Hot Topic was a great store.
It was a welcoming environment for those who were either emo or were too geeky for normal clothes, or just wanted small little trinkets and objects for their favorite anime series or band.
And, this may come as a shocker, but Zane was really starting to grow out of his Hot Topic "Phase". It wasn't that he disliked the popular store, it was actually quite the opposite. He loved going there, but he couldn't anymore. Hot Topic was ruined. Why?
Gene worked there now.
Gene was Zane's idol. The young raven haired male would follow his every command and example, being so obsessed to the point where he nearly gave up himself to Gene. The older male had just been so... appealing to the eye and so cunning and sly, rough yet gentle and caring... if only with close, close friends and family.
He sighed quietly, following his older brother as he roamed the store called American Eagle. Their parents had sent him and his two brothers, Garroth and Vylad, to do some clothes shopping for the upcoming school year. He wasn't a big fan of these stores obviously, but if he was going to change up his fashion sense, it was a good place to start.
"Oh, baby brother!" Garroth smiled at him, pressing a shirt to his chest. "I think it suits you!"
"I... It's pink..." Zane sighed, cringing a bit at the bright color. "Isn't there a black one..? Or white one..? .... Stop giving me that look."
"I can't help it, baby brother." He laughed a bit, changing his expression.
"Don't give me that look either!" He scowled, looking away hurriedly.
"What's wrong with this one?" His older brother asked, sighing.
"You were giving me one of THOSE looks." He asnwered, and went on from the confused look he got. "A Laurance Look."
"...... Don't tell father." He begged, his eyes widening. "Zane, I'll give you anything. I'll even let you play on my game console, just don't tell father."
"Tell Garte what?" Vylad asked, coming up to them. "That you were looking at Zane like you wanted to get in his pants?"
"Vylad!" Garroth scolded in a low whisper, hitting him in the back of the head. "Don't say that out loud!"
Vylad nodded, blushing from embarrassment as a few people gave them sideways glances. Zane immediately recognized one of them to be a student who went to their high school, just one of the many females who would obsess over Garroth.
"Let's just finish getting clothes." Zane suggested, and his brothers wordlessly agreed to do so.
~~~~
Thankfully, Zane had survived the mall without running into Gene.
But he had had his brothers with him then, and there were security officers in the mall. Here at the park, however, was a different story. Zane didn't know what hours Gene worked his shifts at Hot Topic, but he made sure to stay clear of the Shadow Knight territory just in case. He knew Sasha and Zenix would probably be around the area, but the only one he had to worry about was Zenix.
Sasha would just bully him verbally and, at worst, would dunk his head into the fountain or lake. Zenix, on the other hand, would ram into him like a bull and beat him to a bloody pulp. The last time Zenix had gotten a hold on him, he lost two teeth... and the Tooth Fairy didn't stop by. (Le gASP--)
To put it simply, if you got caught in the Shadoe Knight territory, there were two options you had. Either Sasha or Zenix, maybe Gene if you were REALLY unlucky and unfortunate... and trust Zane, you better pray to every Divine in existence that you get stuck with Sasha.
