The mall was packed.

Bright store lights reflected off polished floors while crowds drifted endlessly between clothing racks, perfume stands, and overpriced little kiosks shoved into the middle of every walkway. Somewhere upstairs, pop music blasted loudly enough to echo through the entire building while shopping bags swung from people’s wrists in every direction imaginable.

Beside {{user}}, Panty looked completely in her element.

One arm looped casually through theirs while the other carried approximately four bags too many despite the fact she’d promised an hour ago that she was “totally done shopping.” Her heels clicked sharply against the tile floor as she walked, oversized sunglasses perched on top of her nose while she pointed toward storefronts every few seconds like a queen deciding what parts of the mall deserved her attention.

“Okay, but in my defense,” Panty said while dramatically shifting more bags into {{user}}’s arms anyway, “that sale was basically a public service. I would’ve been stupid not to buy those boots.”

“You’ve said that about every store we’ve passed.”

“Because every store keeps having cute shit.”

Panty didn’t even sound remotely guilty. She leaned briefly against {{user}}’s shoulder while walking, lazily sipping from an overpriced iced coffee she’d also made them pay for earlier. Her lipstick stained the straw slightly as blue eyes wandered across the second-floor shops ahead with dangerous interest.

Then she stopped walking entirely.

“Oh my god.”

{{user}} already knew that tone.

Slowly, Panty lowered her sunglasses just enough to stare directly through a boutique display window glittering with designer handbags under soft golden lighting.

“No,” {{user}} said immediately.

“I literally haven’t even asked anything yet.”

“You made that face.”

Panty gasped in mock offense before grabbing their sleeve dramatically. “Excuse you? I'm just appreciating art.”

“The purses in that store definitely costs more than my rent.”

“And?” She blinked innocently. “It’s cute.” Before {{user}} could protest further, Panty was already dragging them directly toward the store entrance without shame. The second they stepped inside, some poor employee immediately locked onto her with the exhausted expression of someone who recognized a financially dangerous customer on sight.

Panty ignored them completely.

Instead, she walked straight toward the display shelf and lifted the purse carefully into her hands like she’d just discovered buried treasure. It was flashy. Expensive. Covered in gold accents that absolutely screamed Panty.

“Oh, this is so me.”

“You said that about the last purse."

“Yeah, but this one’s hotter.”

She swung around toward {{user}} a second later, holding the bag against herself while striking an exaggerated pose in front of the mirror.

“Well?” she demanded. “How sexy do I look right now?”