that really okay?]

[Yes, of course! Shall we?]

Soma nodded and the two went out. Russo took Soma to a nearby supermarket where they could find everything they needed with his shuttle car. Russo was especially eager to see what kind of taste the boy had, he himself not quite understanding why. He had to strongly encourage the boy to pick for himself though, as Soma seemed to want Russo to choose first for some reason.

[Why do you insist on me choosing for you?] Russo asked.

[So I could wear things you think I would look good in.] Soma said matter-of-factly. Russo felt his cheeks heat up and was tempted for a moment, but then he steeled himself and cleared his throat.

[I want you to wear clothes that make you feel comfortable. What matters is that you like them, not me. I can give you feedback if you want to know if something suits you, but you should still choose for yourself.]

[… Fine.] Soma nodded.

Soma mostly chose simple, dark-colored clothes. Formfitting trousers and baggy open-back shirts from the women’s section so he could stick out his wings. They picked out enough for two weeks, both for staying in and going out, appropriate for all five seasons – the planet of Gamma Centauri Prime had summer, winter, rainy, windy, and dry seasons in the climate they lived in.

On their way out of the clothing shop, Soma suddenly stopped to look at something. There were all kinds of Omega chokers and collars on one of the displays. He absentmindedly felt the texture of one of them.

As Russo looked at him like this, he felt his throat tighten. Soma was raised believing he was an Omega even though he was Beta, forced into a situation nobody should be forced into. He couldn’t imagine what the other was thinking as he looked at the chokers. He gently tapped Soma’s shoulder to get his attention.

[You don’t need those anymore.]

[It’s just… I wore one for so long it feels weird that it’s not on my neck.] Soma rubbed the back of his neck with a blank expression.

[You don’t ever have to wear it again.] Russo assured him. [You don’t ever have to work as a… you know… ever again.]

[You can say prostitute, I won’t get mad. It’s what I am.]

[No, it’s what you were. You’re free now.]

Soma left the store without answering with Russo following after him like a puppy with bags in both hands. He wondered if he said something wrong, when Soma suddenly stopped and waited for him to catch up, then took two of the bags from Russo to carry himself. Russo wanted to say something to Soma, but after looking at the youth’s expressionless face he decided against it. He felt that as an Alpha any words of comfort he may say may come off as insincere.

[Okay, we got you clothes – what else do you need?] Russo asked instead.

[Shampoo, shower gel, toothbrush, toothpaste, towels… moisturizer maybe? I sometimes get dry skin.]

[All right, the drugstore is this way, I think.]

They made their way to the nearest drugstore and quickly found everything Soma needed. On their way to the cashier, Soma paused before one of the shelves again. Russo, who was checking out some scented candles (with natural pheromones), put back on the shelf the tealight he was looking at and joined Soma to see what took the teen’s attention.

To his dismay, Soma was looking at the sex goods section. There was a box of something in his hand and he was reading the description on the back.

Russo cleared his throat with a red face, and when the youth didn’t react he attempted to stare a hole into the back of his head calling his name, before realizing that Soma being deaf couldn’t hear him. He stopped himself from facepalming at his own silliness for doing this again and tapped the boy’s shoulder.

Soma must have been really immersed in his reading because he was so startled he seemed to jump out of his skin. When he saw that it was just Russo, he had an extremely relieved expression that quickly switched to anger.

[What are you doing? You scared the crap out of me!]

[What are you doing?] Russo asked back gesturing at the ambiguous object in Soma’s hand with a frown.

[What do you mean? I’m obviously checking out this dildo.]

“Di!” Russo’s head took on a shade of darker red.

[You’re starting to look like a tomato.]

[Why?!]

[Why do you look like a tomato? Because you are blushing.]

[What?]

[A tomato is a red juicy vegetable that also qualifies as a fruit.]

[No! Why are you looking at… that!]

[Well, I wanted to see if this one was for me or not. I think it’s good. Both the shape and the size seem acceptable and it’s a plus that it can vibrate. It has a long battery life, and it says on the back that it’s made of a material that doesn’t cause allergies. That’s important.]

[Why would you even want that thing…]

[To masturbate.] Soma said matter-of-factly. He looked at Russo as if wondering why he was asking him about something so obvious.

Russo just stared at him with an ‘are-you-for-real’ expression on his face.

[What?] Soma asked.

[I thought you were taking a break from sex.]

[I am.]

[Then why…]

[I have needs. Don’t you?]

Russo couldn’t say anything to that. Flustered, he managed to recall something from Soma’s report.

[But you are asexual!]

[So?]

[Doesn’t that mean that you have no interest in doing anything… er, sex-related?]

[No, that’s not it.]

[It’s not that?]

[No.]

[…Well, what is it about then?]

[Look it up yourself. And besides, I was an ace in my past life. I’m not one now.]

[Wha! Aren’t you the same person?]

[I have a different body now. Different body, different genetics.]

Russo was left speechless again. Soma, unaware of his befuddlement continued unbothered.

[I think I’ll also have a cockring. And a lubricant, mustn’t forget that. Russo? I can’t reach that one, would you get it for me?]

But Russo didn’t see what he was signing because he was too busy scrunching his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose to fight off an oncoming headache. Soma poked him.

[Can you take that off for me Russo?]

Russo stared at Soma blankly.

[Russo?]

[Soma.]

[Yes?]

[How is this not awkward for you?]

[Why would it be?] Soma asked tilting his head.

[Usually buying stuff like this in public is supposed to be embarrassing!]

[How else would you buy it if not in public?]

[Online! From the holoweb.]

[…Right. There is that option.]

[See? Let’s just put these back and continue with our shopping.]

[But I want them. They are nice.]

Slap! The sound of Russo facepalming resounded in the store’s aisle.

[Since we are here, we might as well buy them. And it’s not awkward or anything. Self-pleasure is a perfectly natural thing, nothing to be embarrassed about. Oh, I need a candle too… and a lighter.]

[What, are you going to set yourself on fire during your ‘me time’?] Russo retorted helplessly. Soma just looked at him for a long moment, staring at the commander as if he has never seen such an idiot before in his entire lifetime.

[Are you going to take it down or not?]

Now it was Russo’s turn to stare down the teenager like he was the most embarrassing person in the universe. Soma stood his ground for a while, then he rolled his eyes as he waved his hand in a placating manner.

[I guess, I should just call a shop attendant since you can’t seem to reach it either.]

In the end, Russo just sighed and took it off for him anyway. He fidgeted uncomfortably in front of the cashier, but the woman didn’t even lift an eyebrow and that made him feel even more embarrassed.

When they were finished at the drugstore, Russo took Soma to buy him a holowatch and a holopad. The people of the Federation used holowatches to communicate with each other and look up information on the holoweb, much like a smartphone. The holopad was used to create and store documents and files – Russo bought one for Soma since the boy expressed that he wants to start a diary. They brought groceries as well, and when they were done shopping, they put the goods into the trunk of Russo’s shuttle car to free their hands.

Afterward, they went to have lunch at a restaurant and the two of them spent time together so harmoniously that the waiter even mistook them for a couple. When they were finished with their meal, Russo took Soma to have him registered as a citizen of the Federation and make him a bank account, both of which were important to be able to get a job.

At home, Russo helped Soma put away his things and then showed him how to use the holowatch and the holopad, and the home appliances. Then they settled down on the couch in the living room together and looked up possible workplaces in the vicinity on Soma’s new holowatch. He even applied to a few.

They spent the evening watching movies on the holoprojector that provided an experience as if they were in the middle of the story of the film. Soma fell asleep during one of them and his head ended up tilting onto Russo’s shoulder.

Russo admired the youth’s peaceful sleeping face for a couple of minutes before gathering him up and carrying him to his room.

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