Something On My Mind (OC X Malty)

Get Down On It!

Eko turns to his friends with a nervous smile "Guys, can you guys go to the gig first? I'll catch up later." His friends look at him in surprise, but nod slowly. Paul claps Eko on the back. "Alright, mate. We'll save you a spot on stage. Good luck with... whatever this is!" As the others get out of the car, Eko turns to Malty. "Hey, let's go find you some clothes that fit better." He gets out of the car and holds the door open for her. Malty steps out, looking around curiously at the bustling streets of San Francisco

Eko leads Malty towards the cable car store, pointing out different sights along the way. "That's Fisherman's Wharf over there. And see those big hills? That's where we're headed now." Malty listens intently, asking questions every now and then. When they reach the souvenir shop, Eko pushes open the door and gestures for her to enter. "This place sells all kinds of cool stuff. Maybe we can find you something nice." Malty steps inside, her eyes widening at the colorful displays of clothing, mugs, magnets, and other souvenirs. She reaches out to touch a t-shirt with a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge on it. "What magic is this? How does the cloth show such vivid images?"

Eko chuckles at her wonder. "It's not magic, I promise. It's called printing. Let's find you something to wear." He starts browsing through the racks of shirts and pants. Malty follows close behind, picking up various items and examining them curiously. She holds up a "I love San Francisco" t-shirt "What does this mean? Why would someone wear their feelings on their chest?" Eko laughs. "Yeah, we don't usually wear our feelings like that. But maybe you'd like it?" Malty shakes her head, putting the shirt back. "No, I think not. What else do you recommend?" Eko picks up a pair of black fringed skirt and a plain black blouse. "How about these? They're pretty simple but look good on most people." Malty takes the clothes from him, looking at them thoughtfully. "Very well. I will try them on." She heads towards the dressing room, leaving Eko to wait outside

Malty stepped out of the dressing room, her face a mix of nerves and curiosity. Eko opened his mouth to compliment her new outfit, but before he could say a word, Malty's eyes narrowed. "Don't say a word!" she commanded, her voice low and warning. But Eko couldn't help himself. The sight of Malty in the simple yet elegant black outfit made his heart skip a beat. "You're beautiful..." he blurted out, his face turning red as soon as the words left his mouth. Malty's cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and without warning, she clenched her fist and punched Eko right in the gut. Oof  The sudden impact made Eko double over, gasping for breath.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Eko managed to wheeze out, his hands clutching at his stomach. He looked up at Malty, confusion and hurt in his eyes. Malty's face was still flushed, but now there was also a look of anger and embarrassment. "How dare you!" she hissed, her voice low but dangerous. "You shouldn't have said that! You shouldn't have looked at me like that!" Eko straightened up, wincing in pain but trying to understand Malty's reaction. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, It was just a compliment." he said softly, his hands still pressed against his sore stomach.

Eko decides to buy the outfit for Malty despite her anger. He takes a deep breath and walks over to the cash register. The cashier looks at them with a confused expression, probably noticing Malty's angry face and Eko's hurt look. Eko tries to smile and says, "Here, let me pay for that. It looks great on you." The cashier nods and starts to ring up the clothes. Malty looks shocked by Eko's sudden action. She opens her mouth to say something, then closes it, clearly not sure how to react. "You don't have to do this!" she mumbles, her voice softer now. Eko shakes his head, still hurting from her punch. "I want to. You need clothes that fit, and I like how you look in that outfit."

The cashier hands Eko the bag with the new clothes. Eko takes it and turns to Malty. "There you go. You can keep the outfit on if you want." Malty looks at the bag, then at Eko. For a moment, it seems like she might say thank you, but she doesn't. Instead, she snatches the bag from Eko's hand. "Fine. But don't think this means I owe you anything!" she says, but her voice doesn't sound as angry as before. Eko nods, still wincing in pain. "I don't think that. Let's just go, okay?" Malty nods and they both leave the store. Outside, the noise of Pier 39 hits them like a wall. Malty looks around, eyes wide at all the people and sounds. "This place is so loud and crowded. How do your people live like this?"