Vance and Lu | Yorkland, Day 1
Nov. 27th, 2018 08:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainTwo everyday, almost ordinary Yorklanders meet up for what isn't quite a date.
It was late by the time Lu watched the last customer head out the door of GIlmore's Glorious Goods, and she sighed as she tugged the navy blue robe she was wearing off over her head to reveal a simple laced bodice and skirt underneath. "Do you have plans tonight?" she asked her other self, who was taking another look around to make sure everyone had actually left before doing that same.
"Not really," Orange Lu admitted. "I think I'm going to go see if I can track Sis down. I'm getting kind of worried? She was really mad when Clint showed up late. You've got plans with Vance?"
Neutral Lu nodded. "Not like, plans, but we were going to hang out for a while after work." They were good at hanging out; not so good at ever figuring out whether or not hanging out constituted anything more. She smiled over at her other self. "And don't worry - you know how she gets. They're probably off having make-up sex already."
"Maybe? I'm not so sure," Orange Lu disputed, but waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway, go. I'll straighten up." She smiled. "Tell Vance I said hi?"
"I will." Neutral Lu didn't need any more prompting - she hung her robe on one of the hooks in the back room and headed out the door. Hopefully he hadn't been waiting long.
Vance sipped some ale, a light, small ale just to slake his thirst, at a table in the pub. He had ordered for Lu, too, confident she was on her way. They'd been friends, or something like it, for long enough that he was positive she'd be there. When the door opened, and he caught sight of her, Vance raised a hand to wave at her. "Hi."
"Hi." Lu slipped into the seat across from him. "Sorry I'm late; it's been really busy, and Sis took off in a huff because she was mad at Clint. What's up?"
"Not much." Vance offered her the drink. "Why's she mad at Clint?"
"Thanks." Lu took a sip from the glass, set it down, and rolled her eyes, smiling fondly. "He was supposed to pick her up. And he was late - which, y'know, happens pretty much daily. But anyway, when he showed up, he was covered in dirt and holding a handful of straw. Which he handed to her like it was flowers." She shook her head and smiled. "She went off the deep end and ordered him out, then stomped out. We figure they're off somewhere making up."
"Ah." There was a lot to ask questions about there, like why Clint had brought straw and why it had upset Purple Lu so much that she'd yelled at him. Vance thought it might be safest not to ask, though. "How was your day?"
"Just busy. How 'bout you? Busy day at the shop?" Lu asked, tossing the question back at him.
Vance nodded. He'd done his best to clean up after work, but even now there was a light dusting of flour in his hair. "This time of year, a lotta people want their pasties," he observed. Which meant they were crushed for time and supplies, leading his father to be even less forgiving than usual.
Lu grimaced sympathetically. "I thought about stopping over there for lunch, but I figured it'd be better if I didn't."
He shrugged as though the added stress was no big deal. "It was crazy at lunch, so probably for the best. You'd have had to wait for ages."
"Better I didn't, then," Lu agreed, though she hadn't been talking about the wait. "Why don't you find a different job? I'm sure your dad could find someone to work there part time." Possibly not someone he could treat like he did his son, but someone, anyway.
Vance looked at her skeptically. "I can't see him agreeing to that."
Lu smiled faintly. "A job that included lodging? It might be the easiest way out of there."
"Might be," Vance had to admit. And out of there sounded...amazing. But, "I just can't see him letting me go."
"You're 16. He can't really stop you," Lu pointed out.
Vance sipped his drink a bit. "I guess not. But he could sure make it difficult."
"I know." Lu smiled a little and reached over to squeeze his hand. "I wish there was something I could do."
Vance accepted her hand gratefully, and smiled slightly as he squeezed it. Her skin was really soft, he noticed before blushing lightly and shoving the thought aside. "You don't need to do anything. I'm okay."
"I know." Because he was, in a way - and wasn't at all, in others, but he wouldn't want that pointed out, and she wasn't about to do it. She caught the blush, though, and an answering one warmed her face as she swiped her thumb over the back of his hand. And grinned, just a little impishly. "You could always move in with us? That'd give Sis and Clint something new to fight about, at least."
He felt the blush growing hotter at the idea. "I'm not sure they need any help on that front."
"Probably not." She squeezed his hand once more and let it go. "Besides, we're falling over ourselves as it is. But if you need somewhere..." she gave him an earnest look. They'd manage, for as long as he needed. He should know that. She'd said it often enough before.
"I appreciate it," he said earnestly, smiling sincerely. And he did, even if he didn't think he could take her up on it. "How do you fit all those people in there anyway?"
"Combine? There's plenty of room for one of us." Lu grinned and shrugged. "And if one of us has a guest, the other two get out. It all works."
"So if Clint comes over, two of you just scram, no matter what time it is?" Vance asked, sounding mildly amused.
"Well, mostly they go out," Lu admitted. "But yeah, we've taken off before. It works, y'know?"
"I guess," Vance said, shrugging. It seemed a little inconsiderate, to him, but if it worked for them it worked. "Clint still doesn't live there though, right?"
Lu laughed and shook her head. "No. Not living with Clint. I don't think either of them want that, and I know neither of the rest of us do. I mean, he's ok? But I don't want to see him when I wake up in the morning."
He chuckled. "I didn't figure you did, at least. I was wondered about Purple."
"Purple's probably the last of us who'll want to settle down," Lu pointed out.
"Good point," Vance admitted. "I take it all back."
"I'm figuring that's a bridge I don't even want to think about until I have to cross it." Lu smiled and shrugged. "Pretty sure we set a new bar for dating being complicated." Which was one of the reasons she never could decide whether or not to try taking things further with Vance. Purple might be fine with casual, but she wasn't.
"I don't know," Vance mused, taking it as a hypothetical musing rather than an observation on anything current. "I think you could handle it."
"Yeah?" Lu blushed a little and offered a crooked smile. "How would I do that?" she asked, wondering whether or not he'd actually given it any thought. And if he had, was it because he was just curious, or because he was trying to figure it out for himself?
He chuckled softly and had to admit, "I don't know all the specifics, but I've got a lot of faith in your ability to figure things out."
"Oh." She smiled weakly, a little disappointed despite herself. "Yeah, that's what I'm supposed to be good at, I guess."
Vance couldn't help feeling like he'd done something wrong, though he had no idea what. "You okay?" He asked.
"What?" Lu shook her head and smiled. "No, I'm fine, really. Just thinking." That was what she was supposed to be best at, after all - or at least, compared to her other selves, which she supposed wasn't saying much. She drank the last of her ale, set down her glass, and fished for her belt pouch. "Want to go for a walk?"
"Sure," he said, cheerfully. Vance finished his pint of ale, and then pulled out his pouch of coins. "Let me just settle up, and then we can head out."
"I've got it," Lu disputed. She pulled a couple of copper coins out of her pouch and set them down on the table.
Vance chuckled. "Makin' a liar outta me, huh?" He joked. He led the way to the door and held it open for her. "Guess I'll need to find some other way to be chivalrous."
Lu's face warmed as she stepped through the door. "It's not like you've ever had a problem with that," she pointed out.
He blushed in response. "I try," Vance admitted as he followed her outside.
"You do fine," Lu assured him. "But you don't always have to pick up the tab."
"Can't fault a guy for trying," he said, grinning.
"Well, I could? But what would be the fun in that?" Despite the fact it would be even colder there, Lu started walking towards the river. With the sky clear, it would be pretty there, the stars reflecting off the water. Besides, it'd be quieter.
He walked alongside her in companionable silence for awhile before observing, "it's nice out tonight."
"It is," Lu agreed. A little cool, enough so that she wished she'd thought to bring a cloak with her, but not really cold. "I'm surprised it hasn't snowed yet."
"I'm not sure if I'd be happier or sadder if it did snow. Snow's weird like that," Vance said.
"I know what you mean," Lu acknowledged, nodding. "I like watching it fall from inside? But then when it's on the road and my shoes are soaked and I've fallen on my butt a half dozen times, I'm not really a fan." Not exactly the sort of conversation dates were made of. Which was fine, because once again, it was obvious it really wasn't one, and she was fine with that.
Mostly.
It was late by the time Lu watched the last customer head out the door of GIlmore's Glorious Goods, and she sighed as she tugged the navy blue robe she was wearing off over her head to reveal a simple laced bodice and skirt underneath. "Do you have plans tonight?" she asked her other self, who was taking another look around to make sure everyone had actually left before doing that same.
"Not really," Orange Lu admitted. "I think I'm going to go see if I can track Sis down. I'm getting kind of worried? She was really mad when Clint showed up late. You've got plans with Vance?"
Neutral Lu nodded. "Not like, plans, but we were going to hang out for a while after work." They were good at hanging out; not so good at ever figuring out whether or not hanging out constituted anything more. She smiled over at her other self. "And don't worry - you know how she gets. They're probably off having make-up sex already."
"Maybe? I'm not so sure," Orange Lu disputed, but waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway, go. I'll straighten up." She smiled. "Tell Vance I said hi?"
"I will." Neutral Lu didn't need any more prompting - she hung her robe on one of the hooks in the back room and headed out the door. Hopefully he hadn't been waiting long.
Vance sipped some ale, a light, small ale just to slake his thirst, at a table in the pub. He had ordered for Lu, too, confident she was on her way. They'd been friends, or something like it, for long enough that he was positive she'd be there. When the door opened, and he caught sight of her, Vance raised a hand to wave at her. "Hi."
"Hi." Lu slipped into the seat across from him. "Sorry I'm late; it's been really busy, and Sis took off in a huff because she was mad at Clint. What's up?"
"Not much." Vance offered her the drink. "Why's she mad at Clint?"
"Thanks." Lu took a sip from the glass, set it down, and rolled her eyes, smiling fondly. "He was supposed to pick her up. And he was late - which, y'know, happens pretty much daily. But anyway, when he showed up, he was covered in dirt and holding a handful of straw. Which he handed to her like it was flowers." She shook her head and smiled. "She went off the deep end and ordered him out, then stomped out. We figure they're off somewhere making up."
"Ah." There was a lot to ask questions about there, like why Clint had brought straw and why it had upset Purple Lu so much that she'd yelled at him. Vance thought it might be safest not to ask, though. "How was your day?"
"Just busy. How 'bout you? Busy day at the shop?" Lu asked, tossing the question back at him.
Vance nodded. He'd done his best to clean up after work, but even now there was a light dusting of flour in his hair. "This time of year, a lotta people want their pasties," he observed. Which meant they were crushed for time and supplies, leading his father to be even less forgiving than usual.
Lu grimaced sympathetically. "I thought about stopping over there for lunch, but I figured it'd be better if I didn't."
He shrugged as though the added stress was no big deal. "It was crazy at lunch, so probably for the best. You'd have had to wait for ages."
"Better I didn't, then," Lu agreed, though she hadn't been talking about the wait. "Why don't you find a different job? I'm sure your dad could find someone to work there part time." Possibly not someone he could treat like he did his son, but someone, anyway.
Vance looked at her skeptically. "I can't see him agreeing to that."
Lu smiled faintly. "A job that included lodging? It might be the easiest way out of there."
"Might be," Vance had to admit. And out of there sounded...amazing. But, "I just can't see him letting me go."
"You're 16. He can't really stop you," Lu pointed out.
Vance sipped his drink a bit. "I guess not. But he could sure make it difficult."
"I know." Lu smiled a little and reached over to squeeze his hand. "I wish there was something I could do."
Vance accepted her hand gratefully, and smiled slightly as he squeezed it. Her skin was really soft, he noticed before blushing lightly and shoving the thought aside. "You don't need to do anything. I'm okay."
"I know." Because he was, in a way - and wasn't at all, in others, but he wouldn't want that pointed out, and she wasn't about to do it. She caught the blush, though, and an answering one warmed her face as she swiped her thumb over the back of his hand. And grinned, just a little impishly. "You could always move in with us? That'd give Sis and Clint something new to fight about, at least."
He felt the blush growing hotter at the idea. "I'm not sure they need any help on that front."
"Probably not." She squeezed his hand once more and let it go. "Besides, we're falling over ourselves as it is. But if you need somewhere..." she gave him an earnest look. They'd manage, for as long as he needed. He should know that. She'd said it often enough before.
"I appreciate it," he said earnestly, smiling sincerely. And he did, even if he didn't think he could take her up on it. "How do you fit all those people in there anyway?"
"Combine? There's plenty of room for one of us." Lu grinned and shrugged. "And if one of us has a guest, the other two get out. It all works."
"So if Clint comes over, two of you just scram, no matter what time it is?" Vance asked, sounding mildly amused.
"Well, mostly they go out," Lu admitted. "But yeah, we've taken off before. It works, y'know?"
"I guess," Vance said, shrugging. It seemed a little inconsiderate, to him, but if it worked for them it worked. "Clint still doesn't live there though, right?"
Lu laughed and shook her head. "No. Not living with Clint. I don't think either of them want that, and I know neither of the rest of us do. I mean, he's ok? But I don't want to see him when I wake up in the morning."
He chuckled. "I didn't figure you did, at least. I was wondered about Purple."
"Purple's probably the last of us who'll want to settle down," Lu pointed out.
"Good point," Vance admitted. "I take it all back."
"I'm figuring that's a bridge I don't even want to think about until I have to cross it." Lu smiled and shrugged. "Pretty sure we set a new bar for dating being complicated." Which was one of the reasons she never could decide whether or not to try taking things further with Vance. Purple might be fine with casual, but she wasn't.
"I don't know," Vance mused, taking it as a hypothetical musing rather than an observation on anything current. "I think you could handle it."
"Yeah?" Lu blushed a little and offered a crooked smile. "How would I do that?" she asked, wondering whether or not he'd actually given it any thought. And if he had, was it because he was just curious, or because he was trying to figure it out for himself?
He chuckled softly and had to admit, "I don't know all the specifics, but I've got a lot of faith in your ability to figure things out."
"Oh." She smiled weakly, a little disappointed despite herself. "Yeah, that's what I'm supposed to be good at, I guess."
Vance couldn't help feeling like he'd done something wrong, though he had no idea what. "You okay?" He asked.
"What?" Lu shook her head and smiled. "No, I'm fine, really. Just thinking." That was what she was supposed to be best at, after all - or at least, compared to her other selves, which she supposed wasn't saying much. She drank the last of her ale, set down her glass, and fished for her belt pouch. "Want to go for a walk?"
"Sure," he said, cheerfully. Vance finished his pint of ale, and then pulled out his pouch of coins. "Let me just settle up, and then we can head out."
"I've got it," Lu disputed. She pulled a couple of copper coins out of her pouch and set them down on the table.
Vance chuckled. "Makin' a liar outta me, huh?" He joked. He led the way to the door and held it open for her. "Guess I'll need to find some other way to be chivalrous."
Lu's face warmed as she stepped through the door. "It's not like you've ever had a problem with that," she pointed out.
He blushed in response. "I try," Vance admitted as he followed her outside.
"You do fine," Lu assured him. "But you don't always have to pick up the tab."
"Can't fault a guy for trying," he said, grinning.
"Well, I could? But what would be the fun in that?" Despite the fact it would be even colder there, Lu started walking towards the river. With the sky clear, it would be pretty there, the stars reflecting off the water. Besides, it'd be quieter.
He walked alongside her in companionable silence for awhile before observing, "it's nice out tonight."
"It is," Lu agreed. A little cool, enough so that she wished she'd thought to bring a cloak with her, but not really cold. "I'm surprised it hasn't snowed yet."
"I'm not sure if I'd be happier or sadder if it did snow. Snow's weird like that," Vance said.
"I know what you mean," Lu acknowledged, nodding. "I like watching it fall from inside? But then when it's on the road and my shoes are soaked and I've fallen on my butt a half dozen times, I'm not really a fan." Not exactly the sort of conversation dates were made of. Which was fine, because once again, it was obvious it really wasn't one, and she was fine with that.
Mostly.
