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Renfri felt her shoulders tense up as they entered the shopping centre, a cold dread crawling over her skin. There were hearts everywhere, pink and red practically bursting out the doors from every shop. The card shop window was full of giant stuffed teddy bears holding love hearts, the coffee shop had big signs advertising their limited edition pink cupcakes for St. Julian’s Day. She forgot every year.
Lambert’s arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. “It’s gross isn’t it?”
She rolled her eyes, shrugging him off. She knew he didn’t believe that. After all they were here for him. He’d asked her to help him buy a present for Aiden. She’d stupidly thought it was the idiots birthday or something but she’d obviously been wrong.
St. Julian’s Day.
Stupid romantic bullshit.
Of course Lambert wanted to buy a present for his new boyfriend for St. Julian’s Day… another friend lost to a relationship. It was inevitable really, everyone always chose romance over friendship in the end.
“Oi!” Lambert snapped, gripping her by the shoulders and turning her to face him, she didn’t resist but glowered up at him. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Oh nothing,” she muttered. “Let’s just get a stupid box of chocolates or something for Aiden and get out of here.”
“A box of chocolates?” Lambert asked, running his hands through his hair. He grimaced, shuffling awkwardly “That’s a bit lame isn’t it?”
Renfri snorted, gesturing to all the crap in the front windows. “I don’t know why you’re asking me? You should have asked Jaskier.”
Lambert frowned. “Jaskier?”
“Yes,” she hissed.
“But he doesn’t know Aiden that well. Come on, Renfri. He took me to that sword fighting workshop for my birthday, I can’t let him beat me!” Lambert practically begged her, the pout on his face rivalling Jaskier’s.
She ground to halt, staring up at her friend fiercely, searching his emerald green eyes intently. “Birthday?”
Lambert frowned, looking puzzled. He scratched the back of his neck and pushed his hair back off his face again, it wouldn’t last long, it never did. “Well, yeah. It’s only two weeks away and I haven’t bought anything yet. You’re my best friend, Ren, help me?”
He sounded pathetic. Renfri made the mistake of looking at his stupid wide eyes and she groaned. “You’re useless.”
“I know,” he agreed with a smirk, tilting his head and crossing his arms in front of his chest. The bastard knew he’d won.
“When’s his birthday?” She asked with narrow eyes, two week was eerily close to…
“The fourteenth.”
Renfri snorted. Of course it was. She linked her arm with Lambert’s. “Fine, wolf. You owe me though!”
Lambert shoved against her, pushing her off balance. She rolled her eyes and pushed him back. They carried on, back and forth, stumbling through the shopping centre until they were in fits of laughter. Soon enough she’d almost forgotten the emptiness in her chest and the glaring pink decorations that surrounded her. She was loved, regardless of what anyone else might think.