Shopping Spree gone Sideways
An Alleycat Crew Short
Kash had one job: stick to the damn list. They were nearly out of black tea and honey, the cabin air filter needed replaced, and grabbing some protein bars that didn't taste like regret would be nice.
Calynn, of course, had other plans.
The orbital market sprawled out like a living thing. Stalls stacked three levels high, neon signs in a dozen scripts, air thick with spice, ozone, and the faint promise of trouble. Calynn's hand was already in his, tugging him toward the brighter end.
"Essentials first," he reminded her, trying to sound firm.
She flashed that grin… the one he couldn’t ignore. His resolve faltered as his heart took over.
"Relax, beloved. We'll hit the boring stuff then… I just want to try on some jewelry!"
Kash tried to protest… he really did. But Calynn ended any argument when she spun into him, popped up on her toes, and kissed him. She knew exactly what that look in her eyes did to him. There was no real danger here, nothing to shield her from, and no good reason to say no. She rarely spent on herself, so if letting her raid their credits made her smile like that… then by the gods, she would.
“Care for a drink, sir?” A roaming vendor appeared, tray of small glasses filled with bluish liquid.
“How much?” Kash asked.
“Free, sir.”
“Why is it free?”
“It’s a new product. Trying to spread the word about its euphoric benefits.”
Kash glanced around at the high-end shops Calynn was eyeing. “Oh, good. It might lessen the pain to my wallet.”
Calynn giggled and slapped his arm playfully as he took a cup and downed half. Blueberries and static. Not bad. He finished it.
Big mistake.
The world didn't tilt right away. It crept in. Colors sharpened. The crowd's hum became distant music. And Calynn… by the gods, she looked like she belonged in movies or modeling on a runway, not here with him. She was already at the next stall, holding up a silver chain with a shifting-color pendant.
"What do you think?" She draped it across her collarbone, tilting her head.
Kash blinked. "Uh… shiny."
She smirked, said something that sounded like bubbling water, then tried on a ridiculous wide-brimmed hat that made her look like a rogue archaeologist. Each piece she modeled—twirling, asking "This one?" or "Too much?"—he tried to respond coherently.
"Looks… good. Really good."
Words swam through syrup. Stall lights pulsed with his heartbeat. The floor… swirling? No. Definitely not.
Calynn noticed. She stepped close, fingers brushing his jaw. "You okay in there, beloved?"
"Fine," he managed. "Just… everything's sparkly. You're extra sparkly."
She laughed—bright, delighted—and pulled him to the next aisle. Dresses now. Flowy fabrics like liquid starfields. She vanished behind a curtain, emerged in deep crimson that hugged every curve he knew by heart.
Kash's brain shorted. “We need… the list," he murmured. “That’s not…”
"We will get the stuff on the list… I just wanted to try this on." She spun slowly, hands smoothing the fabric down her belly to her hips. "Like it?"
He swallowed, gaze following her hands. "Like doesn't cover it."
She bought three outfits (and matching jewelry), haggling like a pro while Kash leaned against a beam, grinning like an idiot. The vendor tossed in extra earrings "for the pretty lady's handsome escort." He didn't argue.
Back on the ship—bags everywhere, head still buzzing—Calynn dumped it all in their bed and turned to him.
"You survived," she said, stepping close. "Even gave coherent compliments. Mostly."
He pulled her in, forehead to hers. "Next time, I'm drinking water."
She kissed him—soft, then deeper. "Next time, I'm picking something even shinier. And you're helping me try it on."
“Deal,” Kash groaned, smiling as he slid her shirt up her rib cage. “Especially if I get to take it off after."
“We can’t do that yet,” Calynn frowned. “We have to go back out first.”
“What? Why?”
“We didn’t get anything on the list.”
If market mishaps and sparkly distractions sound like your kind of chaos, Kash and Calynn have plenty more where that came from. Dive into The Nebula Royale to see what happens when their "quiet vacation" turns into full-blown disaster. Or join the mailing list for an exclusive crew short—first one's on me!
