[Sunset Falls] Respite (Lillis + Cerus)

[Lillis]

She took his hand without even giving it a second thought. Odd, considering that she was always extremely cautious not to make physical contact with new people. But he had somehow disarmed her, charmed her, and so she slipped her hand into his.

But she did not make it to her feet before the vision started. A milky-white film covered her large, round eyes and she went stiff as the images began to flash in her mind. She saw him turning; she saw him smiling, gesticulating as though in a performance for children. She could peer past him in this vision, she beyond his head, over his shoulder, but she could not make out a face.

She sensed, rather than saw, the knife that would be his end. What she was was his eyes rolling up and back; what she saw was him falling to his knees. And he was not so very old at all.

The vision cleared, and so did the milk-white film over her eyes. And when she was returned to the present, she was clinging to him, her arms wrapped around his neck as though she might be able to hold onto him, protect him.

After a few moments and a few panting breaths, she realized that he had no concept of what had just happened -- in his experience, a crazy girl had just thrown her arms around him and hung on for dear life. So, she cleared her throat and backed away, making a show of smoothing her skirts out over her legs. "So, what -- ah... what was it we were... going to do?"

[Cerus]

The outside possibility that this would actual happen had been somewhere far back in his mind. He had only prepared for it in the most minor of ways, one single passing thought just then. Then, the stupidest thing he could have possibly said came out.

"Are you--" He at least stopped himself before he could say 'well?' at least. Normally he could tell when someone was acting, and she wasn't. When she backed away he looked down quickly to smooth out his own clothes.

"I think I would have to work on that for quite a while." Was what he finally managed.

[Lillis]

A blush rose into her cheeks then and she kept her eyes locked firmly on the ground beneath her feet. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I hadn't intended to..." throw myself at a total stranger while simultaneously having a vision of how they would die while subsequently startling said stranger and making a terrible first impression. "I'm sorry."

She paused for a moment, venturing a glance upward. "I... see things and when I do, I'm not... here. I'm not really here when I have my visions. I'm... elsewhere. Decidedly elsewhere." She crinkled her nose, and peered at him through a forest of thick, dark lashes. "I can't really explain it."

[Cerus]

Sometimes, from his mask slipped out an unbridled emotion. This was one of those times when he just smiled brightly and laughed. "Ah." He said to get ahold of himself. Fate would not be denied, tempt her and she would appear.

"I have brought it upon myself, to be momentarily--thrown. I'm sorry if I caused that. I should've asked first." No, that wasn't right. Asked her to take his hand? "No, that's not what I meant."

Flustered now, he just stopped speaking to get his bearings.

[Lillis]

"No, not at all," she said, holding a hand up in protest. "Please, don't apologize. I'm usually much more careful, I just got... all wrapped up. I..." she heaved a sigh and tucked a few errant yellow curls behind her ear. "I usually wear gloves." A pause. "No, that's a lie, I always forget to wear them, but I try to remember to always wear gloves. Anyway." She gave a shake of her head and took several careful steps back. "I should go. It was nice meeting you. Sorry about the... thing."

[Cerus]

"Are you going to Syliras? Or were you on your way from there?" He said after she was finished. "Just in case you are going, or planning to come back someday you can usually find me in the bazaar." As it has been for the better part of a season. Longer than most places, but he was waiting until the Inverted eventually made their way. And then? Well, then things would really begin to roll.

"I wasn't put off by your lack of gloves." That was the best way to sum up the situation in his mind. "But if you are taking your leave it was a pleasure to meet you." He half bowed, a charming little smile playing at his lips.

[Lillis]

"Yes," she replied, still moving away. "Syliras. I have a... I'm a fortune-teller. I'm not hard to find." It was difficult to explain -- she had seen his death in her vision and as such she had no desire to remain in his presence.

At least, for now.

There was something casually disarming about him, and she almost made herself turn around and sit back down to hear a story. Instead she said, "I'll come find you if you don't find me first. You owe me a story."

[Cerus]

"Just look for the crowd." Ever self-confident he flashed a smile. "In case you need a reminder." The papers and materials that had been tucked away earlier were looted with quick hands as he folded a paper in front of her in the blink of an eye.

"Here." It was a snowflake, folded and interfolded in think strips of color. "Put it in your pocket." He was careful to hold one end and offer her the other since she was sans gloves. "It was lovely to meet you." Roxx, overwith the whole affair came over to nudge Cerus in the shoulder. It was time to eat and he wanted his grains, was what that meant. Cerus took it as an impatient uppity mount and frowned.

"Yes, we are going."

[Lillis]

She took the snowflake delicately and held it gently between two lithe fingers; her lips were slightly parted in surprise at the charming offering. "Thank you," she murmured, on the wings of a whisper, as she admired the paper.

Lifting her gaze from the snowflake to his face, she offered a smile that lighted her pale blue eyes: "I will find you."

oocEnd here? We should start something new in the city!

[Cerus]

{Agreed. Good ending.}