Empty Spaces OMAKE - Shopping Cart Mania
(A VERY OLD scrapped scene set during chapter five, shortly before Reigen and Teru start their shopping. Enjoy!!)
“Did you really need me to hold your market bags?”
“You know that’s not the only reason I need you here. We’re roommates for now. Apartmentmates, even. If we share an apartment, I can’t let you starve because I accidentally bought all the food you can't stand,” Reigen elaborated, making a beeline for a row of medium-sized shopping carts.
Teru followed him. “That makes sense.”
Truth be told, there was a very little circle of meals he could say he disliked, but he would absolutely hate it if Reigen’s tastes happened to encompass all of it.
Checkout beeps echoed through the glass doors, punctuated by the rumble of sluggish carts. Reigen attempted to separate a free one from the row, only for his pulls to earn him a dissonant rattle. He paused for a moment – body bent forward, a white-knuckled grip on the handle – then tugged it aggressively. No sign of movement. The pose reminded Teru of a stressed crab.
“Hold the shopping list for a sec. This stupid thing won’t budge.”
Teru took the shred of paper with his powers, running his eyes over items that were clearly written with a leaky pen. Reigen tried again.
“Difficult, aren’t you?” he said through gritted teeth.
Teru offered, “Do you want me to–”
“Just a minute, Hanazawa. I’m getting us a cart,” Reigen rattled the handle with insistence.
The man let out a scoffing noise, muttering “won’tyougetouttathere”s under his breath, staring daggers at the supermarket logo. He lightly kicked the cart once or twice for good measure. His body arched backwards, heels digging on the pavement in a desperate search for impulse. Another groan escaped his throat. Teru asked himself why he even bothered, since there were at least three other rows of carts available on their side. Was it a pride thing?
Reigen shook the whole row like an earthquake, metal meshes screeching and wheels gritting. Not close to budging.
He struck the handle. “Why won’t you little son of a bitch move?!”
Just when Reigen armed himself with a powerful kick, a wave of diluted yellows and greens enveloped the set. He was thrown back by his own force, only to be caught by another ripple and levitated half a meter over Teru’s head. Reigen wriggled in the air, eyes wide open. A horde of shopping carts surrounded it, none glued to the other.
“It would have been easier if you asked me to hold these things instead.” Teru smiled.
Reigen’s face crumpled for a moment, then his eyebrows flew.
“See? That’s the reason I need you going around with me!”
