Oneshots

Valentines Gifts

Basil: Age 19 then 20
Jax: Age 19

    How is it that you can know someone for years and still not know a single thing they like?
    On the shelves of the dim store there's something for almost everyone. Almost any piece of media you'd want to consume has merchandise here. Funko POPS are stacked upon each other to create a tall tower, black walls cluttered with hanging posters, themed drinks and snacks, yet Basil stares blankly at the round-about of shirts on their rack. All of them look dark and vaguely like something his boyfriend, Jax, would wear, but he's almost certain they're all band T-shirts and Jax doesn't listen to many bands.. Or does he?
    Basil audibly groans, rolling his head back and cracking his neck. Jax is hard to buy for. He has to be hard to buy for- Basil, regrettably, hasn't bought Jax many presents in the past and now that he's decided to start it's giving him Hell.
When he stepped out of the house this morning he was sure he'd walk into the mall and find too many options for things to buy for his boyfriend- he thought he'd end up buying too much- but Basil's been in and out of close to ten stores now.    There is nothing.
    So much of nothing that even in the most basic stores that to Basil's favorite store- Burnt Matter- Basil cannot find a single thing he even guesses his boyfriend would enjoy. This store is a hot topic shop, everything in here is meant to be popular among the masses- why do none of Jax's interests align with anything here?
    Minutes ago Basil had to break out the backup plan. He didn't want to resort to it, the act seemed shameful, but he was running out of options. This plan would mean that Basil has absolutely failed as a boyfriend and a person in general.. He had to call his Jax's little brother,
    "Hello?"
    "Hello?"
    "Hi, Bliss, uh, so Valentine's day is coming up and I'm TRYING to get Jax a gift but I don't- there's nothing! Not a single thing he would like in the entire mall.. Unless you know of something he would happen to want?" Basil attempted to mask his defeat with volume. He had to. If he didn't Bliss would know he hadn't been paying Jax's interests enough attention and-
    "I don't know what he likes either."
    "..What?"
    "Jax just doesn't ask for things. Picking his gifts is a pain in the ass."
    "But-"
    "Good luck."
    Basil only managed to get in, "Don't tell him I called!!" Before Bliss hangs up the phone.
Now Basil is dejectedly flipping through black T-shirts, most of which he himself wants. He can't let himself buy them though, not yet. He has to at least pick out one present for Jax first.. But as he trots out of the Burnt Matter doors with two bags full of shirts and pins and trinkets, all for himself, he knows he exhibits no self-restraint.
    Basil, happy with his purchases despite the guilt, relaxes on a bench in one of the resting areas. He briefly goes over all his new items before sighing, which leads to a loud groan and letting his head fall over the back of the bench.     Upside down, he catches a few children gawking at him. Basil rolls his eyes; he's very used to that look by now. Most adults and teens have gotten used to how he, and many other people, dress, but little kids still usually point or let their jaws unhinge.
    Punk goth isn't the most common style, but Basil's sure those kids are staring with admiration and awe. Even if you have a different style he "knows" he looks undeniably amazing.
He huffs, his head beginning to feel heavy from being rocked back so far, and sits normally.
    What style does Jax usually go far? Basil slumps further onto the bench. He knows Jax is a big fan of the whole "1960s greaser style," but what does that even consist of? It's so outdated.. But everyone has their own thing, he guesses.
    Basil pulls out his phone and types in the style; his lips purse as he scrolls though the related images and everything is just men in leather jackets posing like boybands. Unhelpful. Luckily Google has a shopping section too.. But that's really all costumes and random unrelated accessories. Basil can hear himself grumbling.   Why does his boyfriend's tastes have to consist of leather jackets, white t-shirts, and jeans?? What else is there??
    Repressing the urge to chuck his phone at the unsuspecting person on the bench across from him, he drops his phone back in his purse. Obviously the mall isn't suited for Jax's needs, so he'll search elsewhere.
Exiting the mall Basil realizes that he has no clues on where to go next. The mall has everything, all kinds of stores and activities and food and- EVERYTHING. Where else is he supposed to find a gift if not here??
Basil's posture is more slouched than usual, his strut damaged by his poor mood as he makes his way down the sidewalk. He doesn't feel like driving. There's plenty of things in this area anyway so he'll just go somewhere that's close enough. He comes to a sudden stop in front of a colorful poster display that covers the entirety of a store's front windows.
Funky Town, a costume/ party shop.
...
Has it really come to this?
Defeated, he swings open both double doors to march into the revoltingly decorated shop. Basil scrunches his nose as he sees the first display, plain white surfaces only decorated by the products themselves, it's not a good look.
"Hey- Hello! Welcome to Funky Town! If you need any assistance feel free to ask!"
Basil pauses in his wandering to view the employee, who seems to have just sprung back to life upon his arrival. Basil nods at him, not feeling particularly inclined to speak at this time, so he smiles and goes on his way.
He haphazardly wanders around, trying to catch the sight of perhaps a greaser Halloween costume, at least, or maybe something in black. There's barely any black in this store, bare the Grim Reaper and Harry Porter wizard robe costumes.. There're also horror movie masks.
Though not completely black some of the masks have black accents to them. Basil culls one of the Scream masks. They watched all the Scream movies together, he and Jax, and this is pretty neat.. Kinda....... Basil sighs in a snit, basically throwing the mask back onto its hook without making sure it landed correctly.
Through the aisles he trudges, barely taking in the product on the shelves and hooks. Last time he checked he didn't need any Happy Birthday plates or inflatable T-rex costumes.. Would Jax like an inflatable dinosaur costume? Basil hesitates mid step.. No.
Clicking his tongue at the end of the aisleway, he decides looking around the rest of the store would be a waste of time. Obviously there was nothing left to find.. A pink and red display pokes at the corner of his peripheral, he turns his head to see layered circular shelves leading up to a sign reading, "VALENTINES, DAY OF LOVE."
Oh. Basil blinks, perfect.
He steps over and looks past the poorly chosen candies right to the costumes. What kind of costumes suit Valentine's day? A laugh catches in his throat as his eyes fall over a possible present, a cupid costume.
He, of course, isn't looking at the costume made for "men"- men's costumes are always so boring- his gaze is fixed on the one meant for women. It's a short little toga that only goes over one shoulder and barely reaches past the thighs, could be a large unspecified cloth, but it's skimpy and cute; it even comes with a flimsy looking bow and heart arrow.
Basil's bored expression shifts to that of an entertained smirk, that was easy. Who wouldn't want to see their boyfriend in a stupidly short outfit that can hardly be classified as clothes?
He looks around the package for the size, he'll need at least a large if this was going to fit him at all; his long legs are all but a curse usually, but they make it hard to wear women's clothing.
"Uhm-! Getting that for a girlfriend back home, huh?" The same employee from the front desk pipes up, peering at Basil from behind the front register. Basil only glances at him, smiling sweetly,
"No." He barely watches the cheerful employee back down from his eager stature, he can't find a large. Basil flips through each bagged costume but no large nor extra large, "Shit, for real?" He grumbles to himself as he picks up a medium. Maybe one would fit him.. Though his bone structure is bulkier than that of a medium sized woman... Basil huffs, dropping the bag back onto the display, the costume not fitting isn't a risk worth 34.99.
He makes a v-turn and trots to the door. The employee makes a last ditch effort at some interaction,
"There's a survey online to rate your experience here today-"
"None out of five. Useless." The door rings as he leaves.
That could've been a more productive use of time.. At least he can add that to the list of stores he'll have on his letter of apologies to Jax when he has no present for him on Valentines Day.
Basil shakes his head as he walks, now heading towards where he believes he's parked his car.
Many couples bustle past, holding onto each other's arms or occasionally embarrassing couples will be holding pinkies, as if that's somehow worse than the regular hand holding. No matter, all of them are together. Basil's now starting to regret being the one to suggest they buy each other surprise presents this year. The whole trip would've been about four hours shorter if he had Jax here to tell him where to shop.. Although Basil should know that by heart by now. How do you date someone for nearly five years and not even know where they get their clothes?
    Knowing Jax it probably wouldn't be anywhere easy to pick out though, like Walmart.. Oh.
Basil physically stops in his tracks at his revelation. He can go to Walmart! Walmart has everything- there's gotta be something for Jax there. He literally won't let himself leave the store without a present.