royal_musings | [Open Post] Where the Streets Have No Name

Lucas snorted, nearly kicking up coffee in his face. "That would sure be a thing, right? MasterDeath card."

For a moment that got him, his laugh quickly escalating into a giggle fit he couldn't put the lid back on. Not until it ran itself out, at least. "Oh man...priceless." Another snort-laugh before much of that mirth died away. "But actually, no. Poor guy has no clue. He's not being malicious, the current owner just wants to see if there's anything they can do for the spirit. So at least it's not some pissed off poltergeist slinging around glassware or anything like that."

Although those could be fun cases, but for different reasons. "He sure is insistent on that card, though. So I kinda wonder if it's stolen or something."

Maybe that was speaking ill of the dead, but...who knows what lingering regret can hold someone to this mortal realm. Shrugging, Lucas sipped at his coffee. "I mean, that's the long and short of it, if you want the more deets I guess I could put you to sleep with them."

"Let's not even play, we both know if they can make money as ghosts on the other side, they would definitely attempt it," Les said with a laugh, watching him with amusement. "And you should definitely trademark that. MasterDeath Card is the best name for a credit card on the other side."

She took a sip of her chai latte and shook her head. "That poor guy. At least it's not an intentional malicious haunting. That makes it a bit easier to deal with, I imagine."

Les shook her head with a laugh. "Sounds like it was a great case to come to San Francisco for. But I'm glad you did. I'm glad we get to reconnect."

"Hah! Ain't that the damn truth?" Snickering Lucas pauses to take another sip of coffee while his lips smile around the rim of the cup. "And maybe I will. If I strike it rich I'm throwing half at you for the idea!"

Wouldn't that be something, too? Kind of like the old days, when they'd dream up far fetched scenarios to get out of that sleepy little town. The odds were always long, but somehow they at least the getting out part.

"I'm glad I did, too." He can only keep his gaze on Les for a moment, smile warming even as he finds a spot on the table to look at instead. "I really dropped the ball keeping up and...I missed you. A lot."

Les smirked. "You better, I know how to find you," she teased him with a grin before taking another bite of her croissant.

It did remind her of the old days and all the dreams/scenarios they came up with just to leave. Deep down, Les had always known they'd leave. Ricky and Don weren't the types to stay in a small town for too long. They'd stayed for as long as they could so Les and Abby could graduate before finding them a place.

She settled into her chair and watched him. "Yeah, you did. But, it wasn't just you. We both did," she said, once more holding nothing back. "I missed you too, Lucas. I'm glad we have this chance. Things are much easier to keep in touch with than when we were kids."

"Hah, you sure do!" She'd better hunt him down. In fact, he's be disappointed if she didn't, honestly.

His gaze continues to hold on that one particular spot even as his smile brightens, eyebrows shooting up. He'll just ignore the flutter in his chest, for now.

"Yeah, that's true...I guess this is the part where I ask for your number?" He's putting on his most ridiculous Smolder(tm) look, intentionally hamming it up as he looks back to Les. Besides, he already has her number...

Edited 2021-03-07 05:26 (UTC)

Les laughed and sat back in her chair as she watched him.

When he asked if this was the part where he asked for her number she rolled her eyes. "You know, I considered it but nah, I don't think so," she said with a little grin. "So if you could just, you know, remove it..."

There was a teasing glint in her eye though as she brought her cup up to her mouth for a drink. "Weirdo."

Lucas snorts at Les’s response, that teasing look in her gaze is just too precious. “I’m too lazy to delete it, so I guess you’re just stuck with me texting you again.”

Oh the horror.

“So what do you want to do after this? I’m almost to the bottom of my cup here,” Plus having the rest of his day free really isn’t such a bad problem to have.

Les snorted and rolled her eyes. "Figures," she forced a sigh just before she laughed and shook her head. "Some things just never change."

She considered their options. "It's up to you. I can take you by the shop and you can see where we work or we can take a drive out to see the Redwoods. There's some right in the Bay Area or a grove of them about an hour from here. If neither of those sound good, there's no shortage of things to do in the city, it's a matter of what are you in the mood to do?"

There were the touristy things to do and see, and of course, plenty of places to eat and neighborhoods to explore.

"Hmmm," Lucas leaned back in his seat, thoughtfully considering his options. Honestly any of them sounded fun as long as they got to hang out, but hearing about the shop had him curious.

"Well, I would like to see where you work," He said finally, "But you know a good hike wouldn't go amiss either."

There were plenty of days back home that they roamed the forests nearby, why not explore a new venue here while he had the chance. The thought was exciting, even if they didn't get to it right away. There was a ghost house to explore too before all is said and done.

"I mean, what better way to burn off this coffee, right?" He added with a grin.

She grinned. "Great, I know of the perfect place. The first time we went to it, I thought of you," she said and finished off her drink. "Another time you can come by the shop and I'll give you the grand tour."

Every time she went hiking, she'd always thought back to the hikes they'd gone on together as kids and teenagers. Being out in the woods had felt as free as she'd ever felt other than driving fast, which wasn't very surprising considering she was a wolf shifter.

"Exactly," she agreed with a laugh and stood from the table so she could throw away her cup and plate. "Are you ready then?"

Another time to see the shop. Lucas did his best to ignore how the thought made his heart flutter wild in his chest. Although his schedule could be crazy, he’d find the time to come back, to text and call. Their friendship had slipped away once due to time and distance, life just had a funny way of getting away from both of them, but he vowed to do right this time around.

“More like are you ready to keep up!” Standing with a bounce in his step Lucas knew full well he’d be eating those words later. It’d be worth it though. Running free in the woods was exactly where he wanted to be right now.

“I’ll have you know I still took top spot in the track and field team in the Academy,” He had been their high school’s top cross country runner, picking his way through with a steady, unrelenting pace like a wolf might.

Then again, he did learn from the best.

“At least I did until they tried to switch me over to the short prints and man, I’m just not wired for that. Either way, I hope you keep up otherwise you’re totally going to eat my dust.” The grin brightens into a full fledged smirk. “Let’s go!”

The fact that he'd reached out in the first place after so many years said a lot to Les. She wasn't always the easiest person to get to know, let alone be close with but she was loyal to those she chose as her own. She would do what she could to make sure they didn't lose sight of that friendship.

Les snorted and rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, sure if that's what you think," she quipped back as she headed toward her car.

"I think I'd be more disappointed if you didn't. After all, you did learn from the best," she shot him a teasing grin.

There had never been a single doubt in her mind where she would end up while she was in school. She'd taken to working on cars and painting like a duck to water. For Lucas, she was glad to hear and see how far he'd come since high school and leaving their small hometown behind. It wasn't doing any of them any good and wouldn't have if they had stuck around.

"One of us knows the woods and one doesn't, we'll see who eats who's dust soon enough!"

It was roughly forty minutes later (due to the ever annoying San Francisco traffic) when they arrived at the spot she'd usually favored at this particular location. It was quieter and a little off the beaten path but still laid down well enough. "Here we are, hope you're ready to eat those words of yours," she said tossing him an amused smirk.

[Open Post] Where the Streets Have No Name

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