"Huh, it is a mall." Shiro shrugged as he surveyed the area.
Keith snapped his fingers, "Pidge, I remember what we were supposed to do!" He quickly grabbed her hand and ran down the stairs to a strange jeweler.
Shiro sped after them with the other two in tow, "guys, we're supposed to stick together!"
"Wow! Who's that?!" The jewler wolf-whistled when Shiro entered.
Shiro noticed a sign that clearly stated, 'no shirt, no shoes, no service.'
"I am so sorry," he was about to leave but she climbed over the counter and dragged him over to the counter.
"That sign is over thirty deco-pheobs old. For some reason I can't get rid of it. Besides, you'd be the exception." She winked, she was a small lavender Galra with pierced ears and a black pixie cut. She wore a black dress with a knee-length circle skirt, sparkly sneakers, black fingerless gloves and a giant purple sweater.
Keith pushed aside the fact that she'd hit on Shiro and sighed, "Gatita, did you finish the things?"
"Almost, I was just about to start the last one, how 'bout you leave Mr. Universe, and his shirt, and go get whatever else you need?" Gatita suggested, with a slight purr.
Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Keith looked at their space dad, who was bright red, and to Gatita, who had pulled a black display case and set of tools out from her back room and set them on top of the counter. They then looked to one another and nodded.
"Can I see the list, Shiro?" Keith asked, being the most belivable liar out of all of them.
"Mmm..." Shiro eyed him suspiciously but still handed him the list.
"Thanks," Keith ran out the door, the others following after him.
"Quiznak," Shiro whispered under his breath.
"Hi," Gatita smiled sweetly, "want some tea?"
"What kind?"
"Peach?"
"Yeah, thanks."
She ducked under the counter and pulled out two mason jars labeled, 'peach.'
He picked one up and carefully inspected it.
"I made it myself," she smiled, pulling a pair of pliers out of her toolbox and artfully wrapping wire around a shark tooth. He shrugged and tried it.
"That's pretty good."
"I'm glad you like it," she cut the extra wire off, and welded the end to the back with a white-hot tool.
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"Very," she smirked, "but I guess you are too."
He did a spit-take, "what?"
"You've got scars all over you, and those kids told me how they acquired these little gems," she added, presenting a large black case with four shark tooth necklaces, each with the kanji for the paladins' names. Other than Shiro's.
"They wanted yours to be the biggest one," she placed the one she'd just finished putting on a chain in his hand. "They absolutely adore you... you're a little young to be a dad to those guys though."
"I guess that depends on your definition of a dad," Shiro smiled, watching the other paladins run back and forth across the mall.
He saw them finally head up to the shuttle, laden with bags and boxes, then return to the shop empty-handed.
"W-we took the stuff up to the shuttle," Hunk said breathlessly.
"Gatita, d-did you finish the things?" Keith gasped, leaning against the wall.
"I did, and I've already packed them," she handed the box to Lance after closing the lid.
"What is this?" Lance whispered to himself, examining the box.
"It was nice meeting you all, but you'd better get those kids back home," Gatita sighed sadly, putting a hand on Shiro's shoulder.
"Thank you for the tea," he smiled right before he walked out the door.
"No problem, it was the least I could do."
Having put the kids to bed, Shiro walked to the living room to finish cleaning up the board game they'd played. Upon finishing he picked up a book, and fell asleep on the couch.
