It's not a very good day.

Not for Matteo, at any rate. Today is one of those rare days when he has opted to wear pants to conceal the half of him that's visibly non-human, rather than slouch around in his absurdly long coat. The pants are cotton, black, of a baggy fit (because that's the closest thing to comfortable) and they happen to make him look pretty darn normal.

But they are staticky, and 'Teo can't stand having staticky fur.

The rest of his outfit is somewhat plain - a striped long-sleeved shirt in bland colors, and a newsie hat pulled low over his curly hair. Slung over his arm is a plastic bag, containing one or two girl's shirts.

....

No, they're not for him. Sheesh.

Too bad. The way girl's shirts cling to guy's chests is rather a pleasant sight, at least according to some persons. Guess what. Jetta is one of them.

She's still rather sore, because labor is not pleasant, and she's still rather more soft around the edges than used to be her wont, but she's had a visit to a tanning salon and a beauty salon and a spa and she is almost back to her old self.

Dead sexy, that is.

She is shopping for new clothes, because her old ones don't quite fit, and anyway, they're last year's stylish. Her arms are loaded with bags.

Well, they were.

"Hello, cutie." Yes, Matteo, she's talking to you. "Would you be a darling and carry these for me?"

And she doesn't wait for his answer, but loads him up with her purchases.

"Uh-" is all Matteo manages to say before his face is covered by an unexpected plastic bag. He juggles her purchases, trying to keep hold of them all. She didn't even give him a chance to refuse...

Not that he would have, mind you, but it was nice to have the option.

"Wh-...where to?" he asks, blinking at her over a newly-shifted bag. His hat's been slightly dislodged, making his face a little more visible... and possibly a little more familiar.

Oh, my, my, my...

Dave's little paramour. (No, nothing anyone could say would be enough to convince Jetta that she didn't see Dave with--or in the process of being with--another guy. The idea is just too funny.)

"Oh, I don't know... That store looks like fun."

And thus, she heads towards a store known for its expensive and stylish clothing, taking it for granted that 'Teo will follow.

"Umm,... alright," Matteo mumbles timorously.

He's not in any hurry to go elsewhere, so, bemused, he trails obediently after her. Meanwhile, he wracks his brain trying to think of where he might have met this girl before, and of why she seemed to know him.

Well, she was being so familiar with him, of course she must know him.

...She might be a little easier to remember if he'd actually met her before.

Unfortunately for Matteo's confusion, Jetta is often this familiar with any cute guy who happens to catch her eye. And as at the moment, she is suffering from a shortage of toys, well...

Into the store they go. Jetta picks out four or five things to try on and disappears into one of the little stalls.

"So, honey," her voice says through the door. "However did you meet Dave?"

The faun's confusion evaporates. She must be a friend of Dave's, and she must have seen him around. Simple as that.
Matteo likes simple solutions.

"Mm,... I j-just, uh, I bumped into him outside the theatre," he shrugs, carefully setting the packages down while he waits for her. "He gave me a tour of the place."

Jetta rolls her eyes, although 'Teo can't see it.

"Oh, I'll bet he did. He's crazy about that place." And, despite her best efforts, if it came to a conflict between the theatre and Jetta, Jetta always lost. (Thus her especial bitterness on the subject.)

"Did he take you up in the... oh, I forget what he called them."

The catwalks. He tried to take Jetta, once, but she tried to turn it into, well... an opportunity.

"Yeah,.. I, uh, I like the place. He let me watch a show once while he was working. It was pretty neat."

Blink.

"...I've been in the booth, is that what you mean?"

"No, the things. Above the stage, and the seats."

She comes out of the changing room dressed in something highly revealing and extremely flattering, then surveys herself in the mirror.

"Oh, did he? That's funny. He's forbidden me ever to go back to the place." Shrug. "It never much entertained me anyway."

She turns around.

"What do you think, honey?"

"Oh. Th-those? No. No, I, uh, don't take well to heights..."
It's not even the heights so much as the fact that he's clumsy and is constantly falling down, and he'd prefer not to fall from any great heights if he can help it.

"I...umm... I don't know..."
Matteo blushes fiercely, half embarrassed to be looking at her, and half too afraid she'll take offence if he looks away.
"Looks... nice? I really, I don't know..."

Jetta laughs gaily.

"You're cute when you blush, did you know that?"

She disappears to try on another outfit.

Silly Matteo.

"Has his ex tried to pull your hair out yet?"

"You're cute when you blush, did you know that?"

Matteo reddens further, tilting his face away.

"Um,... ex? Oh, her. Nnno.... No she hasn't..."
He neglects to mention that Violet is no longer Dave's ex, mainly because he's not aware of it himself.

"I'm surprised. The little dear was quite nasty to me."

That's because you tried to break them up, Jetta dear. Any girl with any sense would be nasty to you for that.

"Have you even met her yet?"

"Um,...yes. Once. Just for a minute or so... I was on my way out."

If Jetta listens, she might hear the soft, nervous tapping-scraping sound of a hoof pawing the floor.

"Ssso... How do you know Dave?"
He's just trying to make conversation, and this is all he can think of.

"Used to date him, hon. Then I got tired of taking third place to a motorcycle and a theatre."

That still annoys her.

How dared he pay more attention to something other than her?

Dave's never mentioned Jetta before.

"Oh. Okay."

Silence.
Well, except for the tapping-scraping sound.

Dave doesn't bring up Jetta unless someone else does first. Then he rants about her and informs his conversation partner that she is a bitch of the first order.

Which she is.

She laughs and comes out in something less revealing but tighter.

"What about this one, honey?"

"Um. Sure, th-that one's - nice."

And there is much blushing.
'Teo turns his head to one side, fidgeting with the bill of his hat.

"A-at least as nice as the last one."

Jetta grins and pats his shoulder.

In anyone else, it would have been a perfectly normal and innocent gesture. But this is Jetta.

She can make anything slutty.

"Poor baby. Am I embarrassing you?"

Well, duh.

"Wha-? No, no, I'm not - I mean... just, no," he babbles.

'No' because he thinks she'll take offence if he implies that the way she dresses is embarassing for any reason, and he really would prefer to avoid offending anyone. Especially a pretty girl... at least the sort that get frightening when they've been offended.

Her hand lifts and cups his cheek.

"Did I mention that you're adorable when you stammer?"

She's laying it on thick.

Perhaps too thick?

Matteo makes a small gulping sound, reminiscent of a fish out of water.

His eyes flick to the very unusual (to him) sight of a girl touching him, unprompted.
"Uh-" he emits another little choked sound "-...no?"

"That's right, it was blushing that I mentioned."

She grins and strokes his cheek.

"So, you and Dave still together, or are you available?"

... ahem.

Matteo's jaw drops at this last question, and there's a moment of stunned silence.

...It's kind of amazing he hasn't passed out. I don't think he's breathing.

Finally, though: "What? No, no, no, no. No! We never - I didn't - we were never - why would you think that? Gosh, no..."

He's not angry,... just completely flabbergasted.

"So you're available, then?"

She appears unfazed by his response.

Of course, having dated Dave for two months, she did know him well enough to know that he would sooner have all his limbs broken than date another guy, but still...

Mutely, he nods.

He'd like to protest some more about the complete impossibility of him ever being in a relationship with Dave, but his mental incredulity circuits have been blown, I think.