The quiet place [Ash]

[Lucas Blacke]

To even hope such a place existed.. Lucas had gone so long without ever setting foot in a place with books, aside from school libraries and such, but even in those he did next to no reading. Still he knew of this place due to chatter in his new school, saying that things happened in the book nook and couples constantly met up there and- but it was also a great source for all your books, and would provide you with a place to read them, even. Not that Luke would ever read a book. Not unless it had pictures in it. Or he found a book that looked to be the same as the divine comedy.

Entering the place he did with Ash right on his tail, they had gone from their little bump-in at the lake to pretty much the book nook with the simple idea of 'I will fix it.' Though apparently Luke's idea of fixing a book was buying a new one. Now to hope the book nook had the hobbit in stock. But even if it didn't he would get her a copy. That and she could freely browse on his costs if she so desired.

''If ya see anythin' ya like, feel free ta take it. Consider this as me makin' it up to ya.'' He said, only realizing a bit later she could have just as well interpreted it as 'here, have this money. We're cool now.' but that wasn't what Lucas was trying to do at all! In his view, this was the right thing to do. Where you could be standing apologizing for hours on end you could also do something to give yourself a bit of a better feeling.

Though that good feeling needed to wait quite a bit as he still caught himself time and time again seeing Sawyer instead of Ash.

[Ash Browne]

Ash glanced around the small shop as she followed after Lucas. It was a bit strange, following an assailant as if they were friends but she had done weirder. Not recently however. Besides, he did seem genuinely sorry. Not to mention that he planned to buy her a new copy of her book. Fixing equals replace with this guy, I wonder what he does to his pets...

''If ya see anythin' ya like, feel free ta take it. Consider this as me makin' it up to ya.''

Ash turned her wary eyes back to Lucas before slowly wandering about the shelves, keeping in earshot and eyesight of the boy. This was weird, nobody had offered to buy her something to make up for a fight. Usually it was the promise of a next one. Though Ash was not the sort to back down easily, she decided to keep quiet about this offer; despite it making her uncomfortable.

Casting another glance at Lucas, Ash turned her full attention to the book titles. Whenever one of the covers that caught her interest, she would pick it up and read the blurb; her regained static charge causing the paper to stick to her fingers annoyingly. "Fuck.." She muttered, pulling away her hand from a book she had picked up. One of the pages had leapt to her fingers, giving her a slight paper cut. The book was put back.

Ash kept wandering the shelves, book choosing was hard to do. Finally, she spotted a popular book that she had planned to read back home. It had a blue dragon on the cover and the blurb stated that it was about a young boy who found a dragon egg. Sounds cliché but it still caught her interest. Flicking open the pages, Ash glanced over the top of the book to see what Lucas was doing.

[Lucas Blacke]

He never got any response to his words, despite having the best of intentions. Yes he knew about the fact that not all people enjoyed taking money from someone else, but Luke would really have it no other way right then. Though he didn't quite see what was so interesting about books, he knew she was reading The Hobbit and yeah, Luke had read it but he kinda preferred the movie due to reasons that had to do with his ability. And the last book he had read was due to a game he played, which was quite some time ago.

Though he had to say that book quite intrigued him, yet didn't spur him on to find more of the author or similar books. Besides, he didn't think Alighieri was still working on stuff seeing as the guy died somewhere around the year 1400. Which also made it hard to read. Ever tried reading old English in cantos? Yeah, neither had Luke. And it being split into three books wasn't easy either.

Still he decided to give books a try even if just for Sawyer- Ash. He did hear a curse word flying from between the books despite it being quite silent but it didn't phase him. He knew it probably came from Ash as he had his eyes on her constantly, assuming she wasn't obstructed by books.

''Ya holdin' up okay?'' He asked without really meaning it as his hands slid over the line of books in front of him. Some of them, he had to be honest, looked quite interesting. Especially now with his new study going on and some of the books actually talking about stuff like that. But then again almost every book there was new to him so he didn't know which one to pick.

''Ya found anythin' yet?'' He asked. ''Cause I'm findin' nothin'.''

[Ash Browne]

''Ya found anythin' yet?'' He asked. ''Cause I'm findin' nothin'.'

Ash turned her gaze quickly downwards. Whilst this book did look interesting, taking money from someone was not a thing that she was comfortable with. Unless they were paying her for something. He's paying her for the book, yes, but the book is for her. So it's like a gift. Gifts are stressful.

She closed the book and decided that she was going to get it, even if it was uncomfortable. This entire situation was uncomfortable. Why not make it more awkward and give him a grope? No, kidding. That's too weird. Though it wouldn't be new to Ash. Despite her gay status, her borders tend to blur. Not with this Lucas though. No.

"Yeah, I found somethin'." Ash fell silent again after she spoke. Maybe she should say something more. They have exchanged enough 'fuck you's so she can't do that. Besides, he was buying her something. The brunette could try and be and least a bit tolerable. "Don't ye like books?" There, that should be good.

[Lucas Blacke]

He was not only looking for books he might find interesting himself but also for a copy of The Hobbit that Ash might like, if not in there he would just order one online though. But until he did that he would feel that he owed her in some way and, actually he did, big time. Yeah okay she had zapped him before, but only because he was being a dick and rude to her in the first place. And while the shock was painful he did see lots of positive uses for that electricity. Likely ones that have already been tried by her, stupid Luke and his late ideas. Though she just might be open for suggestions.

Running his hand along a few more books he noticed none that piqued his interest, not even fun titles that could indicate a good read or anything. What he did find though were several books on biology, and while he didn't need those for any form of fun he would have gains from reading them because of his studies. That and he could now tell people what it was like if your body was shocked.

''Mm-not really,'' He replied to her question on if he liked books. ''too much readin' an' not enough ta use me ability on.'' Though there were the obvious exceptions, like Lord of the Rings or The divine comedy, just to name a few. ''Why d'ya ask?'' He shot back as his eyes went back to the books his hand was resting on.

It was good that she had found a book she liked though, but Luke wondered how she would react to seeing Luke taking home four books as opposed to her one. Was it one? He didn't care, he paid and that was that.

[Ash Browne]

''Why d'ya ask?''

Ash shrugged. The more tolerant she tried to be, the less annoyed she would get. At least, that's what the brunette hoped. To be honest, she wasn't sure what to think of Lucas. Her opinion of him kept warping, though Ash wanted to at least try and see him as an okay person. But this Sawyer crap had driven her up the fuckin' wall. If she ever saw a look-a-like, she would punch it. Sawyer's already given her crap and they haven't even met. "Dunno, but this silence is awkward. An' I think that if I stay quiet, ye'll start to see me as that Sawyer-slut again."

Making up names for this stranger was kind of fun, stress relieving. Besides, it couldn't hurt to hate a stranger that had already caused so much damage. Hold on, what damage did she do exactly?

Ash glanced back over to Lucas, paying no mind to his books. Must've been bad. Okay, curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back to life... "What did this look-a-like do? Must've been some shitstorm."

[Lucas Blacke]

''I dunno.'' He mentally shook his head when she mentioned thinking he'd see her as Sawyer again. Truth was that he would, but he knew better. And the thought of her being a person of her own was in his head now too, so he could remember her as Ash instead of that slut. ''I'll prob'ly won't be doin' that. Yer holdin' books, somethin' I don't think Sawyer is capable of.'' He didn't know that, actually. It was just the one time they had met, and after that it was just like she dropped off the face of the earth, until he saw Ash and blindly assumed she was Sawyer. ''An' ya know, I have a name ta go with that pretty face now.'' He shot her a wink through the heaps of books between them.

Now that he was over the whole Sawyer thing with her he saw a chance to go back to his usual self and, weirdly enough, that involved flirting. Hearing her call Sawyer names was a good thing too, like they now had a common enemy when instead she could just as well just be having fun giving someone random names.

Things changed and his mood darkened a slight bit again when she asked about what Sawyer did to him. That would be painful to tell not only because it hurt Luke quite a bit but also because he was a guy, he would be seen as the instigator of the situation, blamed for not being able to keep it in his pants and the two girls around him would be deemed victims.

He sighed, ''We fucked.'' to say that in the middle of a bookstore required balls, but how better to get the point across that he had them? Besides, she would likely reject his views on the matter anyway, so why sugarcoat it? ''She went up ta me, seduced me an' me stupid ass an' we fucked. An' then she was never heard from again. End of story.''

He left out the part of cheating on his girlfriend on purpose.