Stepping into the shopping mall, Anya's demeanor underwent a visible transformation. Her usual calm composure was replaced by a palpable enthusiasm; her eyes lit up, her steps quickened. She moved through the boutiques with a newfound energy, browsing through racks of clothing and accessories with an almost childlike wonder. Dimitri watched, a mixture of amusement and something else—perhaps a touch of awe—playing on his face. He found her enthusiasm strangely endearing. He observed her trying on different shirts, her face lighting up with each potential purchase.
He chuckled, finding her newfound zest for shopping amusing. "If you want to shop," he said, his voice warm and teasing, "you can buy the entire store. Seriously. Don't just try things on; buy as much as you want. I don't mind."
Anya, usually so composed and controlled, looked at him, surprised by his generosity. "Really?" she asked, a hint of disbelief and excitement in her voice. "I can buy anything I want? Okay, don't stop me. I'm going to buy as much as I want!" She launched into a shopping spree with a newfound and delightful abandon.
Dimitri, initially amused by her enthusiasm, found himself taken aback by her sudden transformation. "Is this the same Anya I know?" he wondered, a slight furrow in his brow. He watched as she effortlessly filled shopping bags with designer items, her earlier composure replaced by a joyful, almost manic energy. He couldn't help but smile. "Okay, fine," he said, a hint of wonder in his voice. "Buy as much as you want. Even if you bought the entire mall, it wouldn't make a dent in my bank account."
Anya continued her shopping spree, seemingly oblivious to the passing of time and the growing pile of shopping bags accumulating around her. Dimitri, observing her, finally spoke, a hint of amusement and curiosity in his voice. "Whoa, Anya," he said, "what's with the sudden enthusiasm? What's so joyful about spending all this money on designer bags and clothes?"
Anya, pausing momentarily in her shopping spree, looked at him, a thoughtful expression replacing her earlier manic energy. "It's my way of expressing myself," she explained, her voice softer now. "It's about finding joy in the little things—the feel of new clothes, the excitement of finding something I love. It's a way to treat myself and just…escape for a bit. It's a girl thing, I guess."
Dimitri chuckled, his playful smile returning. "If that's what makes you happy," he said, his voice warm and sincere, "I won't deny you that pleasure. As long as you're giving me your heart, I'm fine with your shopping hobby. It is kind of cute." He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, then moved it to her hip, pulling her slightly closer. "You can shop as much as you want," he murmured, his voice low and intimate.
Anya, instead of scolding him or expressing anger, simply smiled. "Okay, thanks," she replied, her voice surprisingly soft, a childlike enthusiasm still evident.
She resumed her shopping spree with renewed vigor, quickly accumulating more bags. Dimitri, seeing her delight, offered to help. "Can I carry some of those bags?" he asked.
Anya readily accepted. "Why not? These are getting heavy."
Dimitri took some of the heavier bags, his smile softening as he watched Anya's unbridled joy. He found her enthusiasm infectious, and her complete lack of pretense surprisingly endearing. He actually liked this side of her; it allowed her to shed her usual serious demeanor and be completely herself.Anya continued her shopping spree, seemingly oblivious to the passing of time and the growing pile of shopping bags accumulating around her. Dimitri, observing her, finally spoke, a hint of amusement and curiosity in his voice. "Whoa, Anya," he said, "what's with the sudden enthusiasm? What's so joyful about spending all this money on designer bags and clothes?"
Anya, pausing momentarily in her shopping spree, looked at him, a thoughtful expression replacing her earlier manic energy. "It's my way of expressing myself," she explained, her voice softer now. "It's about finding joy in the little things—the feel of new clothes, the excitement of finding something I love. It's a way to treat myself and just…escape for a bit. It's a girl thing, I guess."
Dimitri chuckled, his playful smile returning. "If that's what makes you happy," he said, his voice warm and sincere, "I won't deny you that pleasure. As long as you're giving me your heart, I'm fine with your shopping hobby. It is kind of cute." He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, then moved it to her hip, pulling her slightly closer. "You can shop as much as you want," he murmured, his voice low and intimate.
Anya, instead of scolding him or expressing anger, simply smiled. "Okay, thanks," she replied, her voice surprisingly soft, a childlike enthusiasm still evident.
She resumed her shopping spree with renewed vigor, quickly accumulating more bags. Dimitri, seeing her delight, offered to help. "Can I carry some of those bags?" he asked.
Anya readily accepted. "Why not? These are getting heavy."
Dimitri took some of the heavier bags, his smile softening as he watched Anya's unbridled joy. He found her enthusiasm infectious, and her complete lack of pretense surprisingly endearing. He actually liked this side of her; it allowed her to shed her usual serious demeanor and be completely herself.As they returned to the mansion in the LaFerrari, Anya was still buzzing with the excitement of her shopping spree, her face radiating happiness. Dimitri, watching her, felt a quiet contentment settle over him. "It's nice to see her like this," he thought, a warmth spreading through his chest. "For a few precious moments, I could be romantic with her. It's… surprisingly pleasant." He found himself appreciating her genuine joy, and it felt good to be the one who brought her this happiness.
"Well," he said, breaking the comfortable silence, "it's getting late. We should head home."
Back at the mansion, Dimitri, exhausted from the day's activities, went straight to bed. Anya, however, paused before entering her room, drawn to Dimitri's still form. She found herself studying him, her heart beating a little faster. "Why am I doing this?" she murmured internally, her thoughts swirling with a mixture of affection and apprehension. "I like him, I really do, but this feels… wrong. I adopted him when he was sixteen and I was nineteen. It wasn't a formal adoption, but I took him in and cared for him ever since his father..." The memory tugged at her heart. "He's my responsibility, not a romantic prospect. But… I can't help how I feel." She sighed, her feelings a tangled mess of affection and guilt. Knowing she shouldn't, she found herself reaching out to gently touch his hair. With a final, lingering look, she withdrew, heading to her own room, leaving Dimitri to his sleep.