milliways_bar | (no subject)

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The door opens and a familiar face comes in... but for the time being, it's not Michael Guerin in the driving seat.

By mutual consent between him and Michael, Rath of Antar has just come to Milliways as more than just a passenger.

Have at.

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"Yes. A-and yes, it is. They were about the same age I am, I suppose. Still young, by their standards. J-Joar was living with his mother while composing, and Elan came to stay to catch up on his reading and then I got thrown off a cliff into the middle."

Only at the time, if worrying, the memory loss had been a blessing.

"But... how did you come to be in that world, if nobody took you there? Or did they?"

She sighs.

"I didn't see who opened the door. It was ajar when I passed, so I went to look... and don't remember much more, until I woke up again."

"That does make some sense", he allows. "And the door back here just opened for you one day?"

Shelley nods.

"I hit my head again just before, so I think it waited until I was about to remember who I was in any case. I thought it was the door into Lyrae's house, but..."

"It does tend to do things like that, as I understand it."

She sighs.

"And then seeing her here... and her seeing me, too. That was weird."

"I hope the conversation didn't go too badly?"

"Well."

(you broke my son's heart)

"It could have gone worse, I suppose. And then she made me dinner."

"She... cooked for you? In her room?"

"Yes," she say with a wry smile.

"She always did like to cook, so she got some equipment from Bar..."

"I suppose there's no reason she shouldn't, if the space in her room allows it."

Shelley nods.

"She's... capable like that."

He eyes her.

"You sounded as if you were going to say something else."

Shelley shakes her head.

"No, she is. I mean, it's odd seeing her here. While I know about who she is and how she just..."

She winces.

"...ah, yes. She did realize while talking to Michael that she was... a permanent resident."

Shelley nods sadly.

"He killed her. I don't know how, but... that has to be so awful for her whether she shows it or not, a-and I don't know how to-"

"To talk to her about it?"

"Exactly. And we both knew him before, so I feel I should try to talk about it, but she really doesn't seem to want to, so Im a bit stuck."

Shelley Winters, a Great Diplomat Of Our Time.

"The best thing, then, might be to allow her her wishes", he suggests gently.

"I know," she says unhappily.

And isn't avoidance something she's really great at?

"Would you like to come back to the palace for a time?" he offers.

Oh, how she would.

"Well, I shouldn't stay long. But I was already planning to go check Michael's inbox, so."

She manages a smile. "It'd be nice to catch up with people for a while."

Overnight in Antar is a few hours here. She can afford that.