The Dregs vs. IKEA

Inej

We walk through the store in silence at first, Nina, Matthias, Kaz, and I.

Matthias looks like a kid in a candy store, and Nina is just smiling at him, but Kaz and I stay silent. I'm trying to play nice with him, but I think we both know we need to talk, especially now that we'll be living in the same house.

I keep glancing at him, at least trying to see if he'll look at me, but he keeps staring ahead with his jaw slack and his eyes blank showing no emotion. He's probably thinking about how he can get out of here sooner then later.

"Do you like this?" Nina finally says something, to Kaz. She's holding a black and white art piece of a bunch of birds. It suits his aesthetic I must say. It's a little too on brand.

"Yeah that's fine," he replies. I sounds like he's snapping out of a trance. I can't imagine what's up with him.

"That's a bit dark, but it suits you," Matthias pipes in. "It'll go lovely with maybe some dark blue curtains and maybe a light.

"I like how you think," Nina says giggling at her love. "My little interior designer."

"Yup. Sounds good," Kaz says in a board tone. I can almost see the walls he's building as the seconds tick by. He seems to always do this when we go out in public. He shuts down, even if he's with his friends. It must be an image thing.

We continue walking around the store, Matthias and Nina picking out things, me piping in every now and then, and Kaz not caring.

Well... not caring until Matthias suggested we get a fern in a black pot.

"Fuck no," Kaz states. "I'm not turning my room into a garden. That thing will just die in a week."

"C'mon," Matthias argues. "It'll brighten up the place a little. Everything we have so far is so dark and sad."

"A dead plant won't help with that."

"You're so stubborn," Matthias grumbles.

"It's one of my best qualities," Kaz retorts, crossing his arms.

"Ohhhh bed sheets!" Nina explains already forgetting the argument her boyfriend and friend were having.

"OHHHH," Matthias forgets too. "WERE GETTING A BRIGHT COLOR KAZ. YOU CANT ARGUE THIS TIME."

"I hate this," Kaz says to himself. I can't help but smile.