COLOURS || Seth Clearwater

THIRTY

"I'm glad I can finish the movie this time," Lucinda murmured softly, her eyes focused solely on the old movie playing on the screen in front of her.

"As long as you don't pop a baby out we should be good," Seth whispered back.

Lucinda covered her mouth to muffle her laughter, and leaned against the back rest of her chair. "Believe me when I say I have no plans of popping a baby out today."

They continues to watch their movie, Lucinda unable to contain her smile as she felt Seth absentmindedly playing with her fingers.

It's nice to feel loved again.

To feel like I'm wanted.

As the credits rolled on the screen, they gathered their garbage and exited the movie theatre.

"What's next on your plan," Lucinda grinned, their hands swinging as she stared at him with as much emotion as she could muster in that moment.

"Shopping, duh," Seth grinned.

He led her in the direction of the nearest shops. Then he followed her around while carrying the things she picked out as she flitted through the isles.

"Do you think this would look good on me?" Lucinda asked hopefully, holding up a strapless, silver V-neck dress.

"I think everything in this store would, but that especially," Seth hummed sweetly. Lucinda grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before moving to another rack.

Seth followed her around with a soft smile, his arms folded over his chest.

He didn't like shopping.

Not even a little bit.

At the rate he grew before phasing, his mother was constantly taking him out to buy new clothes — almost every week — and he truly hated it.

But seeing Lucinda smile this much as she found things she liked, he knew he could tolerate it a whole lot more than he ever thought was possible.

•••

"I'm actually having a lot of fun today," Lucinda mused as she took a sip from her glass of coke.

"I couldn't tell," Seth snorted, gesturing to her wide smile. He'd been complaining for the last half hour that he was hungry again, so Lucinda decided they should go out for a second lunch. And she was paying.

Lucinda rolled her eyes as she picked a fry off her plate and ate it. "Don't get all cheeky on me now," she warned him.

Seth only grinned at her, cause her to roll her eyes. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, though," he smiled.

After wiping her hands off on her napkin, Lucinda reached over and took his hand. She smiled faintly to herself as she trailed her fingertip across the lines on his palm.

"Can you read palms?" Seth asked.

Lucinda jumped at how sudden his voice was, but quickly fixed her hair and laid her hands in her lap. "Virginia always told me I should learn," she mused, smiling softly. "But I never felt the need to. I'd rather be surprised by life then know what's to come."

"Even as old as you are, life still surprises you?" Seth breathed, leaning back in his chair. As he stared at her, his brown eyes filled with amazement and pure admiration. There was a small on his lips, the whites of his teeth just barely visible.

"I think life will always surprise me," Lucinda murmured. "No matter how much I throw at it, it always manages to find something worse to hand back. And I'd like to think it's essentially a never ending game. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that life tends to keep you on your toes; regardless of how old you are."

"You're amazing," Seth grinned.

Lucinda rolled her eyes. "I highly disagree with that," she mused. "But I do appreciate the compliment."

•••

"Is she with you?"

Seth glanced at the cashier, then followed the young man's gaze over his shoulder and to Lucinda, who seemed to be helping a group of young girls shop for their prom dresses. An instant smile graced his lips as he nodded. "Yeah," he breathed. "Yeah, she's with me."

"You're a lucky man then, my friend," the cashier murmured. His name tag read ANDREW.

"I know," Seth breathed.

Lucinda waltzed up to the with the grace of a queen, her lips pulled back into a breath-taking smile. "Change of plans, these lovely girls—" she gestured behind her to the trio of girls who were still staring at her in awe "—need help finding a dress that suits them for their prom, so I've got to stay and help them."

"Alright," Seth hummed, waving politely at the three. "That's fine. Let me pay for this and I'll come and find you."

"Alright," Lucinda murmured. She patted his cheek gently before spinning on her heel, smiling sweetly at the sixteen year olds she'd practically adopted in the five minutes she'd been gone. "Off we go then," she smiled.

Seth watched the four of them walk through the store, talking amongst themselves as they went.

"I used to see her all the time in here," Andrew spoke up.

Seth glanced over at him with furrowed brows. "What do you mean?"

Andrew shrugged as he continued to ring the items through the till. "She was in here nearly every weekend with her sister Alice — Alice is a very frequent customer here and we know her quite well — and she always seemed ready to scream. Stopped coming about a year ago, though. I guess I've just never seen her smile this much before."

"She went to go and see a friend in France about a month ago," Seth shrugged carefully. "She seems to be a lot better after that."

"I'll say. Your total is $79.83," Andrew nodded.

Seth paid and hooked the three shopping bags around his wrists, then wandered through the store, following Lucinda's scent.

Cloves and cinnamon.

He found her standing in front of three change rooms, their doors closed and locked.

"I'm guessing you found them some dresses?" Seth mused.

Lucinda glanced up at him, smiling softly as she nodded. "Yeah," she sighed.

After setting her bags down against the wall beside him, Seth wandered up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, setting his chin on top of her head as she looped her arms around his middle. "Why are you so upset," he murmured quietly, tangling his fingertips in the ends of her red hair.

"You don't need to hear about it again," Lucinda whispered, laying her head on his chest. "It's the same old sob story."

"You're allowed to miss Kane," Seth promised her quietly. Even though saying the name left a foul taste in his mouth, he knew she needed to hear this. "I still miss my dad. Every day."

"Does it get easier?" Lucinda asked shakily, her breathing going uneven for a moment before returning to moment. "The heartache, I mean. Does it get easier?"

"It does," Seth nodded truthfully. "But be thankful the ache is there."

"Why should I be thankful for my pain?" Lucinda muttered as the pulled apart.

Seth smiled down at her, tucking hair behind her ear. "You're the ancient being," he whispered. "You tell me." He broke into laughter at the look she shot him, and Lucinda couldn't help but smile too. "Seriously, though," Seth chuckled. "Be thankful for it. The pain means you had someone you loved so dearly it left a scar in your heart when they passed."

"I guess so," Lucinda amended, exhaling softly.

A smile grew on her lips as one of the change room doors opened, revealing a blonde girl in an emerald green dress, and Lucinda immediately began fussing over them.