Prompt 198: Fiction
Title: Same Time Next Year
Author: angelus2hot
Rating: PG
Word Count: 582
Prompt: 198 Free For All(midnight snack)
Characters/Pairing: Lorne(implied Lorne/Fred)
A/N: Set five years after Fred's death.
It was almost midnight as he stared up at the building where she'd lived since being brought back from Pylea or at least she had until the moronic decision to take over Wolfram and Hart. They should have known that decision wouldn't end well and it hadn't. At least not for Fred. After her death and the battle to end all battles he'd left. But it wasn't because of the reasons he had said. He could no longer stand being in the same place where Fred wasn't.
He'd told Angel not to search for him, that he would never be back. But he had lied. Every year he came back to LA, back to the Hyperion, with a bag of tacos from the local restaurant. And this year was no different. Although, he wasn't there to see anyone just to relive memories of her.
Lorne lowered his head, tears glistened in his red eyes as he struggled to get his emotions under control before he reached out and opened the door. It was unlocked, just like he knew it would be, it was every year at this time. As he stepped into the lobby, he looked around the room. Everything was still the same. Well, almost the same. No one lived there anymore. Wolfram and Hart had been rebuilt, again, bigger and better than ever. Angel and his team were back to running it again; the only difference was this time Angel didn't answer to the Senior Partners. He had full control over the LA branch. But Lorne didn't care about any of that. All he cared about or had ever cared about was Fred. And although it was impossible, every year, he always hoped he would see her standing there waiting to welcome him back home.
Home. A funny word wasn't it? It meant many different things to so many different people. It was a word that was comforting to most. But for him it was just a place where Fred wasn't. Where she would never be again.
A white take out bag was clutched firmly in his hand as he sat down on the round couch still in the center of the lobby. Tentatively, he opened the bag, sniffed the contents before he pulled out a taco. It wasn't his normal fair, especially for a midnight snack, but every year he made an exception because she had loved them so.
He tried not to make a face as he bit into the hard shell. How she could love these things he would never know. But that was just it. She would never love them or anything else for that matter again. Lorne wolfed down another one before he reached inside of the bag, pulled out the last two tacos and laid them beside him on the couch. He knew it was a strange thing to do but he always left the last two for her.
For hours he sat there and let the memories surround him. Fred's smile, her laughter and even her tears. They were all here in this hotel. A sad smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as each memory of Fred played through his mind. It wasn't enough for him but it would have to be.
Finally, he stood up, straightened his bright red jacket before he turned to leave. "See you next year, Freddikins." Lorne whispered quietly before he walked out the door.
He never said goodbye. He couldn't. It would hurt too bad.
Author: angelus2hot
Rating: PG
Word Count: 582
Prompt: 198 Free For All(midnight snack)
Characters/Pairing: Lorne(implied Lorne/Fred)
A/N: Set five years after Fred's death.
It was almost midnight as he stared up at the building where she'd lived since being brought back from Pylea or at least she had until the moronic decision to take over Wolfram and Hart. They should have known that decision wouldn't end well and it hadn't. At least not for Fred. After her death and the battle to end all battles he'd left. But it wasn't because of the reasons he had said. He could no longer stand being in the same place where Fred wasn't.
He'd told Angel not to search for him, that he would never be back. But he had lied. Every year he came back to LA, back to the Hyperion, with a bag of tacos from the local restaurant. And this year was no different. Although, he wasn't there to see anyone just to relive memories of her.
Lorne lowered his head, tears glistened in his red eyes as he struggled to get his emotions under control before he reached out and opened the door. It was unlocked, just like he knew it would be, it was every year at this time. As he stepped into the lobby, he looked around the room. Everything was still the same. Well, almost the same. No one lived there anymore. Wolfram and Hart had been rebuilt, again, bigger and better than ever. Angel and his team were back to running it again; the only difference was this time Angel didn't answer to the Senior Partners. He had full control over the LA branch. But Lorne didn't care about any of that. All he cared about or had ever cared about was Fred. And although it was impossible, every year, he always hoped he would see her standing there waiting to welcome him back home.
Home. A funny word wasn't it? It meant many different things to so many different people. It was a word that was comforting to most. But for him it was just a place where Fred wasn't. Where she would never be again.
A white take out bag was clutched firmly in his hand as he sat down on the round couch still in the center of the lobby. Tentatively, he opened the bag, sniffed the contents before he pulled out a taco. It wasn't his normal fair, especially for a midnight snack, but every year he made an exception because she had loved them so.
He tried not to make a face as he bit into the hard shell. How she could love these things he would never know. But that was just it. She would never love them or anything else for that matter again. Lorne wolfed down another one before he reached inside of the bag, pulled out the last two tacos and laid them beside him on the couch. He knew it was a strange thing to do but he always left the last two for her.
For hours he sat there and let the memories surround him. Fred's smile, her laughter and even her tears. They were all here in this hotel. A sad smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as each memory of Fred played through his mind. It wasn't enough for him but it would have to be.
Finally, he stood up, straightened his bright red jacket before he turned to leave. "See you next year, Freddikins." Lorne whispered quietly before he walked out the door.
He never said goodbye. He couldn't. It would hurt too bad.