𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣.

the antidote. luke santoro. forty. the pour house's owner.

[lukesantoro]

                                       𝙇𝙐𝙆𝙀 𝙎𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙊. 𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙏𝙔 𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙎 𝙊𝙇𝘿.                                            𝙊𝙒𝙉𝙀𝙍 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙀.                                         biography ╱ statistics ╱ connections ╱ musings

[lukesantoro]

when: just after dusk, a thursday where: streets of gastown

@lochlanmurphyy​​

He’d heard it first from a mutual friend, if that was even the proper term to use — Luke barely knew the guy, the few times they shared a conversation had been during gatherings thrown by Angelia, until he stopped being invited to those. Instigator was a better way to call him, he supposes, the man’s smile had grown twice as big when he casually mentioned Lochlan had been back for a few months now. He shouldn’t have been bothered by the information, especially due to recent events, but he was. And the surprise in his features when he crosses path with him, on his way to Roxy Burger, doesn’t really last long, being replaced with an instant furrow of his brows and tensing on his jaw.

“So you are in town.”   He couldn’t compare meeting Lochlan again to seeing a ghost, it was more like getting bubblegum stuck to the sole of your shoes, no matter how many times you tried to scrape it off, you could still hear the squeak when you walked. Just great.   “Thrilled to have you back, really. — How long should we expect you to stick around for this time?”

[lukesantoro]

Lou sat at the bar, a bundle of paperwork sitting in front of her. She absolutely hated bringing her work home with her, but she had no choice. Mike, who was her floor manager, dropped the ball on getting the paperwork ready for the account meeting on Monday. So here she was, again, picking up the slack for the employees that worked for her. If her father knew how much on hands work she actually did, he would be furious. He may have started out as the hands on type, but he says that’s what he has employees for. She rolled her eyes at the bigoted thought. 

She jumped a little in the seat when the bartender slid the drink across the counter and spoke towards her. “Oh, um. Coffee?” She sounded absolutely absurd to order a coffee while at the bar, but she needed a clear head. 

delicatewarrior.

It only took one long look to notice how much she was out of place. Maybe on a different day and under different circumstances she would fit in with the typical crowd that attended his bar, right now she looked wide-eyed and dazed. Luke smiles, warm and comforting.   “Can’t promise you it’ll taste good.”   Under very rare occasions they served coffee, and he was usually not the one in charge of it.

He nudges papers away to lay the warm cup in front of her, after struggling with the coffee machine, but managing it. Unceremoniously he places the large pot of sugar, used for drinks, right next to it with a spoon; she could make it as sweet or bitter as she wanted.   “Long day, ma’am?”

[lukesantoro]

“Wow…” Excitement surged through her and Nima did a little hop in her heat, maybe even a little shimmy dance in victory as well. “I can feel my powers growing.” Knowing that it wasn’t easy for Luke to hand over the reigns to something within his bar, she couldn’t help the honor she felt in the trust. The way it underlaid all their teasing and sarcastic comments hadn’t been lost on Nima. “Don’t worry, my dear friend, I’m just gonna liven things up a bit— I’ll keep it within the vibe of this place though.” After a pause, she added, “trust me.” 

Which, he clearly already did.

It had come at perfect timing because it had come out just moments before he was stating he didn’t— which made her laugh. “This is the face of an angel…” Motioning around her countenance, she avoided her opinion on the celestial myths and how terrifying angels could actually be. “And it helps me get my way more than you think. Most people think I’m pretty cute, Luke.”

“Never!” Mock offense had Nima leaning back and touching a hand to her objecting heart. Luke was a handsome stud of a man and she cared about him, wanted the best for him, and hoped he’d find some happiness. Of course, she’d learned through her own life that it wasn’t something that had to come by way of a serious partner. Even if she couldn’t deny that there was some part of her buried deep that wanted such a thing. They didn’t linger on the subject though, especially knowing that he wasn’t a fan of it. Two masters of avoidance— no wonder they got along. 

Eyes cut to a couple of his staff members and she stifles a laugh at they way their eyes rolled back into their heads. As good as a boss may be, Nima was sure that was always how it was going to be between employee and employer. She laughed with him, but more or less continued at Luke’s vision of them out together. “To be honest, I love the idea that anyone would assume I’m important enough to need a bodyguard. I feel like we should wear best friend tshirts so we could really garner reactions.” Following a friendly wink, Nima added, “I’m thinking the vape shop then the bowling alley. We can either bowl or hit up the arcade, your choice, just know I’m competitive.”

nimaabbasi.

“Yeah, yeah. Lucifer was an angel once too.”   Or at least that was what he picked up from the passing religion comments from his father decades ago. Being skeptical of most subjects in life, the one thing that he never laid eyes on and confirmed was the existence of God, and yet he found himself fearing anything surrounding the topic. It was amusing comparing Nima to it.   “Most people don’t know what I know.”   His voice is quiet, feign seriousness in his expression. They’d go around and around on the taunting and never get anywhere until one of them grew bored of it, as usual.

“I like those If lost return to X and I’m X shirts, we should go with that.”   He laughs, doubting there would be time to set it up, but the thought was what counted.   “Just text me what color you’re wearing and we’ll do it that way.”   If he had any item that matched whatever she had planned, it was a 50% chance of working out really.

“And when I win and you’re crying because of it, what do I get?”   It’d be more fun with bets on the table, the thought alone of going out and enjoying his time somewhere outside his house or work with someone he cared for lifted a weight off his shoulder that he didn’t know was there. Where she was competitive, he had his pride to count on to try his best to beat her.   “We could do both, I’ll do better on either.”

[lukesantoro]

Hands resting on the bar top, he wet his lips, anticipating the relief a hot cup a fuel would bring to his aching head. “Yeah, it served it’s purpose, it did,” he replied, a wry chuckle stuck in his throat. His hangover go to under normal circumstances would be a red bull with a multivitamin for a kick but the coffee would do for now.  He just needed a bump to sober himself up enough for the long drive home. 

Giving it some more thought, however, he gave consideration to the potential for running into a stray bear or wolf out in the sticks where he lived at this time of night. The odds were slim, but did he knew chances were slim he’d come out on the winning end of a confrontation in his present state. Next option was to ask Nat if he could crash at her place for the night. He’d already pulled up her contact on his phone as he turned his attention back to the other mail. “And we’re all better for it, my friend. Glad to meet you,” he said, raising his hand to bump fist with the other man. Just then the door opened and another guy came in with rush of wind. It was clear he’d been served to his limit elsewhere. Luca turned slightly so his back was to the wall, the guy remaining in his peripheral.  “Seems like the type of place where one would never get bored…I bet you’ve got stories for days,” he commented, intrigued. 

lucakonig.

A genuine smile reaches his expression as he fist bumps the other man, nodding up at him during the gesture.   “You too.”   The curl on his lips falls shortly after, watching as someone stumbles their way to the bar. Luke just nods at one of his employees, silently asking him to keep an eye, he’d do the same from afar.

“I guess if you’re a bystander it can be quite entertaining.”   His laugh is raspy and not quite filled with amusement, after almost a decade of dealing and seeing what drunk people were capable of, he grew jaded. Every now and then it could be funny to witness a few scenes, but when you’re the one cleaning up and fixing things after, it was often more annoying than exciting.   “A few.”   He shrugs with a chuckle.   “Don’t know why, but I always seem to remember the tragic ones.”   Failed marriage proposals, broken bones during fights, cheating busts, and everything in between.   “Couple years ago a guy died right upfront. Pretty sure it was on the news and everything, was wonderful to deal with it.”

[lukesantoro]

Alice felt her heart pound out of her chest as her feet propelled her towards the same exit he’d vanished out of. She was prepared for a conversation with him, but she hadn’t anticipated that he’d suggest they get on with it tonight and lay it all out to rest. Any half-stringed thoughts she had or bits of conversation she’d come up with in her head were all gone and replaced with nerves. Would they make another scene in the parking lot? Did he even want to hear what she had to say? Stepping out into the cold brisk air, Alice placed her hands into her pockets and turned her attention towards him. Any worries she’d had couldn’t have prepared her for the cut of his words. 

Her head swam with his words: ‘nothing can be fixed’, ‘i’m only here for you’, ‘on my end, there’s nothing’. It was new information and there was no categorizing them into slots in her head so she could pull from them later in order to write her next masterpiece. These words would come to haunt her. “Don’t make it seem like you’re doing me this grand favor.” Immediately on the defensive for feeling like she was the dumb girl who still had her heart in this. Perhaps it was just a blip in their past that he’d pushed to the side and was content doing that while she needed to mull over every single second of her life and wonder about different outcomes. Alice Cheung needed to continuously get to the buried, initial seed of every catastrophic moment in her life. 

Despite knowing it would drive her nuts, she shrugged her shoulder. “I guess that’s it then.” Her eyes landed on him. No chance at repairing the fracture. He’d placed wallpaper over the ugly crack in the wall and decided that as long as it was pretty, it would be enough to hide what was underneath. “I’ll go back in.” As she turned, she simply couldn’t let it go. “No, you know what.” Her body faced him, though her face was contorted in a sourer expression. “You made me feel like I needed to pick between my work and you. It wasn’t right. Then you left like a coward…” She allowed the words to come out strongly, but soon came a sigh of defeat. “But I want to thank you. I was holding onto my work as a crutch for a long time and your words haunted me just the right amount for me to drag myself out of that hole.” While she watches him, she almost allows the three words to slip out. The smallest ‘i miss you’ but she withholds them. There’s nothing for him. “I’ll just get rid of the things i still have.” If he hadn’t come for them, chances were he had moved on without them. Without her. “So, I guess, I forgive you.”

alicechcung.

Even after all the time being away, she still told him things about himself he couldn’t quite see at first, what he always had struggled to make it out or understand splayed in front of them both, for them to pick apart. It was exactly how it sounded, and exactly how he felt — as though this was a favor, something he was doing out of sympathy, charity. His pride playing a big role in it. When in reality he needed this conversation, needed a soft end to their story more than he’d admit. It was easier to feign strength, play pretend that it was fine, lie. It had been many months since the last time he felt as though he was undeserving of something, the usual feeling attached to having her, now it latches onto the fact he shouldn’t even try to make her stay, to look at her for just a little longer.

When she turns back around, Luke just sighs, both relieved and bracing himself for whatever she was about to say. He stays quiet for all of it, slowly letting the words sink in. It was hard to focus on the good, when the bad had been lingering for so long, only unspoken, now mouthed into existence.

“Right, right.”   I forgive you is gone in the matter of seconds.   “What did you think would happen, mm?”   The same snap on her voice when she turned back to him is now in his tone, jaw tight.   “Let’s hear it, Alice. I come back that night, we make up, you cry, we fuck— I make you breakfast the next morning and all is well for a week, yeah?”   It wasn’t rhetorical, but he continues without waiting for her to speak.   “A fucking coward would do that. We’d be here tonight together, having a conversation in this same spot for different reasons.”   He learned to live with the consequences of leaving, choosing to believe that the pattern they had been used to wasn’t one that would simply break, that their downfall would happen sooner or later and he simply cut the tether loose. — The alternative was considering they could have fixed it, that they could have grown together and mend it all. He couldn’t have that.

“You did need to pick. You did.”   He points at her with his full hand, shaking his head as he swallows the sudden lump on his throat. It was bittersweet, to know now that she found the balance between her passion and her life, without him. So much for moving on.   “The fact you’re fucking thanking me now proves that, no?”   Luke can’t help but to dig in, fully aware that when he stopped he would feel guilty for his words. Just like before. He barks out a bitter laugh, he really shouldn’t have come.   “Keep it.”   Whatever she still had of him, the gratitude, the backhanded mercy granted to him.

[lukesantoro]

A laugh threatened to escape her, but Natalia did her best to match Luke’s tone as she slowly lowered her arms. “Only because I care about the success of your business. Don’t want you going under so early into your career.” It wasn’t difficult to notice the underlying exhaustion behind his response, and being a bartender herself it was nearly impossible not to inquire. “You seem off.” It was a little bit blunt, but surely nothing new for him. “I know it’s an asshole move to say someone looks tired, so I’ll be nice and say you sound it. Anything you feel like getting off of your chest? Bartender to bartender?”

She watched as he moved around behind the bar and took a few sips of her drink before he returned his attention to her. “I never told you I’m just at City Brew part time, did I? I lead camping and hiking trips when I’m not there. It’s fun most of the time, unless there’s shitty people tagging along, but you should come out sometime. Or are you afraid of spiders?” A smug grin spread across her features, a sigh disrupting it soon after. “I think we need to set Andrew up with someone his own age. Don’t you have any employees he’d be into? Or a cousin or something? You can start a matchmaking service right out of the bar. It’ll be magic.”

nataliadelecn.

Amusement still covers his features as he raises an eyebrow at her question, the chuckle that leaves his lips is far from humorous though. He felt tired, even as he shrugged his shoulders muscles protested at the action, the fact that she picked up on it proved that it was getting more difficult to hide it.   “I think I need a vacation.”   Was the safest reply. The last thing he needed was to open his mouth and complain about the week he had had, in between work and personal stuff, it was enough to annoy any client away if they eavesdropped.   “Depending on how long you stick around, I’ll fill you in.”   Both a way to keep the oversharing with drunken strangers to a minimum, and to have her around for longer really.

“You and I have very different opinions on what fun is, Nat.”   To Luke, it sounded different, something he could probably enjoy with friends. But the lack of control such environment would bring was enough to irk him just by thinking about it.   “I’m good with spiders. Not so much with the shitty people though. You have to be a saint to deal with it. — You making good money out of it?”   He laughs at her suggestion, that sounded like a nightmare.   “He’s the youngest. I do have a niece or two, but I don’t think he’d be their type. Should I become a matchmaker part time? I’ll make you the first client.”

[brittany-murphy]

being unable to tell the days apart        Defending Jacob, Poker Faces (S01E03)

[angeliaparedes]

─── starter for @lukesantoro​

RED CAT RECORDS, GASTOWN — Having only been in the store a few minutes before noticing the back and broad shoulders of someone she could never mistake, Angelia internally groaned and rubbed at the instant tension at the base of her neck. Ever since that kiss, one she’d never apologize for and one that prompted a huge fight and separation between good friends, she’d done her best to avoid Luke. There was a weirdness between them now, a distrust and perhaps even a grand lie— trying to say that weak moment hadn’t meant anything. To her it had, but Luke wouldn’t be convinced of that. And Angelia was exhausted of that argument and having to prove herself on that front. Plus, it felt awful that a moment of affection had been something she had to feel guilty for. If she crossed a line then Angelia could accept that. But Luke’s response had been so passionate that his anger and focus on her on and off relationship with Lochlan said to her what he was possibly unable to recognize within himself. Then again, she could be all wrong about everything and letting her own feelings cloud her judgement. It was as though there was some magnetic pull, her feet carried her over to Luke even though her thoughts were saying this was a bad idea. She missed him though. “Finding anything good?”

[lukesantoro]

It was like seeing a ghost. A ghost you tried your best to hold onto even when you were supposed to let them go. The comparison is subpar, but he blames it on the album cover of the vinyl he’d been staring at for the past couple of minutes. Not his type really. His mouth dries as Luke looks down at the source of the, very known, voice, and his eyebrow raises at the question.   “Not really.”   He places the vinyl down, his tone far from the usual welcoming and warm notes it effortlessly fell into when he was speaking to her. He couldn’t feel too guilty for it when the reason why was still so fresh — years of friendship thrown away in however long he tasted her for.

Regardless of all the promises he’d made for himself, seeing Angelia when all his guards are down loosen up all the defenses he’d built. And he can’t help but to quietly scan her body, for anything out of place, for dark circles under her eyes, or a strand of hair somewhere it shouldn’t be. He only finds tense shoulders and a gaze that didn’t quite fully meet his.   “And you? This doesn’t strike me as a place you’d come to. Especially at this hour.”   The irony of it doesn’t go by unnoticed, a musician’s girlfriend, or ex, whatever the status was that week, at a record store. How was that for putting the whole situation, and her, past him? — Clearing his throat, Luke speaks again, for the first time finding the silence, once comfortable between them, unbearable. He’d play nice and leave at the first opportunity he had, he convinced himself.   “You’ been well?”

[lukesantoro]

         ❝  GIVE  ME  A  BREAK  !  ❞  a  grin  fixed  around  a  mouthful  of  irony,  lips  turned  upward  at  a  corner.  ❝  ah,  you  know  me  so  well.  ❞  max  sparred  the  man  another  glance  as  he  sat  himself  in  his  usual  seat  opposite  of  her  before  going  back  to  tabbing  through  the  files.  

        ❝  i  dunno’  —  eight  months  ago  ??  ❞  max  hadn’t  much  reason  to  take  time  off  outside  of  the  sparsely  occurring  self-care  day.  vacationing,  much  less,  was  a  notion  buried  in  the  hind  of  her  thoughts.  even  if  she  had  her  feet  in  the  sand,  her  patients  &  their  circumstances  never  fully  left  her  thoughts.  she  didn’t  want  —  didn’t  know  how  to    —  just  block  them  out,  even  if  it  were  for  her  own  sake.  ❝  a  doctors  work  is  never  done,  though.  you  of  all  people  should  know  that  by  now.  ❞  though  it  wasn’t  his  field  of  profession,  max  considered  luke  knew  her  well  enough  that  it  would  take  more  than  a  suggestion  for  her  to  truly  remove  herself  from  her  patients.

maxhirsh.

“An overworked and tired doctor is probably more harm than good. And don’t make me pull an you of all people should know that by now on your ass, because I will.”   Matter of fact, he was already doing it. Shrugging his shoulders, Luke considers the discussion won, the smirk on his lips proving just that. She could turn an argument like no other though, and he half expected her to.

“Let’s say you had the time, and weren’t so damn stubborn— where would you go to?”   He asks to both kill time, guessing that he’d have to stay there waiting for her for a considerable amount of minutes, and to just offer background noise to her.   “I heard Italy is nice this time of the year. Probably too crowded though.”   He scrolls through his phone, going through texts and emails, before raising his head again.   “You know what’d sound good? Whitehorse. Only a couple of hours away, nice views, not too many people. Sounds like a good weekend, I’m just saying.”

[lukesantoro]

Elijah nodded, hearing about the tussle. Honestly, compared to the scuffles that routinely broke out at the club house amongst the members of the crew he had infiltrated it all sounded like child’s play. None the less, the normalcy of being amongst every day citizens was the draw that kept him coming to the place in his off hours. “All in a days work, so I’ve heard,” was all he had to offer in response.  He lifted his glass in sort of a pseudo, one sided toast before taking another pull from his drink. 

“In comparison? Hm…I’ve not go legitimate complaints. I just try and keep my head low when I can. And you? How’s life outside of here? ” If he could let himself speak earnestly, he’d admit that the stress of leading two separate lives was beginning to wreak havoc in his life, physically as much much as emotionally. Either he or the case needed to break soon, but for now all he could do was pacify himself with false hopes. Hope for a breakthrough in the case, resuming some semblance of normalcy in his life. 

ejcummings.

“That’s a very healthy practice.”   He chuckles. From his point of view, which was often behind a bar counter, keeping your head low saved you headaches and bills to pay, it was never the wrong choice. So he couldn’t blame the other man for that, neither for the fact he didn’t share much. Most patrons either fell onto the talk a lot about themselves side, or the only listening one.

“I’ll be honest with you, I run a pretty boring life.”  Luke shrugs, whether it was something to be okay with or not, he didn’t know.   “Usually when I’m out of here, I’m home, and when I’m not home, I’m here.”   He adds, more for emphasis than anything. Although there had been drama here and there in his personal life recently, he figured it wasn’t stuff you’d want to talk to with your bartender.   “If anything I’m trying to find more things to do. You know any good places around? For— I don’t know, anything really?”

[lukesantoro]

Alice couch feel her grasp tighten upon the glass in hand, wondering what type of sound it would make if it connected with the wall across the room. She wouldn’t do it, not at her friends party, but she took a moment and pondered on it. The airy and light conversation, albeit unmemorable, had taken a sharp turn. Her own fault, but she couldn’t swallow anymore of the fake niceties and pretending as if she hadn’t spent months curled up in his arms. As if she hadn’t thought about them now.

“It was just a question,” Alice said as plainly as she could, though he would notice the tightness of her jaw and how some of the words had been spoken through her teeth. It wasn’t until he mentioned being passive aggressive that she showed her annoyance in a roll of her eyes. Not much had changed after all. Hurled insults in the hopes of finding something that stung enough to keep the other quiet for a little bit. Surprisingly, he didn’t continue, but decided to put it all to an halt. Though she could wish up and down that it was for her own sake, it was likely that he had stepped back to ensure they didn’t cause a scene. 

As dramatic as always, she thought when she placed her glass down and headed outside. The jacket she’d draped over a stool was taken, shrugged over her body. “We could have scheduled a meeting.” Her tone was sarcastic as she stuffed her hands in her jackets. Now, she felt almost uncomfortable. Every nerve in her body wanted to retreat despite having been the one to lay this idea out in front of him. “This is long overdue. I’m sure you have plenty you want to tell me.” She switched it around, now hoping he’d guide them as she felt her stomach drop in fear at what he could tell her. Maybe he hadn’t thought about her and was perfectly content pretending she had been no one to him. Worse yet, maybe he actually believed it.

alicechcung.

He half wished she didn’t come out the door, that the need to talk it through, whatever it was, had been a front to intimidate him. The other half is relieved when she follows, feeling her steps behind him like when they were having good nights and walking back home. — He walks far enough from the bar, until the hum of people and the bright lights are reduced to the quietness of the street, cars passing by, and the yellow of the lamps over their heads. He’d seen one too many situations like the one they were in from The Pour House’s windows, and the last thing he wanted was to give anyone something to talk about the next day.

“I did.”   He answers honestly, his brain catching up to what he says only after it’s been spoken into existence.   “A long time ago.”   Mainly petty and childish comebacks, ‘I should have said this’, ‘that was a better reply’. The kind of things people that had not moved on thought about over a lonely Sunday lunch, but as days, and then weeks and months came by, the need to have won their last fight diminished. The resentment he felt towards her disappeared. And the only thing left lingering was regret. Luke sighs, shrugging his shoulders in both defeat and agitation.   “Alice, I don’t know what you think is going to come out of this.”

There’s a beat of silence, and he continues before she can speak.   “I’ve made my peace with the fact nothing can be fixed. That this isn’t—”   He stops and clears his throat, his own hands now stuffed at the pockets of his jacket, he shakes his head.   “I got my closure by myself.”   A lie that is instantly contradicted with his next sentence.   “And I’m only here for you.”   The words feel familiar in his voice when directed to her, and he’s glad he’s gotten used to pretending they didn’t mean anything more than what he made them out to be.   “For me, it’s all... just normal. Past. So if you want to say something, or you want anything out’ame then just ask. I’ll listen, I’ll do what you want, because I do owe you that. — But on my end, there’s nothing.“

[lukesantoro]

“More or less.” She admitted, to know her well felt like she’d be damning him, and after the time, she’d found herself naked beneath him, on top of him, in front… Everly’s eyes glossed over, and for a moment, her mind trailed to just one time. Shaking her head free of the thoughts and getting back on track, she wondered if that one time had been enough to ruin whatever friendship they had blossomed within her six months of living in the city. Afterward, Evie hadn’t known what to think, feel, or how to act, so she simply avoided him- he didn’t seem too bothered, so she wasn’t going to bring it up even as her thoughts seemed to slip away from her control. One thing he didn’t know- she furrowed her brows and considered all the things she could reveal to him, others more damaging than some. Flipping over her right hand, she traces a silvery scar on her palm and holds it out for him to inspect. “I made a promise to my sister when we were twelve, and she gave me this scar, so I’d never forget.” She draws the line down the scar with her index finger, “Her matching one is on her left hand…” She pauses, realizing, and flexes her fingers, “Was.” She corrects with a shrug. “Anyway, it was my first scar, and we had to lie to our parents about how we got them.” Sliding from her place she looks at him with an impish smile, “Are you calling me a princess?” She calls as she is walking away through the stacks of supplies. 

“I was a stray too, if you remember.” She pointed out while looking for the can opener while rolling a can of tuna in her palm. Pausing her search, Everly leans against a shelf and regards him curiously. “It’s your turn.” She points out, tightening her right hand around the can as if reminding herself of the scar beneath. “Tell me something I don’t know- while helping me find a can opener. I’m sure you’d rather have cats around than rats? Rats would be detrimental for business.” She pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone that begged him to prove her wrong.

evie-desantis.

He’s quiet as he looks down at her palm, nodding in encouragement as she continues to speak. His own thumb brushes against the delicate scar, next to the touch of her index, he taps against it before dropping his hand.   “You two were always tough, hmm?”   It’s a compliment, through and through, and he mirrors her smile.   “I’m guessing I’m gonna have to work harder to learn what the promise was, yeah?”   The question is mostly rhetorical as he picks up his pace and joins her.

“You’ll know for sure when I am.”   There’s no hesitation on his reply, and he has to remind himself where they stood. On his side, there had been no harm done, the deal had been simple and he would be able to keep his promise. The lines were far from blurred, but that didn’t explain the sudden pause to her coming around the bar, so he makes a note to tone it down on the playfulness on his voice.

“Uh—”   Luke clears his throat to buy himself time, searching amidst boxes for the proper shelf that had can openers. It’s nothing really to be embarrassed or ashamed of, but for some reason he can’t quite meet her eyes as he says it.   “Well, I check upon my family every now and then.”   There’s a pause where he clicks his tongue, a chuckle ripping through his throat as he goes on.   “Have to pay a guy to do it really.”   The private investigator gave him the run down every six months, some pictures, updates on who got pregnant, distant relative deaths, nothing too close to home so far. If Luke’s honest he didn’t know why he did it, having been out of that place for more than two decades without having received a single call through the years. Maybe it was hope, maybe it was stupidity.   “Apparently I’ll be an uncle soon, so that’s nice.”   It was the thought that counted really.

He finally finds the opener and lays it against her free palm.   “Rats would have been easier to deal with. — Now I’m having to play nice with the enemy because of you, I don’t like that.”   He did.

[lukesantoro]

“Oh come on, not even for me?” she teased, giving him the ultimate puppy eyes. She knew that he would never be one for dancing on the bar but that would be one memory that she would love etched in her brain. During college, she had her fair share of nights on the bar but only to bring more customers in, not because she was drunk and decided it was a good time. New York was expensive and Nora did a lot of questionable things before the academy just to make ends meet - some of which she would never think about again. “I better be. I can’t be missing a wet t-shirt contest with Vancouver’s finest,” she laughed, “You know that might actually be a money maker. I’m sure guys would be lining up and girls, well we would pay to see that happen. Think about it sometime.” A sigh left her lips as she raised the beer off the counter, “We hope one day.” She took a drink before shrugging her shoulders and leaning onto the bar.

“The fun kind of bar owner who would take a few minutes to take care of some things in the back. Totally professional things,” she said with a smirk. Though she would kill for a little fun, she knew business was business and she wouldn’t take him away from that unless he really wanted to. “I’ll make sure to kiss all the wounds away.” Taking a sip of her drink, she was glad that it seemed like it was going to be a more quiet night - that was exactly what the blonde had needed with everything else going on. When he asked about work, she sighed but nodded, “Unfortunately. I’m not really looking forward to work especially with this new case that we are on, but hopefully things will be on the up and up, you know?”

norafreemanx.

“Especially not for you. I don’t know what kind of gear they got in the force right now, who’s to say you don’t have a hidden cam somewhere?”   He motions at her body while feigning a frown, shaking his head as if the idea alone horrified him. Breaking into a smile seconds later, Luke continues.   “We would pay? Jesus, Nora, you’re really showing your true colors tonight, mm?”   As harmless of a joke that it was, he knew she was right. People would line up for that kind of entertainment.   “I’ll keep in mind if we’re ever going bankrupt.”

He’s still chuckling as he listens to her, an eyebrow raising at her words, head tilting at the new image in his brain.   “It wouldn’t take just a few minutes.”   It sounds like both a statement and a promise. It’s easy to get pulled into the easiness of their conversation, the sudden new turns his night could have, and he was thankful that amidst it all, he could always count on her to get his mind off his job and his problems. She was the only thing lately that managed to do so.   “I’ll collect on those later.”   He taps his index and middle fingers against his lips a couple of times, signaling what he meant. His voice drops a few notes as she mentions working, and although they were supposed to be a break on each other’s lives when it came to that, his curiosity and familiarity with that line of work gets the best of him.   “What kind of case?”

[lukesantoro]

She laughed when he revealed his past looked much like her own. It seemed most spent a better part of their lives in a state of drunken stupor. A rite of passage. A decade ago she both felt every decision she made was monumental and felt as though she had all the time in the world. Things didn’t really change now, but she was trying her best to see things from a different perspective. She feigned a shocked expression at the mention of the Canucks’ loss before shaking her head. “See, I can totally understand now why you were kicked out of this bar for so long. Years later and you still haven’t learned that we don’t talk about these things.”

Of course he noted her nerves. Aspen had hardly been good at hiding her emotions before. And her entire demeanor screamed get me out ( her words even more ). “You know these get to know you work gatherings. Too many questions that you can’t really dodge and then the more you do, the weirder it gets. I’m probably getting into my head about it but I just wish I could skip the small talk and get to the we’re tight phase.” Yet to do that, she had to divulge details about herself which was precisely what she didn’t want to do. “Well here I thought I’d start coughing violently on my drink,” she suggested, mostly joking. “But I can do that while flashing ‘save me’ eyes.” 

aspenxhamilton.

“I’m limit testing right now.”   He points at her with a towel in his hand, placing it on his shoulder as he recovers from the aftermath of his laugh.   “Got to learn what kind of fan you are. If I’m ever going to have to rip you off someone’s throat, or bump my insurance for property damage. You never know these days, looks can be deceiving.”   The seriousness he tries to place in his expression is broken by the smirk on his lips.

“Coughing and save me eyes it is.”   Luke raises his gaze to the door when it opens, but when the small group of people doesn’t move towards her, he just offers Aspen another smile.   “Well, you just got to pretend to be as interested on them as they’re probably interested on you.”   The bar owner shrugs, keeping himself busy by taking their empty shot glasses and cleaning them.   “One thing people love more than finding out about the newcomer is talking about themselves.”   He witnessed one too many welcome gatherings and knew that by now.   “You just gotta get them started and let them run with it. — If it makes you feel any better, as far as small talk goes, we’ve been doing it for a bit and you’re really good at it.”

[lukesantoro]

“As she and any other woman should be.” Simply shrugging her shoulders, this night Nima chose to spare Luke of a feminist rant or the trails of being a black woman. Both of which her mother had lost her voice preaching about many times as they struggled through each day. But, people came to a bar to numb themselves.

Most of the time anyway.

“Of course I would.” A grin appeared on her lips at his skepticism. “You should see my Spotify, I’ve got over a hundred playlists. I could have this place poppin’ and jammin’ in no time. Just gimmie the weekend.” 

For a brief few moments, Nima rested her chin on the heels of her palms innocently. “There’s not always a catch, Luke. Sometimes people just wanna do nice things because they care.”

Watching Luke suddenly busy himself, making it all too obvious she’d caught him, the podcaster viewed him with amusement. Liar liar pants on fire rang in her head like a sing-song. “That’s the whole point. Why didn’t you have plans for tonight? I mean— the amount of women that hit on you and wanna climb your big ass like a tree…” Nima rolled her eyes.

“You’re not short staffed. Don’t start lyin’ to me, my man.” With a gleam in her eyes, Nima focused on him. “So, are you saying we should go out together then?”

nimaabbasi.

“Popping and jamming.”   He repeats the words as if he’s testing them in his voice for the first time, his tongue clicking at the roof of his mouth as he pictures his usual customers listening to SZA. That’d be a sight to see.   “Alright, nothing too— you know, nothing too crazy.”   Luke pleads, well aware she could make him or break him.

Pointing at her, he keeps his attention on their conversation as he fixes a couple of bottles, placing them how he liked it.   “Yeah, that whole face isn’t doing you any favors. I don’t trust you, Nima.”   He did, but the chuckle was worth it.

“You objectifying me, mm? I’m appalled.”   His tone is flat as he says it. Having a conversation on all the reasons he didn’t want any of them was the last thing he wanted to do, not ready to face the whys just yet, if ever. So he moves on quickly.    “And with how these people work, I might as well be.”   He speaks it loud enough for a couple of his staff members to hear it, earning a roll of their eyes at him. Luke laughs before continuing.   “I mean, sure. People will probably assume the worst, like I’m your bodyguard. — Where would we even go to?”

[lukesantoro]

Plucking a lemon wedge from behind the bar, Evie began to peel it into segments before eating the sour fruit as if it were candy. Shrugging, “There is a lot you don’t know about me.” She teases even tho the idea of wearing a latex mask makes her skin crawl- anything around her head at all save for maybe a blindfold- she wasn’t about to tell him that. Dropping her shoulder, she ate the wedge and frowned at the rind. “You know me pretty well-” She asked tho it was more a statement than a question. Her nose twitches, “Maybe I’m not wearing any makeup?” She posed with eyeliner smudged under her eyes. She was tired; she’d been tired for weeks, maybe longer. Sometimes Evie believed she was born exhausted, never knowing rest, never knowing when enough was enough. “My hero- chivalry isn’t dead.” Grabbing the glass of water, she took it as an excuse to grab another piece of fruit, a couple of wedges of lime, this time one to squeeze into her water and another to peel apart and eat. “It’s good bread.” She commented, “I’d steal it took if I could.” She frowns at the mention of cats, “Bread isn’t enough to sustain them.” She pouts at them going hungry, spins off her chair, and moves towards the back in question. “Do you have any tuna?”

evie-desantis.

“True?”   There’s a taunt present in his tone as he asks her, eyebrows raising in challenge. He was sure that the list of things Everly had never told him about herself was by far longer than the things she had, or the ones he figured out on his own.   “Let’s hear it then. Tell me one thing I don’t know.”   He watches her eat the lemon, remembering his reaction the first time she’d did it in front of him. Now he’d hate to admit he always made sure the fruit was fresh just in case.   “There’s a princess and the pea reference here somewhere, I’m sure of it.”

Frowning at the question, Luke promptly follows her.   “Yeah, I think we have some.”   He was thankful there had been no awkwardness between them, no trouble as they fell through their usual conversation and she felt comfortable enough to act as she always had. It made him wonder what took them this long to even face each other then.   “Eve, I’m trying to get rid of them, not foster them.”   He laughs, pushing his shoulder against the door frame of the pantry as he watches her.   “You about to bring the whole bunch of them around.”