Feelings Sold Separately - Aemond Targaryen

Chapter Six - The Shoes

Aemond Targaryen

The 'Stark' mall was Aemond's favourite. The people who ran the stores had known him since he was a kid, and he knew the layout by the back of his hand. "Wow." Maysie whispered next to him as they walked in. The grand main courtyard had white and grey marble flooring and a big fountain in the middle. "This is not the 'dress casual' kind of place." She nudged his arm.

She had gotten on him in the car a second time about how underdressed she was, but by the time they left the mall she would have a plethora of options in the future if she wished to dress as 'fancy' as him. He liked her casual look though. It was her, a simple pair of blue worn jeans and the well loved green sweater showed her dedication to things, he thought it was cute and endearing.

"Enough of that." Aemond shook his head, grabbing her hand in his as he led her to the first store on his mental checklist.

'Melcom's' was a smaller store compared to some others in the mall. It didn't have a second floor or it's own coffee shop inside, but it did have plenty of aisles filled with shoes, and plush leather chairs, couches, and benches litter the store. "Aemond." Shela greeted him, two attendants behind her as she walked towards him and Maysie, the two of them still holding hands. "It's been quite a while." She smiled politely, referring to the two months he'd been away, no girl to bring in with him. Not until now.

"This is Maysie." Aemond gestured to the silent woman next to him, a nervous smile popping up on her face. "She needs some new work shoes." He nodded towards the worn sneakers she had on.

"Right." Shela gave him another polite smile, finally looking at Maysie. "What size shoe are you, dear?"

"I'm not sure." Maysie answered. "I got these at a thrift store, they didn't have a size, they just fit." She admitted, absentmindedly twirling a ring on Aemond's finger.

Aemond could see Shela's face twist, no doubt a rude comment on the tip of her tongue. She was always testy with the girls Aemond brought in, but today she seemed more than willing to show her passive aggressive abilities. "Shela will help you find your size." Aemond gave Maysie's hand a small squeeze. "You'll find us when you're ready?" Aemond disguised his command as a question, Shela nodding her head as she went to get her supplies.

"I don't think she liked me." Maysie whispered, walking alongside Aemond as he found them a couch to sit on.

"She doesn't like anyone." Aemond reassured.

✩ . ☽ . ☼ . ☾ . ✩

After Maysie was fitted a cart of running shoes was rolled over, black and white trainers lining each shelf. "I'll take it from here." Aemond said, the attendant looking confused for a second before running along.

"Don't we need their help?" Maysie asked, her head swivelling as she watched the man jog back to the storage room.

Aemond shook his head. "I'm more than capable of helping you try on shoes." He pulled the legs of his slacks up an inch before squatting down in front of her. "Let's get these off first." He mumbled, untying her shoes, hating how thin the laces had become over, no doubt, years of use.

"I can do that, Aemond." Maysie rushed, a hint of embarrassment lacing her words as she tried to push his hands off. "Hey!" She pouted as Aemond pinned her wrists together with one hand.

"I appreciate your willingness to help, Little Dragon." He caught her eyes with his. "But stop putting up a fight every time I do something nice for you." She nodded, gently pulling her hands from his, sitting back against the couch as he continued. "Which ones do you like best?" He asked, the two of them looking at the many pairs of runners.

"I like the blue ones, I think." She nodded, the light blue pair of sneakers soon on her feet. "They feel comfortable." She wiggled her feet.

"Walk around in them." Aemond stood, staring down at Maysie as she looked at him with confusion. "Walk around in them." He instructed again, gesturing to the many aisles of walking space.

"Why?" She questioned.

"So we know if they really do fit, come on, stand." He squatted back down as she stood, checking where her toes were, making sure she wasn't lying when she said they fit. "Go on." Maysie huffed as she began walking, but came back with a smile on her face.

"They're really comfortable!" She beamed, the pure joy on her face something Aemond knew he couldn't get enough of.

"Good, let's get you a second pair." He looked at the box, finding the same pair in a different colour on the cart. "Those can be for everyday, and these ones can be for work." He held up the same pair in black. "That way they don't show any stains." He reasoned.

"Oh, right." Maysie nodded. "I'll just get those ones then, you're right, I don't want these to get stained." She sat down, untying the shoes.

"Leave those on." Aemond remarked, giving her his best 'don't test me' look.

"I don't need two pairs of shoes, Aemond."

"No you don't, you need at the very least five pairs of shoes, but I'm willing to settle on just two pairs today." Aemond knew she wouldn't be ready to jump feet first into getting spoiled, but at the same time he wasn't going to let his girl have one boring pair of sneakers. "I'm going to go pay, I'll be right back."

"Aemond, you don't have to get me both pairs." Maysie stressed.

"No, but I want to." He walked away before she could argue or plead some more, stopping to tell the attendant they didn't want anything else from the kart.

"Find everything you need, Aemond?" Shela gave another polite smile.

"Yes, we'll take the two pairs of runners to go, but I'd like a whole shoe profile made up for Maysie and sent to my house." Aemond rattled off specific brands he wished to have delivered before adding a polite. "Please."

"Of course, we can have it delivered in a week or so." She looked shocked, confused even. Sure Aemond bought lots of shoes for the girls he brought here, but not once did he want a full 30 pairs of shoes custom fit sent to his house, shoes that weren't for him to wear.

As Aemond waited for his total to be rung up he gazed over at Maysie, she had stayed put, staring at the shoes on her feet, bumping them together every once in a while. When she caught him looking at her she blushed, turning away.

He laughed. Maysie was different, she wasn't scared of him and she didn't view him as a wallet to use and abuse. She was shy around him, sure, but she also had a spitfire personality that he enjoyed. "Sir." An attendant handed him his bag and card back. "What would you like me to do with her old shoes?" His voice was panicky.

"Throw them out." He roughly answered, not wanting to see the sorry excuse of a shoe again. Aemond didn't want Maysie's past of only having the bare minimum to loom over her, from here on out she'd only have the best things possible, starting with a baby blue pair of sneakers she already seemed to be fond of.