Whoville
10 years Ago
　

　　Her anxiety has risen since she left Mount Crumpit; hands trembling and mouth drying, nerves buzzing and heart jum-jumbling. She was nervous about seeing Martha May Whovier again. The woman had left such an impression the other night that the Grinch couldn't possibly think of anything else, but the way Martha had smiled and talked to her like she had always belonged in Whoville.

　　The Grinch approached Snowbelle's Boutique at five minutes to noon, and she was surprised to find that the Whos had not tricked her. For there, through the store window, was none other than Martha May Whovier. She was wearing a blue dress again, and her chestnut colored hair was styled in waves that framed her face.

　　Beautiful, the Grinch thought, her heart thump, thump, thumping.

　　She noticed then that Martha May was with someone, and for a moment, she felt a fire crackling in the pit of her stomach, but those embers were put out when she realized the head of blonde hair belonged to the woman from the pub. It was Martha May's friend, Noelle, who had sung the song Last Christmas.

　　The Grinch shook her head and sucked in a sharp breath before stepping inside the store, the bell above her head giving a welcoming chime.

　　Martha May turned her head at the sound of the bell, and a grin spread across her face when she spotted the Grinch. "I was beginning to think that you would not show your face," she teased lightly.

　　The Grinch responded with a shrug. "When you are a recluse for so long, one can simply not turn down the opportunity for a shopping spree."

　　Noelle grinned, seemingly pleased with their company, or at the very least, what the Grinch had said. She always was the type of Who to shop until she dropped. Literally. Just last year, she had gotten so excited about a sale at her favorite shop she fainted and Martha May had to catch her so she wouldn't hit her head.

　　"Martha May said that I would like you, and as usual, she is correct." Noelle extended her hand toward the Grinch. "My name is Noelle Bensen Who, by the way. It is lovely to meet you, Grinch."

　　Remembering the manners that her mother had taught her so long ago, the Grinch eyed the extended hand before reaching out to shake it with the faintest of smiles. "Nice to meet you, Noelle."

　　"Grinch," Noelle then said, as though tasting the name on her tongue for a moment. "Surely, there is another name that we can call you by, yes? A name of such taste should not belong to a woman of such beauty."

　　The Asgardian hesitated. Of course, she had another name, but she wasn't Saga anymore. She hadn't been for a long time. Saga died in Asgard at the hands of someone she thought had been her friend. She was the Grinch now, and evermore.

　　"No," she replied after a moment of silence. "I have no other name. Grinch is what you may call me."

　　"How unfortunate," Noelle frowned. She couldn't help thinking, how could a mother ever name her child such a thing? If she ever had a daughter, or even a son, she would never give them such a hated name.

　　"Unfortunate, indeed," Martha May agreed.

　　"But if that is what you wish to be called, it is not our place to say otherwise," Noelle continued, and Martha May nodded in agreement. "If my grandfather taught me one thing, it was respect." She then clapped her gloved hands together, a grin spreading across her face that made her eyes crinkle up around the edges. "Now, Grinch, what should we have you try on first?"

　　The Grinch chuckled lightly at the woman's display of enthusiasm. "I, um . . ." She glanced down, where tattered boots that had seen one too many days covered her cold feet. "I guess I could use a new pair of boots . . ."

　　"Well, then a new pair of boots, it is! Come on!" Noelle took the Grinch by her arm and began dragging the woman down various aisles until they reached the shoe department, and the Grinch's eyes widened at the amount of footwear that were lined across the walls and stacked upon swirling, tree-shaped shelves. There were so many, and all in a variety of sizes and styles and colors.

　　Martha May wore a mischievous smirk as she reached for the pair of furry emerald boots on the wall. She then turned around and walked over to the Grinch, thrusting them into the woman's chest. "Green, I think, will suit you well."

　　The Grinch stared down at the pair of furry boots with a growing smirk as she recalled her conversation with Martha May the day before. She looked up, meeting Martha May's eye for only a moment, before the Who winked and walked away to continue looking for something else for her to try on.

　　"Well, sit down, try them on!" Noelle insisted, pulling the Asgardian from her thoughts. She grabbed the Grinch by the arm once more and pushed the woman down onto the bench so she could try on the boots. "It's always best to try them on in the store. I didn't once, and I ended up having to return them because they didn't end up fitting my feet. Never going to make that mistake again. I almost missed my performance at the Poinsettia Pub that night because the customer service was absolutely dreadful. They had me waiting in line for almost twenty minutes."

　　"That was rude of them," the Grinch uttered as she kicked off her tattered boots she got from the dump last year and pulled on the furry emerald pair.

　　"Tell me about it," Noelle sighed as she leaned up against a shelf.

　　Once she had both furry boots on her feet, the Grinch stood up and couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. They were extremely comfortable. So soft and so warm. She felt as though she was walking on a cloud in them.

　　"Well?" Noelle asked, eager to know how they fit and if the woman liked them before she gave her own opinion.

　　The Grinch looked up at the blonde and smiled. "I like them very much."

　　Noelle grinned, and her eyes crinkled around the edges. As always, it seemed. "Oh, yay!" She clapped her gloved hands. "I was hoping you would say that because they look wonderful on you! I do believe that Martha May was right when she said that green was your color."

　　"Yes," the Grinch agreed, a faint smirk playing on her lips as she stared down at the pair of furry emerald boots. "I do believe so."

　　"Oh wonderful, you've tried them on," Martha May said as she re-joined them, holding various shades of green dresses in her arms. "Do they feel as good as they look?"

　　"It is like I'm walking on a cloud," the Grinch replied.

　　"Splendid," Martha May smiled. "Next is a dress. You'll need something that will turn heads the next time we get drinks done at the Poinsettia Pub. Don't you think, Noelle?"

　　"Yes," the blonde agreed. "Absolutely. A new dress is just what I was thinking. You read my mind, Martha May. Now, let's see what you've found here." As the two women looked through the stack of green dresses that Martha May had found, the Grinch stood there in silence, completely surprised.

　　She had only met Martha May and Noelle the other night, and now they were acting as though they had been friends with her for years. Not only had they invited her to go shopping with them today, but they were already making plans for them to get together in the future. The Grinch couldn't help but smile, for she never had many friends, not for a good long while.

　　"Grinch!" Noelle called, snapping the woman from her thoughts.

　　The Asgardian blinked. "Sorry. Um, what was it you said?"

　　Martha May held up the first of what the Grinch knew was going to be many dresses that she would try on today. It was a lighter shade of green with flowers across the torso, a long flowing skirt and lacey sleeves that would hang loosely down her shoulders to her biceps. "We think you should try this one first. It's not exactly the same color as your new boots, but it will certainly make the different shades of green pop."

　　"Well, alright," the Grinch said, taking the Who's word for it. If Martha May said that the dress and boots would match, then so be it. She trusted her advice with fashion, especially since Martha May dressed so beautifully herself.

　　Taking the dress, the Grinch headed toward the line of dressing rooms. She closed the door before taking off her clothing and leaving on her tattered and awkwardly sewn undergarments. Slipping the dress up her hips, she then struggled to zip it up for several moments before giving up and stepping out of the dressing room with the back flaps hanging wide open. The only thing keeping it on her body was the hand she had pressed against her stomach.

　　Martha May and Noelle perked up as they watched her exit the dressing rooms. Their faces lit up, and Martha May was about to say something, but the Grinch beat her to it.

　　"I can't seem to get the zipper," she said, a little flustered. The Grinch never had to deal with zipping up a dress until now. The dresses she had always worn in Asgard were silks and needed no zippers, seeing as metal clips held them up.

　　"Here, let me help," Martha May offered, and the Grinch nodded, turning around. She felt her heart race as Martha May's fingers brushed against her bare skin. Slowly, it seemed, the zipper was pulled upwards, and the entire time, the Grinch felt like her heart was going to explode. "There we are!"

　　With a clear of her throat, the Grinch turned around, smoothing her hands down the lace skirt. "Thank you."

　　Martha May smiled and nodded her pretty head before guiding the Grinch toward the full-length mirror along the wall. The Grinch, with some slight hesitance in her step, approached the mirror, and she was shocked by what she found staring back at her.

　　It had been centuries since she had last worn a dress, especially a dress as beautiful as this one. Even her hair, which the Grinch had spent almost an hour brushing before she left, looked fitting. She didn't even recognize herself, if she was being honest. It was like a whole new her, and she quite liked it.

　　"Well," Martha May said, "what do you think of the dress?"

　　"I like it," the Grinch beamed, turning to face the Whos, "very much."

　　"I had a feeling that you would," Martha May winked. "Now, while you change into a new dress, I'm going to find you something that will match this one. I'm thinking maybe a necklace? Or maybe a pair of earrings. Or . . . wait. Do you have your ears pierced?"

　　"Yes, I do," the Grinch nodded. "But . . . are you sure that I need jewelry as well? These boots and this dress are already so much, and I have little money to begin with . . ."

　　"Oh, but jewelry will tie the entire outfit together, trust me!" Martha May insisted. "And don't worry about the money, I will get you whatever you need."

　　"As will I," Noelle agreed.

　　The Grinch shook her head. "You don't have to buy me anything at all."

　　"We insist," Martha May said with a smile as she reached out to take the Grinch's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. "I know where you live, and I know where everything you own comes from, so please, let us give you a new wardrobe. It's the least that we can do to apologize on behalf of all the hateful Whos."

　　"Besides, you need warmer clothes for the winter," Noelle added. "This is going to be one of the coldest Christmases in years, I'll have you know. My grandfather's closest friend is a meteorologist, and he knows this for certain. We can't have you freezing to death up there in your cave."

　　The Grinch felt as though she could cry, for it had been far too long since anyone had cared about her like Martha May and Noelle did. But she didn’t. She wouldn't. So she smiled at them instead. "I don't know what to say . . ."

　　"You don't have to say anything at all," Noelle assured. "All you have to do is try on a few more dresses. We want to get you at least two of them for nice occasions, and then we can move on to trying on some pants, skirts, jackets and whatnot."

　　"Here," Martha May said, thrusting an emerald and gold dress into the Grinch’s arms, "try this one on next."

　　The Grinch nodded and retreated into the dressing room to try on the second dress. This one was much darker than the other, an emerald beauty patterned with sparkling gold across the torso, long sleeves and skirt. She put the first dress back on the hanger and slipped the new one on, finding it was more comfortable and warmer than the first dress. She stepped out of the dressing room so Martha May could zip up the back of her dress again, but found only Noelle standing there, which made her frown.

　　"Is it the zipper again?" Noelle asked, receiving a nod in response. "Here, let me help you." The Grinch, with some mild disappointment, turned around so that the blonde woman could help zip up the back of the dress. She had hoped it would be Martha May that did it for her again, but she was grateful all the same to not feel that odd draft from the store's air conditioning on her bare back.

　　"Thank you," the Grinch murmured once Noelle had finished with the zipper. She turned, glancing around the store in search of the beautiful brunette whose company she couldn't help but yearn for. "Where did Martha May go?"

　　"Oh, she went looking for jewelry, remember?" Noelle reminded her.

　　"Oh, right."

　　"Come, let us have a look," Noelle said, guiding the Grinch toward the full-length mirror. They stood side by side with each other, and stared ahead in the mirror, taking in the emerald and gold dress and how it looked. Noelle nodded approvingly after a moment. "You look amazing. I think I might like this dress more than the other one. What do you think?"

　　The Grinch nodded, smoothing her hands over the gold on the sleeves. "Me too. Dark colors have always been my preference. And this dress is much warmer than the other one, and fits more comfortably, too."

　　"You should get it," Noelle encouraged. "It looks so lovely on you, you'll surely have the attention of everyone in Whoville. Every man will yearn to know your name."

　　The Grinch went to say something, but all words escaped her when she saw Martha May in the mirror, smiling with a man. She whipped around, eyes narrowing in on them from across the store. "Who is that?" she asked Noelle. "The man with Martha May."

　　Noelle turned, following her gaze. "Oh, that's Augustus Maywho, he's the Mayor of Whoville."

　　"Are they . . . together?" the Grinch asked before she could even stop herself.

　　The question had Noelle smirking as she observed how the Grinch was staring at Martha May from afar. "No, Augustus is not her boyfriend," she assured. "But I know he desires to be. He has been fond of Martha May since we were children. She doesn't feel the same way, though, at least I don't believe so. If she did, I'm sure they would have dated and been married a long time ago."

　　Noelle's words brought both relief and concern to the Grinch's heart. It relieved her that Augustus Maywho wasn't courting Martha May like she had first suspected. But she was worried about whether Martha May felt the same way about him. Oh, how she really hoped not.

　　The Grinch glared daggers at the Mayor for another moment before turning away. She faced the full-length mirror again, forcing a smile onto her face as she tried not to think about the Mayor and Martha May. She then asked Noelle what she planned on buying today, hoping that the change of topic would distract herself from her thoughts.

　　But it didn't.

　　All the Grinch could think about as the minutes ticked by was whether Martha May Whovier felt the same way for Augustus Maywho as he did for her. The simple thought of the Mayor holding Martha May's hand like she got to the other night at the pub made her blood boil.

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a/n: In case you hadn't noticed, I decided against making this fic a Dr. Seuss book by having everything rhyme all the time. Honestly, it was driving me insane doing that. But I will still have small rhymes here and there!

Also, in case you were all wondering, here are some visuals of the two dresses featured in this chapter!