A/N - First off – SmotherFate helped me write this chapter! Most of it is mine but the coffee scene is her invention. She's an excellent writer and my very best friend, so all the love in the world to her. Secondly, in response to last chapter's reviews – I also went through the same love triangle experience, which is why I wrote the Amy/Reimi drama into the story. It really sucks being in that situation so I hope it won't put anyone off reading due to bad memories. If you keep going though I think you'll like the conclusion. Anyway enough talk – Chapter 8!

A few days later Lloyd was getting into the routine of going to work. His initial enthusiasm had long since worn off, but it really did seem to help having somewhere to go, something to do each day. Reimi was both relieved and disappointed to find out their start and break times didn't coincide, but they went home together and Reimi visited the Starbucks for lunch so she also saw him then, albeit briefly (and on the other side of a counter). When they were away from the flat she felt a lot happier and couldn't help opening up a bit more. Though, after her realization on the night Amy visited her, she had become cautious and avoided personal conversations.

Likewise, Lloyd began telling Reimi more about himself and the things he had done. Reimi thought it sounded like a great story but she still didn't believe him. She was sure there was a reason he was hiding his real past, but she felt she still didn't know him well enough to ask. She politely went along with it as Lloyd carried on talking and filling her in on the current situation of his 'world'.

"Wow… So you have an actual space dad?" Reimi laughed as they were walking home on the fourth day.

"It's not like he was born in space," Lloyd sighed, "He's just… vacating the space in space right now? I don't know," he laughed.

She caught herself about to smile back and instead turned her head to look both ways on the road they were about to cross.

"Have you heard anything about the posters yet?" He continued.

"I'm afraid not," she replied, turning back to him. "But now that you have your own phone number maybe we'll make some new ones and put that on it, so you'll be in control,"

"Sounds good, thanks Reimi," he scruffed her hair, the way he had seen Elsa do so before, and Reimi buried her face into her scarf.

"Don't mention it," she uncomfortably searched her mind for something else to say. "So… Tell me more about your space dad, what's his job?"

"Er…"


"How was work today, Lloyd?" Amy asked when the two of them came home that night. Reimi headed to her room for some keyboard practice, leaving Lloyd in Amy's 'care'.

"Ah… Same old same old," he countered, spreading out in front of the TV.

"Lloyd, you got a sec?" Elsa voice rang out from the kitchen.

Lloyd and Amy both sighed, then Lloyd stood up and walked to the kitchen. Elsa was sitting there with a pen and paper, a serious expression on her face.

"W-what's all this?" he stammered, confused.

"Something you seem to be increasingly aware of these days – a contract,"

"Another one?" he groaned.

"Sit,"

Lloyd obediently sat opposite her. She pushed the contract towards him.

"Since you can't get one with the landlord, I've taken the liberty of making you a contract with us. It says here," she punctuated the words by tapping pen to paper, "On the first of every month, you are to pay us the lump sum of £200 for food, rent and living expenses,"

"£200!?" Lloyd exclaimed.

"What? That's pretty cheap if I do say so myself,"

"Is it normal for things to cost this much?! My train ticket alone is £150 a month, with this that's nearly half my paycheck gone!"

"Hmm.. I see you about as much experience with the housing market as you do with everything else," she dropped the pen in front of him. "Move out if you want, but this is the best deal you'll get around here,"

Lloyd bowed his head in defeat.

"Okay, okay fine," he was about to write his signature at the bottom when he caught a glimpse of a line, "Wait… what's this about ownership of the soul?"

Elsa laughed good-naturedly and slid the contract away. "Always read what you sign, Lloyd, little test for you there. Here's the real contract," she drew out an identical-looking scrap of paper.

Lloyd read it through this time and Elsa nodded approvingly. He signed it without further ado.

"Great," Elsa after folding and pocketing the contract, she strode out of the room. "Time for my show,"

"Ohhh, you always take the TV, Elsa!" Amy moaned from the next room.


After spending most of the evening trying to write a decent piece of music, and a following night of bad sleep, Reimi was relieved it was finally time for lunch.

"What do you think you're going to get?" she politely asked her colleague, Sara. Sara was also a runner, but only part-time and for extra money rather than musical aspirations. The two of them sometimes got lunch together but their relationship never went beyond co-workers.

"Probably a Latte," She replied, fishing through her purse, "What about you?"

"A Caramel Frappuccino." Reimi answered, gently smiling.

"Reimi!" Lloyd beamed as he noticed her next in the queue.

"Hi, Lloyd. Is work going okay?" She spoke happily while Sara put on a mildly curious expression. Reimi quickly mentioned they were housemates…kind of.

"It's going okay so far, though people here are weird and sometimes rude but not all…" He finished sheepishly.

"Yeah, those people are unavoidable but ignore them, they're just thoughtless." Reimi said, annoyed at the thought that someone could be rude to Lloyd when she only knew him to be cheerful and benevolent.

"Yeah, it's not that bad. I'm at least glad to get to see you every day." He smiled. Reimi thought she blacked out for a second as the sentence processed gradually through her mind and the heat rose to her cheeks.

"But Lloyd…we live together." She was sure she had a stupid lopsided smile on from trying to hide her bashfulness.

"Oh, right, haha. But you know it's different to see you outside." He said slowly as if trying to understand it himself.

"Oh…well y-you too." Reimi almost palmed herself in the forehead but Lloyd just smiled back.

"What can I get you?" He inquired mock-mimicking a formal, customer service tone.

"A Caramel Frappuccino, please" Reimi replied, softly laughing.

"Okay, that'll be three pounds twenty."

As Reimi rooted around in her purse she came to the dreadful realization she didn't have enough money.

"What's wrong?"

"Erm… I don't think I have enough money." Reimi said as she finished the last of her foraging, "Sara, sorry but could I borrow some change? I'll pay you before the day finishes, I promise,"

Before Sara had a chance to respond they heard, "I can help you with that.". All three turned towards a young man with a kindly smile. He looked a few years older than Reimi, maybe about twenty-three. Lloyd looked at him questioningly.

Smiling awkwardly and blushing slightly, she nervously declined, "Erm… thank you so much but that's okay."

Reimi, although not confident in herself, was not naïve. She had already assumed where this was heading, after all, the guy's countenance was not exactly discreet.

"Well…actually it won't be free. In exchange I'd like to take you out." He coolly explained.

"Out? Out where?" Lloyd asked confused, innocently raising an eyebrow.

"No, it's really okay my friend can help me out." Reimi told him shyly.

"No, no, that's okay Reimi. I think you should let this nice gentleman buy it for you." Sara sung out, obviously finding this amusing. Reimi couldn't help but show her reluctance at the situation.

"I'm sorry, are you seeing someone?" He asked presumably.

"Ehh, well…no…but…"

"Then what's the problem?"

"Well…well…" She was having a hard time coming up with an excuse and she didn't like the idea of rejecting anyone or hurting their feelings so, "Erm, okay."

"Great," He grinned, "Can I get your number then, so I can call you about the details?" He finished as he handed out some money towards Lloyd.

"Wait! Reimi, what's going on?" Lloyd's eyebrows were furrowed up tightly.

"What don't you get? He's asking her out." Sara said in a 'are you an idiot?' type of way.

"To go where though?" He questioned sounding even more concerned and irritated.

"Probably to have dinner together or something. You know, what people normally do on a date." She enlightened in bewilderment at his ignorance.

"…A date?" Lloyd repeated, losing himself in thought.

"Hey! You do have other customers, you know!" Someone in the queue a few people down vexed out. Nevertheless Lloyd didn't seem to notice.

Reimi was glad Sara was there to elucidate on the matter…she would feel too embarrassed to do it herself. She really wished this wasn't happening in front of him.

Lloyd 'woke up' and looked at the money the supposed 'gentleman' was handing him, then at the man himself, then at Reimi.

"Keep it." He punched some buttons on the cash register and looked up firmly at Reimi, "Your drink will be waiting for you at the end of the counter."

"Huh?" Reimi blurted out.

"I'm paying for her," The stranger heatedly disputed.

"No you're not. I am." Lloyd reprimanded. "Yours is already ready, so you should leave the queue area as you're holding up the people behind."

"What?" The man snarled. Reimi sensed the bad atmosphere and quickly intervened.

"Well, thanks for the offer but things are sorted now and we really have to be getting back to work, as you probably do too." She quickly collected her drink with Sara's and power-walked away.

"Wait, what?" She heard the guy say but she was already back out on the street.

"Haha" Sara laughed enthusiastically.

"Don't laugh, that was really scary!"

"Scary? I'd say funny. Two guys fighting over a girl not even realizing it, haha."

"No it wasn- no, what? They weren't fighting over me. Lloyd's my friend."

"Well, he clearly doesn't see it that way." She said, still chuckling.

Reimi continued to protest all the way back to their building, but she couldn't help showing a little smile.


"Here," Reimi said whilst handing out some change as they arrived home that night.

"What's this for?" Lloyd looked incredulously at the money.

"It's what I owe you for the drink earlier," Reimi clarified.

"Oh, don't worry about that." He replied nonchalantly.

"But you helped me out so much, this is the le-"

"I was happy to help, that guy was no good anyway," Lloyd grumbled at the memory.

"…right." She spoke uncertainly. Reimi wondered for the first time how much knowledge or awareness Lloyd had about romance and dating. As he looked up to check her reply, she just pocketed the change and gave a reassuring smile - doubt and happiness wreaking havoc in equal turn through her mind.