#ramandusdaughter

[demonwithabookshop]

+3 have entered the Bookshop.

The overly friendly bell dinged again, signalling for Scarlett to get her ass up and actually work, rather than sit at her desk reading and drinking tea. She pushed herself off of her chair and looked at the new customer, smiling too brightly for her usual self.

"Welcome to Start Another Story, may I help you?

[consultingsister-archive]

+ [ 2 ] turned up;

+ramandus-daughter

+whiskeyandriffs

    "You don't have any wonderful cures for a cold that a smart mother or grandmother told you? So I can avoid the doctors..."

[imnotbeingfunny-but]

00:00:00 - ramandus-daughter

The numbers had ticked steadily down for his entire life but it was only in the last few days that it had created the ominous ache in the centre of his chest. He'd gone about his normal day and found himself on a deserted path winding along the river as the 1 minute signal came up. Allan swallowed nervously. Nobody seemed to be around, so he sat down on the ground beside the swell of water and waited. He'd never really believed in the whole soulmates thing, rebelling even at the very presence of the numbers on his wrists. He'd never gone to the weddings of friends, never bothered with the congratulations cards, and now Allan wondered if doing so would have prepared him for this moment. 10 seconds arrived, and he heard footsteps, but refused to look up. Still denying it. His blue eyes fixed on the number as it hit zero and the footsteps ceased, right in front of him. Allan accepted his fate.

"Lilli?!" Incredulous as he was, a small smile appeared on the fair-haired man's face.

[imnotbeingfunny-but]

"Well, I think I can see a few grey hairs, you know?" She giggled.

"What? No way." The expression on Allan’s face turned suddenly to a frown and he wheeled around, but found no reflective surface in which to examine his hair. "Are you joking with me?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

[imnotbeingfunny-but]

"Ah yes! A happy new year to you also."

"Well, best we can hope for is not to get frozen this winter. That’ll make it a good year for me!" Allan replied, before realising his words and rolling his eyes heavily. "Look at boring old me. Talking about the weather, now! I must be getting old." He laughed.

[imnotbeingfunny-but]

"Merry Christmas, outlaw."

"Merry Christmas, blondie!" Allan kissed her hand with a flourish and a grin. "And a happy new year as well."

[imnotbeingfunny-but]

Lilli's eyebrows furrowed. She was confused at his response, having never received one like it before. She blinked, trying to think of something to say - nothing came to mind. But she lifted her head and mimicked his smile, unsure of how to reply.

The smile seemed like a good sign at least and Allan chuckled lightly, dropping his touch on her and beginning to walk once more. The ground was hard given the recent frosts and his boots landed with a dull thump as he stepped beside the blonde. “Go on then, I won’t pretend I’m not interested. How does a girl be a… star as well?” Allan’s voice was a little uncertain - but he could see how crushed Lilli had been when he had first joked over it. Maybe asking questions was a better tack to get her to open up.

[imnotbeingfunny-but]

"Allan.." Lilli began in the same hushed tone, "..I am, one thousand, seven hundred and sixty seven years old." She spoke as if she were suddenly ashamed of her home, ashamed of what she was and how different she was. She sighed, letting her head drop again.

"OK…" Allan imitated her hesitant, quiet voice, looking straight at her with his eyes widening in surprise. "Well, you don’t half look good for over a thousand.  Wouldn’t have put you a day over twenty." Charming as ever, he grinned and lifted her chin once more, trying to get her to reflect his smile. If he was honest with himself, he didn’t truly understand what she was saying, but he so hated to see her downcast.