Edge

Modern AU.  Caranthir and Haley (Haleth) finally cross each other's lives for a second time.  This is from the perspective of Haley, who is Haleth reborn, and is her POV of a scene I've written already from Caranthir's POV, because the original modern romance between these two was written through his eyes instead of hers.  But I thought I'd give something new a try, just for fun.  Takes place in a time not to distant from our own at a DSW near you.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Silmarillion or DSW

Pairings: Caranthir x Haley (Haleth)

Characters: Caranthir, Haley (Haleth), and Eru (who is really just enjoying the show)

Warning: extremely AU, modern!AU, reincarnation, possibly vaguely religious-ish or superstitious content, hints at sexual undertones

Song: Song of the Ancients - Fate

Words: 904
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edge (noun): the cutting side of a blade; force, effectiveness; vigor or energy especially of body; incisive or penetrating quality; the line where an object or area begins or ends: brink, verge
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edge

At first it was but a whisper.  Just beyond the edge of thought.

She saw his face and it scratched at the back of her mind, a little itch the befuddled her logical perception of the world.

Haley could not deny that he was gorgeous--even beautiful.  And probably as gay as they come.  After all, what straight man had such long, lovely, silky hair and such a handsome, comely face and spent his time willingly working at a designer shoe palace?

But he was staring at her--staring straight through her as if her body had suddenly gone transparent and he was seeing someone familiar on the other side--and it was making her uncomfortable.

"Excuse me?  Are you alright?"

He blinked his long, dark lashes at her as one dumbfounded, and part of her almost found it cute.  Almost, but not quite.  Especially since he was supposed to be ringing up her purchase (sneakers) and not looking at her as though she were small, green and had beamed down from the sky in his backyard.

And then he turned so red it would have made a tomato jealous.

And the itch became a poke.  Haley's brow furrowed with the beginning of a headache.  Something about this guy was just off-putting and at the same time familiar.  It was like she could swear she had seen him somewhere before but couldn't quite place his face.  How that happened, she couldn't say, because Haley didn't think she'd forget a face as distinctive as his, with those arrogant angles and that blotchy flush and smattering of freckles over his nose...

Stop.  Just stop.  Gay.  Homosexual.  Off-limits.

Except he was still staring at her.

"I am... fine.  You merely startled me." And Lord, what a voice!  Deep and rolling through her despite its softness of amplitude and timbre.  It should be illegal to have a voice like that, like molten chocolate on bare skin, Haley decided with much annoyance, even though that poking at the back of her mind only seemed to intensify with every syllable, trying to tell her something important.

But no, she wasn't into that superstitious stuff.

Instead of lingering on his voice, she looked up at his eyes, only to find that they were well below her face.  Maybe not so gay after all.

Irately, he slammed her shoebox down on the counter. "Yeah, well, could you ring these up please?  I'm kind of in a hurry..." In a hurry to get out of here, and God help me if I catch you staring at my ass as I walk away, pervert!

"Forgive me..."

"Yeah, yeah, just ring up the stupid shoes already." At least his eyes were on her face now.  And her eyes were on his hands.  Long, elegant hands with graceful, flowing movements even as they twisted and turned the box like a delicate treasure, taking their slow and annoying time...

Those hands did not look suited to running a cash register.  Those movements, so dizzyingly slow, made her think of a dancer, moving as if through water.  Part of her (that she would never admit existed) wondered if they touched with such grace and gentleness.  Immediately, she banished that obnoxiously unwanted thought about a man whose name she didn't even know.

And still that presence (that she refused to admit was sixth sense because she did not subscribe to such ridiculousness) was still prodding fitfully, almost screaming that she did know...

And then finally he was done. "Receipt?"

"Give it here!" She needed to get out of here and clear away whatever cobwebs were lingering in the dusty corners of her mind, giving her these fuzzy, disturbing thoughts.  With one last look at his face--and what a face it was!--she turned tail and fled from the store into the fall chill of the parking lot.

And wondered.  Why was he so familiar?  She was certain she had never met him before.

But one thing was for sure.  That feeling on the edge of her mind, wriggling in through the cracks in memory, the déjà vu that would not cease, was telling her to turn around and go right back inside.  Curiosity and unhealthy interest bloomed somewhere in those shadows, much to her personal shame and embarrassment.  Haley was not a woman who would allow herself to become flustered and infatuated over one man--who was probably homosexual anyway, she added spitefully.

Yet even as she crossed the parking lot to her car, firmly ignoring the impulses raging just beneath the surface, she could not remove the stray thought of returning.  Just for a second look.  Just to satisfy her curiosity.  Just once.

And somewhere beyond that edge of time and space and mind and body, there was a catlike smirk of satisfaction across an unknown, indescribable face of eternal, undying light and glory.  For the Great Music echoing in Timeless Halls was playing out just as its maker had intended, harmonizing and resonating and crescendoing into the Void.  And the ship of reality was navigating true to her compass and the keen hands of her faithful mariner, directing the opera of fate below to breathtaking perfection.

Everything was going exactly according to plan.
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This is me having fun.  Forgive my insanity, I swear it isn't contagious.  Mostly.  Maybe.  LOL.  Anyway, I absolutely couldn't resist.  It was just too tempting to pass up, writing this scene again from the female perspective.  In the original, yes, he was totally checking her out at that one part and admiring her athletic hotness.  Caranthir loves active women.  Jesus, that sounded so wrong.

Anyway, written to the song Song of the Ancients - Fate from the NieR Gestault and Replicant OST.  The last song I posted from this OST was Ashes of Dreams, and that song makes me cry almost every time I hear it (that was way back in "Broken").  I'm telling you, Square Enix actually puts soul into the music for their video games.  And then they create piano versions and the inner musician in my heart has fangasms. Pretend you didn't see that.  Main composer of the OST is Keiichi Okabe, but there are at least three others, so don't give him all the credit.

Today is day 99.  Tomorrow will be my 100th prompt and the end of my first prompt table.  Then I shall begin a new one. Just thought it was worth noting, because it makes me happy.