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Post by Thea on Jun 4, 2023 21:58:31 GMT -5
I need a blunt, Thea thought with a sigh as she held the door open for her team. Half of them went back to the Guild with the victims for their own reasons, like Lark who smelled too much like wolfsbane to be around anyone much less Atsila. Or Vincent who seemed to have gotten his head out of his own ass enough to ride with the Chambers woman to the New Dawn where her parents, Jewel, and Ventia waited. Thankfully, everyone was relatively safe with no major wounds. Even so she had sent a text to the med wing so that she could get real-time notifications about each victim, followed by orders for clean-up crews to take care of the mess left by Keith McClellan's last-ditch (and very successful) attempt to flee.
The adrenaline seeped from her body on the way to the bakery, leaving her feeling the effects of having little sleep from the night before and the shakes. Exhaustion clung to her eyelids like children on monkey bars. It was all Thea could do not to shuffle her shit kickers across the checkered floor. She pressed a hand to her mouth to cover a yawn, then followed behind Katie.
It was a cozy little establishment though. It reminded her of when she went to Quinn's with her mother. It didn't seem to be busy now, but what few tables they had were practically right on top of each other. She couldn't see Tabasco being able to maneuver swiftly through the narrow aisles if it was busy. Or if there was an emergency and they had to make it out quick. Yet there was a round table in front of the large bay window that boasted "BEN'S BAKERY" followed by "FRESH COFFEE AND MUFFINS" in Old English font. Her mother would definitely appreciate the ambiance. And the smell too. It had Thea stopping briefly so that she could close her eyes and inhale. A pot must be brewing fresh because it was just so potent - full-bodied with nutty undertones. The sweetness of the pastries played alongside it, promising a damn good time. "Wow," Thea murmured. "It smells good in here."
"Hell yeah it does," Tabasco agreed, a boyish grin alighting his face. He wasn't the first one in, but somehow he had made it past Elaine so that he could be the first to order. The menu consisted of a black chalkboard written in fancy white script hanging on old brass hinges behind the workers' heads. Elaine's scowl hinted that she was fantasizing about knocking Tabasco in the head with a blunt object, but didn't do anything save for standing right behind him so that she could frog him in his side. "Ow, asshole!"
Thea just scoffed and rolled her eyes.
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Post by Ventia on Jul 27, 2023 19:48:39 GMT -5
It was a slow morning leaving Lucifer feeling bored, he had long past left the front to Beth and Anna, knowing the two girls could handle the regulars with their eyes closed, and joined Matthew and Richard in the back. The kitchen was homey, not at all as fancy as others in this area, and sometimes proved frustrating through rush hours, but Lucifer liked it either way. He whistled softly under his breath, tapping his fingers on the counter as he waited for his latest batch of muffins to be finished, the timer showing mere seconds.
It went off just as the front door opened and for a moment Lucifer glanced behind him, something in the air drawing his attention, curious to find out what it was, he whistled a little softer, so he could hear their voices better as he made quick work in getting the sweets out and onto one of his platters.
"I'll leave you two lovebirds to it then," Lucifer winked at the two men sharing the kitchen with him, and watched as Richard blushed instantly while Matthew rolled his eyes but otherwise made no move to correct him. Scoffing to himself, Lucifer scooped the latest batch of muffins up and strode out of the kitchen, pushing the swinging door open and entering the front house of the bakery.
He wore a white collared dress shirt, top buttons undone sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a pink apron tied around his chest, the front featuring one of Beth's newest cupcake designs. She had brought it in as a joke, but Lucifer had taken a liking to it and wore it whenever he was baking out back. It was such a human thing to do, that it made him giggle throughout the day.
"Well hello there." He flashed the newcomers a smile, interrupting Anna's usual greeting as he walked toward them, his gaze raked over them taking them in instead of continuing on towards the front counter, he paused by a familiar face.
"Ivy, been a bit. Or is it Katie finally again?" He smirked, she amused him immensely and he had missed teasing her lately.
"Fuck off Luc." Katie rolled her eyes but was smiling.
"Aren't you going to introduce me?" Lucifer asked the girl, but his eyes were on her friend by her side.
"Why should I? Can't introduce yourself these days?"
Lucifer chuckled, pulling his eyes away from the lass to look back at Katie. "And here I thought we were friends. So sad. Unfortunately for you, I am fantastic at introductions." He said with a wink before changing his tune to a playful greeting.
"Welcome to Ben's Bakery, new friends and old, while we might not have much on our humble menu I assure you anything you order will make you leave with one satisfied stomach and if we can't turn your frown upside down, well you're just too depressed for our espressos. The name's Luc, and I am more than happy to make your acquaintances." He bowed, still holding out the muffins and glanced up, his eyes falling on the short dark-haired woman.
Straightening, he finally moved on walking around the group to place the platter on the counter before entering the small workspace. "If you guys want to order or need a minute, you let one of us know. Feel free to sit wherever as well." He slid his hands back, finding the long straps behind his lower back and tugged the knot loose, undoing it and easing the apron off. He folded it, putting it in a corner out of the way and leaned against the counter, whistling the same tune from earlier under his breath while he waited for them to decide, his eyes once again being drawn to a certain someone in the group.
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Post by Thea on Aug 6, 2023 0:11:18 GMT -5
Thea wasn't the type to stare.
Really, she wasn't. Not a lot made her gawk. She was jaded with life in all aspects; even when Jasper said that Jade melted into the floor of the Eiffel Tower, Thea barely batted an eye. For Christ's sake, her lineage is not only nine kinds of fucked up but took an active part in her life (who could say they traveled to a different world to keep her mother safe while they helped with a vampire queen's illness because a distant witch-cousin asked them to? Loki hasn't shown his face in a hot minute, but she was sure he was around causing mischief too.).
But when the blondie interrupted his coworker, her eyes swung toward him and stopped.
He looked like any attractive man would. Sharp features, hair styled in a popular way. As he came around the corner with baked-fresh muffins she saw that behind the near-pristine bubblegum apron he was bold to wear a white button-up, collarbone peaking through and sleeves rolled up in a way that would make Hallie swoon. Thea never realized the appeal until now. When his gaze met hers, her heart fluttered in a strange way, like a bird beating at its cage.
And then he bowed. Not in an exaggerated way, but it still had her raising a brow. The way he spoke, he was meant for roalty life, not working at a bakery. She felt ... not embarrassed. Just, out of place. Especially when she noticed that he was looking at her more than at anyone else. A quick half-smile acknowledged his words, but nothing more as she took one step back to make room for him as he walked by her.
His scent made no such accommodations for her. Above the cozy smell of baked goods, she caught a whiff of a soft, luxurious cologne that reminded her of fall nights and spooky movies. Her mother never cared for them, screeching at every jump scare and nearly vomiting after each bloody slaughter. But Thea, whose favorite holiday was Halloween, would love to sit through a Saw marathon with windows open to an autumn breeze, hot cocoa in one hand and a throw blanket in her lap. It was the most "white girl" thing she would ever admit to openly, but it was those rare times that she let herself just be.
"Thanks, she said aloud. To Kate through the link she asked, Was he staring at me or am I just paranoid?
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Post by Ventia on Aug 13, 2023 19:16:09 GMT -5
Definitely staring, Katie glanced at Luc again before smirking at Thea even moving closer to bump her shoulder with her own. Seeing Thea squirm in any situation always made Kate giggly. Especially when it came to boys. She was all for it for Thea to find someone new, someone better, but had thought she didn't know anyone that would be a good fit in her friend group. It seemed she'd been wrong, unable to help it she turned back to look at Luc and raised one eyebrow at him until he shifted his gaze from Thea's face to hers.
Lucifer smiled at Kate, shaking his head at her slightly before glancing at her friend once more. He wanted to know her name. Of course, there were ways for him to figure that all out but that was beside the point and took too much time and effort than he was willing to give at the moment. No, there were easier ways of finding out, much more fun ways, he always liked flirting but these years had found his choices quite lacking. Lucifer was bored of women, all races and kinds in any of their many unflattering and flattering forms, he's gone through them all. Any sweet or sick twisted fantasy that could be thought of, Lucifer was pretty sure he's done it. He wasn't saying that that wasn't fun anymore because some nights he very much still enjoyed his whoring around, but after so many centuries it all seemed rather lacking.
He couldn't remember the last time his interest was piqued, and staring at the girl he wasn't entirely sure why she had in the first place. She was pretty, but nothing out of this world. She should have blended into her little crowd with their bigger personalities, even now two bickered at each other while another started ordering, yet Lucifer's gaze was drawn to her and when her dark eyes met his Lucifer felt a refreshing chill cooling his back and the faintest twitch to his cock.
She barely looked at him and Lucifer was already thinking of how sweet she'd sound moaning his name. Lucifer chuckled at himself, rubbing his jaw as his gaze was caught on the other guests signaling for someone. He moved to help them, leaving this group to Anna for the moment, and couldn't resist walking behind her again. There was a spice in the air under everything else and Lucifer liked the way it settled itself deep in his lungs. That particular scent lessened the farther away he got from Katie's group.
Having finished ordering for herself, Mabel made her way to the round table that would better accommodate everyone and took the seat with her back towards the window and waited for the others. Upon entering the bakery, Ace had gone straight to the bathrooms and was just now coming out, wiping his hands on his pants and smiling at the girls. His face was clean of the dirt and sweat, even his hair looked wet and sleek back. His little tumble with Keith had roughed him up a bit, and if it weren't for his ideal healing, the bruising under his eye would be that much darker.
Of course his body was in worst shape, but Ace cared more for his looks at the moment. He was sure nothing was broken save his nose which he already popped back into place so he'd ignore going with the medics opting for breakfast instead with a promise he'd swing by once they got back later. He placed his palms on the counter and gave the menu a good look before glancing at the waitress. Cute, he thought, but was too tired for anymore more than that.
"Let me get some coffee for starters, breakfast special what's that, let's see, alright that sounds good. Two of those for me." He smiled and turned to the platter of muffins. He picked one up, "Can I eat this one now? or do I need to wait?"
"Go right ahead, I'll add it to the order."
"Thank you, sweetheart." Ace turned and bit into the muffin, his eyebrows perked up as he chewed, and nodding to himself he made his way to the closest chair of the table they were apparently sitting on.
"Do you need a little more time? We have some menus we can bring to the table if you like?" Anna asked the majority of the group.
"Well, I want those sandwiches, one bagel one chocolate donut and a latte." Katie smiled at Anna and glanced back at Thea as Tabasco and Elaine gave their orders.
Do you think he's cute?
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Post by Thea on Aug 16, 2023 21:38:51 GMT -5
Silently, Thea furrowed her brow at Kate. The conspiratorial tone in her voice warned that she was cooking up a scheme, but it was too soon to tell what it was. The confused frown on her face only deepened when she noticed the look Kate sent Baker Boy's way and his resulting head shake. A feather-light sensation crept up her spine, causing her to shuffle her feet and look down before her eyes met his once more.
A few years ago she would have snapped and angrily demanded why he was staring at her. In the deep recesses of her subconscious, the urge was still there, but she refrained. Instead, she opted to cross her arms and force her gaze to look up over the employees' heads to the chalkboard boasting some of their options. Well tell him to quit, it's rude, Thea replied gruffly.
But then he moved, and she smelled that cozy scent again. Images of Autumn flashed through her mind once more, jack-o-lanterns and Spirit Halloween stores and haunted houses. Chilly nights and bonfires and hot cocoa. Despite the rigidity of her back, she took a deep breath in as he passed her and stored the scent in her memory for later. Gods, he smelled good. A large part of her wished he hadn't. That way he could just be some random stranger with a staring problem.
Sure, she's smelled a lot of others' colognes - even base scents - before. Nathaniel smelled like black pepper. Tabasco's scent hinted at something earthy. Both smells she liked, but never had they enveloped her like this blonde stranger's. Thea could almost feel it burying under her skin, making its way home inside her. And her initial reaction wasn't to scratch at her skin like some other odors. No, as he passed by her she just wanted to lean into him.
She was unnerved, to say the very least. She wasn't ... attracted to him, was she? No, surely not. Her shoulders slumped when his scent - his presence - was no longer overwhelming and she replied in as much confidence as she could muster Objectively, sure. Why? Aloud, she said, "If you guys have hot chocolate, I'll take the largest cup and -" she swiped a muffin from the tray Baker Boy had - "one of these. Are you able to put it all on one ticket? We're going to sit at that round table over there."
"Thea, I am more than capable of paying for myself," Elaine sniffed.
"D'aww let her pay, Snowball. She's just showin' her appreciation." Tabasco threw his large arms out wide, red mustache haloing his teeth-bearing grin. "I'm not gonna say no to free breakfast."
Thea bristled at one of many names Tabasco had for Elaine, hoping that her knee-jerk reaction didn't show as she declined his hug. The last thing she wanted was to be squashed against a beast of a man. "And watch where you're swinging those ham hocks. Those muffins are fresh."
The rejection didn't deter Tabasco; he closed those arms around Elaine instead. It caused the cat-shifter to yowl in surprise and struggle to get out of his grip. Thea could only watch, deadpan, as they frogmarched to where Mabel was already sitting. "I am so sorry for them, they're worse than siblings."
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Post by Ventia on Dec 10, 2023 0:42:37 GMT -5
"That's alright hun, they aint doing no harm. Now why don't y'all sit down and relax and we'll get you all settled up." Anna winked at the girls and turned around to get started on their drinks.
Katie bumped her shoulder into Thea's again, and whispered under her voice, "No reason just curious," then lightly giggled like she was holding the world's funniest secret to herself as she turned and lazily made her way to their table. She had come here quite often with Clara and Jaimie and some of the others as well, so the familiarity of the surroundings brought over a peaceful buzz slowly but surely eating away the anxiety she seemed to always have.
Lucifer turned, holding the finished plates and strode for the back, his eyes glancing towards the dark eyed beauty who stood alone in the middle of the bakery. The light streaming through the large window showered her in its golden embrace, creating shadows in the corners of the room as if nature itself was trying to tell him, to look at her. To signal her out from the crowd, it made her all the more mysterious and alluring. Who was he to ignore such a temptation? With bright eyes the Devil watched his eyes drawn to her every move and felt time slow to a crawl. Her eyelashes fluttered as she glanced down, Lucifer shifted his gaze and watched the curve to her jaw, ran his eyes over the swelling of her lips, up across the gentle slope of her nose, before meeting her gaze once more.
She had noticed him again, and when her blank expression broke and her brow furrowed at him, annoyance momentarily flaring within her dark cloudy gaze, Lucifer couldn't help but feel pleased with himself. He smirked at her, a dimple peeking from his left cheek, as he passed by going for the back. Dropping off the plates, Lucifer paused for a moment leaning his hip into the wooden countertop. His attention was on the front of the house, primarily the woman and her alluring presence.
Her blatant dislike of him definitely was a bonus but there was something else that was grabbing his attention. What it was? He was curious to find out, like a child seeing a wrapped present before him, Lucifer was eager to rip off the wrappings and figure out just what lied within. He sighed then, so sadly too, and wondered when the excitement would wear off. Eventually he knew, and the thought sobered him.
He lingered in the kitchens before making his way back out and fell back into his usual routine. Joining Anna behind the counter, he helped with the drinks. She was making the latte, so Lucifer started on the hot chocolate.
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Post by Thea on Feb 8, 2024 2:15:35 GMT -5
It didn't take long for their order to come to them, though you couldn't tell that to Thea's bouncing leg. It was as if all of her energy migrated to it because sleep tugged at every other inch of her body. She sat with her back to the rest of the restaurant, which wasn't an ideal place by any means but she trusted Kate both in judgment of this venue and to watch her back. Which she did when she said, Food's here! And so is Luc.
But Thea smelled him before her best friend announced their arrival. That luxurious cologne enveloped her like a warm embrace, even more enticing than the hot chocolate that he set down beside her folded muffin wrapper. "One large hot chocolate for the Lady in Black," he seemed to purr, pulling his hand back slowly - almost leisurely - as if he didn't notice how still she became. Not even her knee shook like it had moments prior. "Oh, chocolate chip?"
"Hmm?" Thea responded after a beat, watching him set plates down in front of the rest of her crew. A slice of quiche for Elaine. Three breakfast platters (two for Ace and one for Tabasco), something for Mabel that Thea wasn't sure what it was, and the bagel/donut/sandwich trio for Kate with her latte.
"Your muffin." The man-that-smelled-too-good-for-his-own-good tucked his now-empty tray under his arm and nodded at her lack of food versus her cohorts now digging into their meals.
"Oh - uh. No," Thea responded with a half-assed chuckle. "Banana nut."
Luc sucked his teeth in a way that made it sound like he was disappointed. "I pegged you for a chocolate chip woman. Well, how was it?"
"It was good," Thea said, glancing up to meet those crystalline eyes for a brief moment before grabbing the foam cup in front of her with both hands. She about spilled it, however, when she felt Kate's sharp knuckle finding a spot in between two ribs.
"That muffin didn't stand a chance," Tabasco chortled as he doused his sausage with the little vial of hot sauce he carried everywhere with him, earning a glare from Thea. "What? You said it was one of the best muffins you ever had."
"Yes, but he wasn't asking you," Elaine chided.
Yet Luc never looked Tabasco's way, only having eyes for Thea. "I'm glad you loved it. I'm about to put a fresh batch in the oven. I'll bring one out with your ticket."
"You don't have-"
"On the house," he interrupted her with a wink, then walked away leaving Thea with a foreign flutter in her stomach.
"Thea," Kate said after a weird silence fell upon the table. "Do you know what just happened?"
"No?" Thea said, yet it sounded more like a question than a response. This only made Kate laugh, attempting to smother the sound with the back of her hand.
"He was flirting with you. Hardcore."
"Was he?"
"Thea," Kate jokingly admonished. "Yes, he was. Don't be surprised if he has his phone number on the ticket. Or he just outright asks for yours." And if you don't give it I will, Kate finished in the pack link. It didn't sound like a threat. It was more like a promise. And Kate wasn't going to take no for an answer.
***
He did have his phone number on the receipt, just like Kate guessed. That had meant the ball was in Thea's court, but Kate made it a point to make the first move on her behalf. It led to two weeks of texting. Good morning and good night texts and some more flirting (mainly on his part). And then that texting morphed into plans of a date for axe-throwing (and also pulling strings to have a lawyer to sit with her, Lynn, Kate, and Rikara as they were questioned by police even though she was just joking[/i]).
And that date was today. Thea stood on the sidewalk leading to the social club where the axe throwing was, dressed in a new outfit she bought before her girls' day out went straight to shit, wearing just enough makeup to keep her at a comfortable level, and waiting for Baker Boy.
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Post by Ventia on Mar 12, 2024 12:49:01 GMT -5
The last two weeks were interesting to say the least, Lucifer found himself enjoying each passing day his talks with Thea. She was a fascinating woman he was quick to learn and he found himself wanting to see her again at the end of each night. Today was finally that day, although he felt that he had guilt tripped her into agreeing with him on this fine evening Lucifer also wasn't the type to care. He had gotten her to say yes and that was a win in his book. He'd make it up to her during the date.
It occurred to him how much he wanted to please Thea, genuinely make her have a good time. Usually, he'd have some tricks up his sleeve some grand scheme all mapped in his head, but there wasn't any ulterior motive today besides from having a great date out. Odd, he thought as he drove the last half mile. He gripped the wheel of his 1967 Chevrolet Impala and drove the remaining time with his thoughts on silence.
He spotted her while pulling in, and a second later she turned her head and saw him too. Something within him stirred and he continued to watch her as he found parking. With the engine cut he took a second to glance at himself in the rearview mirror, some locks of hair were falling in his eyes so excentric bright they almost seemed to gleam with its silverly blue luster. He stepped out but not before grabbing the bouquet of roses that he had personally picked out from his gardens. They were dark purple petals of silk each rose blooming beautifully and would continue to bloom far longer than any normal rose. The tips and buds of the flowers varying in its purple tones.
He crossed the street coming for her, his eyes eating every inch of her and with each step he took closer to her the world felt a little bit more right. He was dressed in all black today, with his dress shirt unbuttoned enough to expose a good portion of his throat and chest, dark jeans and his boots. His sleeves were rolled up again, stopping at his forearms and he was wearing a fancy watch and a ring on his pointer finger. He paused by the sidewalk next to her now and breathed in her scent, as he raised the bouquet towards her.
"You look pretty Thea," Lucifer all but purred, though there was also an amused tone in his voice.
"These are for you, would you like to put them away for now or take them with us. I don't mind either way, whatever you're comfortable with." There were certain things he's been noticing she was uncomfortable with and Lucifer figured public actions like these might very well be on her list. Still, he thought, as he held the roses close to her body, she did look so pretty surrounded by the dark beauty of his home. Even if it was only a very small portion, to Lucifer she fit just right. And suddenly, he could see her standing in Hell with him, in one of his gardens looking completely at peace.
It was in that moment that Lucifer watched as Thea smiled so softly as she stared down at the petals. It stirred again, that thing deep within him.
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Post by Thea on Mar 12, 2024 22:41:42 GMT -5
Nervous wouldn't be the right word Thea would have used to describe how she felt all day leading up to this exact moment.
Petrified was more like it. She would stop mid-task as her mind reminded her, like a grandfather clock striking the hour, what she had agreed to. And how stupid it was to agree to a date when she wasn't the dating type to begin with. The only other time she went on a date, it didn't go well. What would make this one so different? It sounded so surreal to her, too. Was she absolutely positive she unintentionally acquired the interest of a man that she didn't want to drop-kick into oblivion? A man that was so painfully gorgeous and potentially way out of her league?
Gods, she hated that she was like this. Why did she even give a shit? She was the director of a league of assassins. Survived iminent death several times. Traveled to a different dimension. Descended from a god. And she was worried that she wouldn't be a good fit for a smooth-talking part-time baker? Please. It was just one date. They were throwing some axes and maybe having some drinks. Big whoop it wasn't like he was her mate. Hell, he was human.
But she couldn't help it. Catching his gaze as he pulled in sent a jolt of foreign sensation down her spine, kicking her nervous system into high gear. The urge to flee as fast and as far as she could gripped her mercilessly, phantom hands squeezing her throat until she couldn't breathe anymore. At the same time, her feet refused to move. Like she had taken root on the sidewalk, her eyes never left him as he closed the distance between them. Because of it she knew that he was seeing her as much as she was seeing him. He looked like a cross between business savant and cologne model. Was she underdressed? Surely not at his compliment. Did she attempt to compliment him, too? "Thanks," she responded, relief washing over her that she could even speak at all. But before she could repay his comment with her own, she looked at the flowers he offered her.
They were roses. Which, up until now she had believed were the worst flower anyone could have been given. They were overrated, smelled like an old lady, and didn't have a very long lifespan off the bush. And up until now, she had believed that she wasn't much of the flower-type anyway. Thea wasn't a gardnener the way her mother wasn't a cook. It was a waste of time to give them to people. But there was something about these in particular that made her heart melt. Just a little bit.
Then his words snapped her out of her appreciation. She's never seen purple roses before. The varying shades of plum, eggplant, and amethyst seemed otherworldly despite logic stating that they were more than likely dyed. "I'll bring them with us," she said after thinking about it briefly, turning that soft smile she had toward him. That way she didn't give herself the chance to run. The paper that wrapped around the flowers crackled as she brought the flowers closer to her person. "These are ... beautiful."
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Post by Ventia on Mar 13, 2024 8:11:07 GMT -5
"I'm glad you like them, next time I'll bring you your favorites. Speaking of favorites, do you have one? For flowers," he clarified and stepped to the side, his hand reaching for the doorknob of the establishment. A couple was heading out, so he held the door open for them nodded when they thanked him and then turned his gaze back to Thea. His pride was practically buffing his chest off from her earlier words, of her enjoyment. It's been a while since that's happened as well, and as she took a step in his direction as she came closer to him, willingly and sweet, Lucifer felt a urge to consume her in the most satisfactory way. So much for ulterior motives, he thought as she passed him and his eyes feasted on her back profile as he strode in after her, keeping close to her back.
"Welcome to Extreme Axe Throwing, thank you for joining us today. Do you have a appointment or just walking in?" The host greeted them in a large open room behind them was a rest area filled with wooden tables and benches to complete the lumberjack theme. There was a bar of sorts to the side of them. And behind that was an area for the ace throwing.
"Appointment, it's for Luc and Thea."
"Alright, give me one moment." He glanced down into his computer, "okay I see your appointment, if you guys will follow me I'll take you to your instructor for the day." He turned and began walking, "Over here we have our bar, where we serve drinks and a bite to eat, feel free to enjoy that as well. Our bathrooms are down this path," he paused and pointed to a narrow path down running alongside the gated games. Then continued walking towards the back where a small group of people were.
"This is Instructor Sam, he'll be going over some safety rules with you two and show you everything you need to know. Enjoy! Bye Sam!"
"Thank you Alec, alright then hello you two. First timers or do we got a bit of experience under our belts. Either way, the rules are simple and I'm confident you two will enjoy yourselves. Come follow me," Sam took them to two stations by the back, around the bend Lucifer could see another area for throwing. "Feel free to put your belongings down on this table and come on over when you're ready." A high top wooden table was attached to each station along with its counterpart benches.
Then he went over the safety rules of how not to cross over the white line that separated each station until the throwing part was over and the correct way to hold and throw an axe, giving them two options either two handed or one. How to take out the axe when it got stuck and so on and so forth. Lucifer listened with half an ear, more content to be watching Thea than going over something so simple. He had used many weapons in his life and was confident and comfortable with wielding them. He was more curious to finally see Thea in action and had a feeling she would be quite handy with the tomahawk that Sam just handed her.
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Post by Thea on Mar 13, 2024 14:42:41 GMT -5
She didn't miss that he said "next time". As if he already knew the outcome of tonight and was already planning their next date. Her heart tripped over itself, though it was hard to tell why. Excitement? Anxiety? The more she was in his presence, Thea found that the urge to run was growing smaller. Despite her growing comfort, in his scent and his smile, the thought of another date was daunting. Especially if she wasn't sure how this one was going. Too soon to tell, but if his question was any indication, Thea worried she was failing. "I don't think I've ever thought about it. I've never been given flowers." Pathetic answer. "You're the first. To do it." Kill me now.
Thea hoped that her skin wasn't showing the heat that was crawling up her neck and was grateful moments later that it was cool in the building. Belatedly, she found that she and Luc were walking side-by-side, steps in tandem as they followed the man named Alec until they met with the instructor. A long time ago she probably would have told Sam she already knew what she was doing and not to waste his breath. A part of her wanted to do that still - she knew the proper way to handle an axe. Thankfully his speech was over in two minutes; Sam must have said the same spiel a thousand times tonight alone. And as the employee handed her the first axe, she was reminded of the Arena.
I'm not there, I'm here. I'm not there, I'm here. I'm not there. I am here.
With a little bit more speed than she probably should have used, Thea threw the axe - almost as if it was on fire - then watched the projectile hit the red center with a firm thunk.
"Bullseye on the first go!" Sam said with a whoop. Thea couldn't help but smile, stepping back from where she threw the axe with hands on her hips and meeting Luc's gaze. "You seem to be a natural."
"Nothing to it," Thea said casually. "Your turn, Luc."
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Post by Ventia on Mar 13, 2024 16:03:14 GMT -5
His eyes had darkened at her omission about the flowers bit, his lips stretching into a satisfied smirk as he walked with her, that smile had stayed as he watched her do her thing. Growing larger when she smiled happy with herself, turning to him with that little bounce in her step, her face a clear challenge. He chuckled, it rumbled around his chest and he stopped from leaning against the table and went to her side. He met her gaze, amusement bright in his gaze, and touched his thumb to his lips still grinning then glanced at the instructor.
"May I?" He pointed at his station.
"By all means."
Lucifer grabbed one of the axes on his own lane and felt for a comfortable grip, once he found it he turned to stare at the target for a moment then turned back to Thea, raised his arm and threw it with controlled strength-a second later and thunk. He winked at Thea and glanced at the target, not at all surprised to see it sticking dead center.
"I still got it." He chuckled out loud again, pleased with himself. He hadn't touched an axe in what? A hundred years ago or so?
"I see we're pros here, though sir please keep your eyes forward when throwing. Other than that, I think you two should be okay by yourselves for a bit. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'll pass by again in a few minutes to check on things. Enjoy yourselves."
Lucifer smile became cheeky as he watched Sam give him a stern look before sodding off, and he moved closer to Thea. "I seem to still get scolded as well. Was that too much? Too cheeky? But I like being cheeky." Lucifer smiled down at her, folding his arms in front of her and leaning a little to the side to watch her face more closely.
"What do you want to do? Throw for a little, or would you like something to drink or eat? I could go for a drink while we throw."
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Baker Boy
Mar 13, 2024 19:01:34 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Thea on Mar 13, 2024 19:01:34 GMT -5
Still got it? Thea couldn’t help the hearty chuckle, hands on her hips as she watched him get scolded by the instructor. It didn’t seem that Luc cared all that much. “I think you might be walking a thin line,” Thea said, “but cheeky looks good on you.”
There it was. Her first compliment. It wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. It just came out naturally. She meant it too. If it were any other person, she would have scoffed and rolled her eyes. But Luc seemed to be cheeky personified.
“Uhmm,” Thea looked at her board, where the axe was still firmly in the center. It felt like forever making a decision, feeling as if she was out on the spot. Truthfully it was only seconds, face contorted in contemplation. “How about a competition? Best two of three, and whoever hits the bullseye the least pays for drinks and an app.”
There seemed to be a little glint in Luc’s eye. His smile turned a little less cheeky. One hand emerged from where they were folded across his chest. “Shake on it?”
And she did. It was evident they were head to head both in the game and their competitive streaks. Thea even worried that the best two of three was going to turn into three of five. The people around them even stopped what they were doing just to watch them throw, more than likely trying to see why the structure that held the boards was shaking so much. They all waited with bated breath, even Thea after she threw her last axe, as Luc geared up to throw one more time. Then at the last second he turned his head with a grin on his face as his axe flew threw the air…
And caught at the edge of the board.
“Hah, you missed,” Thea teased as Sam came up to the pair again.
“Sir, I gotta ask you again to please keep your eyes forward.”
“Oh, I’m sorry Sam.” Though the tone of Luc’s voice was nowhere near sorry. “Won’t happen again, scouts honor.”
Some time later (because surprisingly Thea wasn’t keeping track of the time) she and Luc were sitting at the bar, both with the same drink (because Thea wasn’t much of a drinker herself and didn’t know the first thing about fancy cocktails like Hallie) and a platter of fried pickles between them. Though she wasn’t sure if Luc liked them as much as she did like he said.
“So what do you do besides baking?” Thea asked before taking a bite of a spear.
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Post by Ventia on Mar 13, 2024 19:55:04 GMT -5
The pina colada was refreshing and he sipped on the black straw a little longer than necessary to give him a second. He hadn’t talked much about himself despite the fact that he’s been texting her so much these last few weeks but knew that would end quickly as time went by. “Well,” he began, “I’m an entrepreneur.”
Lucifer shrugged, well he was. “The baking’s just for fun. When I’m not there, I’m stuck in meetings and have to run around sometimes bringing everything back to working order. Grunt work, so to say. Keeps me on my toes and my mind sharp, quite fun in its own way.”
“Most of the time however I find myself with lots of time on my hands. The businesses practically run by themselves, I’m pretty good at doing that sort of thing. Leaves me with a lot of time for hobbies, I have plenty of those, I feel like I’ve dabbled in everything by now. Baking, as you could guess, is one of my favorites. It’s easy and relaxing, and I get something sweet by the end of it. Gardening is nice too. ” He chuckled, who would have thought the devil liked to garden? Or bake for that matter? They would probably faint if they learnt he could knit and sew too. By all means, the devil could have been your regular housewife.
“What do you do when you’re not coming out of a war zone or getting arrested?” He teased, recounting her appearance the first day he had seen her. “And what happened with Mr. Right? Or Mr. Not Right, to be more exact. Katie blabbed a little bit.” He said as if that explained it, which it did.
“Must be an idiot.” He remarked as he sipped his drink again, shifting on the bar seat and leaning his face on his hand as he turned towards her to give her his full attention, not that she hadn’t had it the entire time.
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Post by Thea on Mar 13, 2024 20:55:16 GMT -5
"Oh," Thea said thoughtfully. That would make sense with his outfit. He must have gotten out of a meeting before coming here. She filed the next question she'd ask him away, widening her eyes in a mild form of shock. Thea wasn't a stranger to grunt work herself. Being director essentially meant she had many hats to don. She related to him in that way, but to hear that he liked to bake and garden? "So wholesome. My mom would like you." The lavendar gardens surrounding her house, despite the Head Healer's busy schedule, seemed to be thriving. In her mind's eye, she saw Jewel and Luc side by side, joking as they harvested the gardens together. It wasn't a bad scene, she decided. Though probably not a good idea to bring it up to him now.
At his question she scoffed and rolled her eyes before taking a sip of her drink. The slush-like drink tasted of coconut and pineapple, which was a nice flavor combo. Both came with a paper umbrella and a wedge of pineapple, and a curvy glass that she was sure had a more technical name. It was a feminine drink if she ever saw one, but Luc didn't seem to mind. Thea appreciated that more than she realized.
And then the mention of Kenneth stopped her in her tracks. Froze her in her place as much as she was frozen outside. The fried pickles didn't sound as appetizing now as it had seconds prior. "A little bit?" Thea asked, trying her best for her voice to sound airy and nonchalant. "Or a lot?" It was difficult not to be angry with Kate. Or at the very least upset with her. She told Thea that first dates were supposed to be fun. She didn't think that she would be reminded of the man that abandoned her. Or that her best friend would tell the man she was currently on a date with about him.
But she wasn't wholly innocent in the relationship either, a part of herself admonished. "He was. I was too, though. I wasn't ready for a relationship when I met him, but it's water under the bridge now."
Wheel it back, wheel it back. Hobbies ... hobbies...
"As for me," Thea said, clearly evident that Mr. Not Right was no longer a subject she wanted to talk about, "I meditate when I get a chance. Yoga. I play the drums occassionally - I briefly contemplated joining a band when I was a kid. Mainly I just listen to music. It's my escape.
"Let's see... ah!" she snapped her fingers once. "Do you have a favorite flower? Since you garden on the side and it's only fair I ask you too."
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