#savill

But Clarence insisted on keeping the funeral home closed on Sundays, barring any special requests or emergencies. He almost hoped for them, as awful as it sounded, but at least it meant Clarence would buy the office donuts and coffee.

There were none scheduled for the morning, emergencies or donuts alike. Especially since Raya had taken a liking to Clarence’s work ethic and opened her cafe later in the morning than every other. It left Savill with little else to do but battle the early, grey sunlight shining its best, but weak, light through the thick curtains closed over the small window of his smaller room. He shifted just enough to shove his face deeper into his pillow, hoping that, if he couldn’t work his boredm away he could at least sleep through it. He huffed out half a laugh. 

“Are you awake?”

Brighter than the sun but much, much more welcoming to embrace, Savill curled up closer to the source of warmth wound in the sheets next to him. “No.” He rocked with the motion of her hand pushing at his side and he squeezed his eye shut tighter when the thin stream of light fell across his face. 

“I have to get to work. You’re in the way.” Savill yawned around an answering noise and hid his face in her lap. “You’re not helping,” she sighed. Savill felt a hand slip through his hair. This was better. Maybe if every Sunday was like this he wouldn’t hate them. Maybe Raya would take Clarence’s ethic a step further and keep the cafe closed all day, leaving her free to stay with him, here, warm and, gods willing, asleep. 

“You can go,” he told her, voice rough and nowhere near encouraging the idea.

Raya snorted and a scratched at the back of his neck. Goosebumps ran down his arm. “You drove me here.”

Savill kicked a foot, weakly towards the nightstand. “Take the car.” Another snort and he jerked his foot again. His heel knocked against the table leg and rattled the clock and phone atop it. “Call an Uber. Card’s there, too,” he finishing, slurring as Raya’s hands went to his cheek and guided his head back to the pillow. 

“Fine, but I’m also going to get...a new dress after work with it.”  The sheets were tucked under his chin.

“Thanks, mom.”

i am v out of practice drawing these nerds.

Savill glanced over the edge of his newspaper to watch Raya cross the cafe with another leaning stack of dishes. She disappeared behind the kitchens and returned a moment later with another tower, this one laden with glazed pastries and dripping hot drinks. Savill flipped through the pages with a rumble under his breath. He wasn't looking forward to helping wit the dishes when the cafe closed later, despite knowing he'd ask to help anyway.

"She's hot, isn't she?"

Savill didn't know he was being spoken to until a younger gentleman, bright eyed and face flushed, invited himself to his booth in the corner of the restaurant. Savill raised a brow and brought his newspaper just a little lower down his face. The clothes he wore, neatly fitted and ironed at least once in their lifespan, were designer but Savill didn't recognize the round face that wore them. "Excuse me?"

"Don't lie," the man said with a smirk. "I saw you watching her. Everyone can see the way you look at her."

Savill folded the paper and rested his hand on top of it, gold band on his finger glinting. He passed another look towards the kitchen. Raya was absorbed in taking the next customers to-go order to pay the attention any mind. Before him, the man's smile widened. "Do they?"

"Do you know anything about her?" He leaned forward, eyes going brighter.

Savill tried to keep the twitch of his lips to a minimum. "A few things."

Relief and excitement made the man look even younger. "Then help and fellow out, yeah? What can I do to get her?" That made it easy to keep the smile off his face. It made just as difficult to keep from frowning and other, less appropriate gestures, too. "We'll trade info. What's your kind of girl?"

Savill cleared his throat. "Short. Pale hair. Blue eyes. Freckle just here," he answered, tapping a finger under the curve of his chin.

The other man laughed. "No kidding, right?" Savill's agreeing hum was short and harsh.

"Here, I have an idea," Savill said, lifting a hand slowly above his head. "I suggest we ask the waitress what type of man she prefers, yes?" The man's eyes widened and it was Savill who felt excited, now, over the fear slowly crossing the other's face. He turned in his seat and turned back around just as fast when he spotted Raya notice the hand and quickly make her way over. "No worries, I'll pretend as if I know you. I'll introduce you."

The man licked his lips. "Yeah, that could work. But no hard feelings when she picks me."

"Yes, of course." Savill struggled not to roll his eyes and sat up straighter when Raya finally approached. "My dear, it's been far too long since we've spoken."

Raya laughed and Savill watched the man's face flush again at just the sound. "It's been, what, ten minutes?"

"Ten lifetimes." Savill gestured to the man. "I wanted to introduce you a long-time friend of mine. Say hi, nicely now, I know how you like to talk." He added a wink when the man's mouth fell open and empty of words. A miracle, that was. "We were just catching up and I was just about to tell him about our wedding."

"W-wedding?"

The hitch in the other's voice was music to his ears and he finally let his lips curl into a sly smile. "Yes, but Raya here tells the story much better."

"That's, um, okay. I should be leaving anyway-"

"Maybe we should invite him to dinner?" Raya asked, even as she stepped out of the way for the gentleman to scramble to his feet and escape out the door.