Fic: Old Friend

[meridian_rose]

Title: Old Friend
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Aura
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 180
Prompt: For the writerverse prompt 'Twenty Years Later'
Summary: Nikolai meets an old friend
Warnings: None


Someone grabbed at his arm. "Nicholas? It is you, isn't it?"

Nikolai turned and came face to face with a genial man with a greying beard. He searched his memories for a name. Clay? Carmine? Curtis?

"What a surprise! How long has it been?" the man asked, grasping Nikolai's hand and shaking it enthusiastically.

It was Carl, Nikolai remembered suddenly, placing the face and the circumstances under which they'd known each other. Which would mean….twenty years ago, at least. "A while," he said vaguely.

"God, you haven't aged a day!"

Nikolai shrugged and lent in to confide, "Vitamins. And I dye my hair."

Carl chuckled. "I have to run, but here, take my card. I'd love to catch up sometime."

Nikolai took the business card and watched Carl head off, somewhat unnerved.

"Who was that?" Aurelia asked, appearing at his elbow with her purchases in a paper bag.

She might remember Carl if he gave her enough details later but for now, Nikolai said wryly, "An old friend." Not just old but older, in a way Nikolai would never be.

Comments

[eternal-moonie.livejournal.com]

AWESOME new story of my FAVE original character of yours! :D

[meridian_rose]

Aw, you're so sweet :D I promise Aura will get more to do next time :D

[brontefanatic.livejournal.com]

"Vitamins. And I dye my hair." I love this!!

Not just old but older, in a way Nikolai would never be.
I like the idea of using a chance encounter to illustrate how Nikolai and Aurelia are going to outlive everyone around them - a rather poignant situation when you think about it - when it applies to their human friends.

Again - wonderful use of the prompt

[meridian_rose]

Thank you :D I'm wracking my brains for these last few prompts!

[dorothydeath.livejournal.com]

Oh, for some reason this gave me goose bumps. All these infinite ways this can go wrong for them...

OMG OMG, I want to know more about everything! (Am I annoying you?) Who's Carl and what's their history together? What will Nikolai do now? Is he going to meet with him or will he ignore him? And again where this belongs in the timeline and is it connected to the murders? Or is it about something else entirely?

Not just old but older, in a way Nikolai would never be.
BTW this line is epic! :D

[meridian_rose]

Thank you :D It was a random moment but I wanted to show that sometimes they're going to meet old friends who have aged. To underscore that they're immortal and have to watch everything and everyone around them change.

It's probably not a good idea for Nikolai to stay in touch. Carter knowing their secret was an unavoidable consequence of his immunity to the allure, but most humans never discover the truth, which is safer for everyone.

[dorothydeath.livejournal.com]

To underscore that they're immortal and have to watch everything and everyone around them change.
I guess it can get very hard sometimes, to watch it all... I kinda begin to see the point of all the brooding type vampires even if I don't entirely agree with them. O_o
I love that Aura and Nikki can both enjoy their nature and get sad/moody/nostalgic from time to time. I like this balance. :D

most humans never discover the truth, which is safer for everyone.
Yes, I agree. :D And that is also the reason why I want this Carl to be someone important to the plot in the future, so that Nikolai would have to go talk to him at some point. To put pressure on the characters, make them walk the thin line... I'm evil. Sorry.

[haeceity]

An interesting look at one of the downsides to immortality.

[meridian_rose]

Thank you. That's got to be one of the worst things, I'd think.