The Day We Met (Alastor x OC)

Chapter 3

Alastor

This town truly is bleak.

Old, run down and worst of all...boring.

When I was transferred here, I kept my hopes up in the light that it may be a breath of fresh air, but alas.

Frankly, I felt disgusted and offended that my station sent me to this inane hick town.

So far, my favorite spot was a small diner where I could get coffee and sit in peace. The little waitress there always makes it perfectly.

I'd been coming to the diner for a good month now, and it's become the highlight of my day aside from my show airing in the afternoon.

Just as always, when I enter I'm greeted by the soft chirp of a certain little darling that I've grown rather fond of. After all, she's the only thing in this town that provides even the slightest amount of entertainment.

At least for a short while.

"Hello Alastor, good morning!"

I make my way to my usual table as she begins to brew my coffee. I was already looking forward to the smooth liquid that would provide me with enough patience not to strangle the next person that asks me about the weather.

"Good morning, sweetheart, lovely to hear your voice!"

"Likewise!"

I chuckled and leaned back in my seat, pulling out the paper to read. The headline was about a murder that had occurred the previous night, and I hummed softly and turned the page.

They hadn't even gotten the location right. I'd left him in the south alley, not west.

Suddenly there was a soft clink as my coffee was placed before me, and before I could even thank her, my hostess was sat across from me and leaned forward with a big smile on her face.

"Did you hear? There was a murder last night!"

She whisper shouted and I felt as if I was back in highschool, but I didn't mind. This girl always kept me on my toes.

I matched her position and leaned forward, raising an eyebrow at her odd cheeriness towards the gruesome news.

"You seem oddly enthralled, my dear?"

She sat back and waved her hand as if dismissing my comment.

"Ol Marcus was a sourly drunk anyway, he caused so much ruckus even before I left town. Besides..."

She leaned forward, and I did as well suspecting she was planning to whisper.

"...his missus stopped by this morning and I haven't seen her so bright eyed in quite some time. I wouldn't be surprised if she's the one that did it!"

We both shared a chuckle and I lowered my voice as well, even though we were the only souls present.

"You don't say? Why, that's rather juicy... well, at least some good came of such a tragedy."

With a shrug I sat back in my seat and just as she opened her mouth to speak again, a voice hollered from the back.

"Juliette! Come help me, baby, please!"

Juliette... so, that's her name. It suits her.

She perked up and quickly stood, scampering back to where she'd come from.

"Coming!"

I watched her with a grin as she disappeared to the back before sipping my coffee.

Perfect as always.

~*~

As I continued to return to the diner, Juliette continued to greet me and serve me coffee.

She was such a lovely little firefly, and it seemed that she was restless in this town of hers as well.

Something she had said a couple weeks ago had stuck in my brain. She mentioned something about having "left town", and I'm wondering why she'd return.

My plan for today was to strike up conversation on the matter and sate my curiosity.

I'd already been seated and drank half my cup of coffee, and I waited until the proper moment to call her over. When she heard my voice, her head snapped up and she seemed surprised.

Then she made her way towards me and stood at my table side.

"Yes sir?"

"Sit, my dear, please."

I motioned to the chair she'd sat last time we spoke, and she quickly sat down. She seemed happy to converse with me, which was no surprise. I pride myself on my character.

"I'm craving a bit of conversation, and you are the perfect candidate, darling,"

She smiled and looked down at her hands in her lap. Bashful? How cute.

"I've actually been quite curious about something you said, when we spoke about the murder."

She looked up, then, a bit puzzled.

"And what would that be?"

"Well, you mentioned that you had left town, but since you're here now I was simply curious as to what dragged you back to such a...mundane atmosphere."

The moment I'd finished speaking it was like something in the air shifted around her. That gentle gleam in her eye disappeared, as did her smile.

Quickly, it was brought to my attention that the topic was a sensitive one, however that merely fueled my curiosity.

"I... well, I was previously married... and my husband and I had moved out to the city for his work, but... there was an accident..."

Her voice had dampened, and she looked hollow. The expression on her face actually made a tightness form in my chest. I didn't like the frown that twisted her features, nor the glossy look in her big green eyes.

Without really thinking I reached across the table and offered a gloved hand to her.

She stared for a moment before raising her hand and placing her palm into mine. Normally I prefer not to touch, but what kind of gentleman would I be if I upset a lady and offered no comfort? It simply wouldn't do.

"No need to continue, sweetheart, I believe I understand. How unfortunate, and I'm truly sorry for upsetting you."

I actually did feel a bit bad. She was such a doll, and had been nothing but kind to me since I've arrived. Yet, here I was upsetting her and putting a sullen frown on her poor little face.

My mother would tan my hide if she were here.

"No, it's alright, you didn't know..."

She allowed me to hold her hand a few more seconds before pulling away.

"Um...was- was that all you wanted to talk about?"

She hesitated slightly in her speech and looked at me with an expression I couldn't dissect.

In all honesty, yes. I had gotten the information that I wanted from her, and didn't have any other topics planned.

But with her looking at me like a wounded animal, I couldn't quite find the will to turn her away.

So, instead I widened my smile and simply laughed as if she'd said something funny.

"Oh, dear! Of course not! Tell me, how was your weekend?"

Small talk? That's not like me at all.

Though, I suppose it doesn't matter since that glimmer is back in her eye, and she's smiling again.