it's everything you want to be

[unburden]

Working retail through the holidays is stressful. There's a lot more work and panic and crowds involved than Rukia ever expected for there to be in her job, working in that little toy store hidden away in the corner of the town mall. Truth be told, she loves every minute of it, seeing the bright smiles on children's faces and the frazzled looks that the parents wear — she loves it, because she knows that everyone shopping there is hoping to earn a smile at the end of the day, to make someone happy this holiday season.

She can certainly grin to that.

There's a benefit to being small, as well. She can slip between people with great ease, for one, and somehow parents are also more inclined to take their advice when talking about young kids. She has an eye for the cute toys, for the ones on the cusp of being fads, and so the commission money has hiked a bit recently for her in the boutique, leaving her with more cash to use when buying her own holiday presents.

That's where she is today, stepping around the mall and peeking into windows, wondering how much her friends care, and wondering as well whether or not she even has time to deliver them all. She's just not used to celebrating Christmas.

But she figures, no one will mind if she hands things out for New Year. Right?

Comments

[uncannyaim]

That gets a soft smile out of Andrea finally and she shakes her head, although her smile is grateful. "I'm okay with not knowing," she admits, though it is nice to hear that there's something, that Judith and Lori might have found Amy and Dale. That there's something there for them, even if they're no longer here. It makes it a little easier to deal with the fact that they're gone.

A moment later, she laughs and says, "This isn't the conversation I expected to have today." That doesn't mean it's unwelcome and there's a part of her that's deeply grateful for it. Her friendship with Rukia is significantly different from those she has with most other people in this city and she appreciates the honesty.

[unburden]

"I don't think most people expect to have a conversation about death," Rukia laughs in return, shaking her head. "And I'm not exactly wearing it all over me. But... I'm glad that we could have this conversation. And I'm really glad that you're okay with what I am — I don't get to share that with a lot of people here, so it's nice. It's nice to have friends who know."

Smiling, she ducks her head bashfully as they continue walking forward.

It's odd, finding things here that remind her a little bit more of home.