Their fingers brushed again as she stepped out into the rain, arm extended, handing him the cup.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too,” he responded automatically, unsure of what he was even apologizing for at that point. He wanted to taste her skin and determine what was the rain and what were her tears.You are the unluckiest bastard in the world.
“I know. I told you, you’re forgiven. Have a good day. Idomean it.”
Ranar grumbled to himself all the way back to his shop, irritated with himself for even stopping in the first place. He hated this war within himself. He needed to go in and have a conversation with his mother, at the very least. They needed to begin discussing what would happen next, which really meanthewould need to decide what happened next, and then carry the emotional weight of the fall-out for everyone.Fun times, good times. Love this for me.Maybe you should just sell the building now, call it early, move away while you can still salvage an ounce of dignity.It was the last thought in his head as he pulled the front door open, hearing the familiar jangle of the bell.
Ruma was at the counter with his father, laughing uproariously as they played a fast-paced card game, one that originated on the island their family had left, one that he had grown up playing with his own grandfather at that same counter, what felt like a lifetime ago.
“Ruma, you have to keep up, you’re never going to win that way.”
“Thatha, you’re too fast!” she squealed, slapping her card down against the glass.
Ranar turned quickly away, a fast sidewind out the door and around the building as he was sucked beneath an unexpected wave of emotion, gasping to keep from breaking down right and there. This wasn’t just a used car he could sell off. His family had more history in these walls than they had in the house he’d grown up in, and it didn’t matter how much Jack Hemming assured him he could get for the land or how much her eyes sparkled when she looked at him . . . but he didn’t know how to just walk away.
One last steadying breath, opening his eyes . . . and meeting the gaze of the goblin from the laundromat, pulling into the lot slowly. Ranar raised a shaky hand, waving slightly as her lips pressed together, her head shaking sadly. He turned away, disguising his despairing laughter with a cough.Well, you didn’t even need to try hard for that one. You’re pathetic and everyone knows it.
She was beautiful and he loved her laugh, and maybe if their paths had diverged somehow, they would have been able to meet under circumstances that allowed a future. But they weren’t and they hadn’t, and Ranar was certain that was all that would ever matter.Just watch the ripples grow.
Take the L for the W
Delulu is the Solulu
Sumi
PinksPosies&Pearls:Tell me about work. Unburden yourself.
This is a bullshit-free zone.
You don’t have to give me the can-do song and dance.
Tell me about it and make yourself feel better.
ChaoticConcertina:Ugh, don’t make me talk about it.
I feel like it’s the only thing I’ve talked about in two months.
It’s certainly the only thing I’ve thought about.
If I didn’t have all my plants on timers and water tubes, they’d all be dead.
The tl;dr is another business like mine opened just a few blocks from mine.
As it was very recently pointed out to me, that in and of itselfshouldn’tbe a death knell.
But her business model is designed to eliminate competition.
Hi, it’s me, I’m the competition.
She’s corporately owned, tested and proven with a bottomless budget.
And her corporate business model is doing exactly what it is meant to.
ChaoticConcertina:So that basically means the end for me.
I’m trying not to take it all personally, but it’s very hard.
