2019-09-03 - Boyfriends and Brothers Don't Pay

It's a moderately busy Tuesday afternoon on a warm, late-summer day. Autumn's on the approach, and accordingly, the locals eye each forecast, waiting for the start of the rain which will see them through to Spring. Realistically it shouldn't come until the end of September, but despite almost 20 years no one has forgotten 1998 and the 40 days of rain.

August has given himself the afternoon off (which means Cy bullied him into it), and is waiting for his drink, scanning the tables and looking for one to come open. He's got his pastry already, and a workbag with his tablet in it. (Because what else would he do on an afternoon off but...work.)

It’s a work day for Lucas, which means a day fueled in good part by coffee. While the Fire Department does have a perfectly fine coffee maker, he enjoys the walk and figured some of the other guys on duty could go for a few baked goods. So that’s what brings him here, with a bit of a pep in his step, to Espresso Yourself.

“Hey there,” he says, greeting one of the workers with a wave as he enters and approaches the counter. His order is for a few standard coffees and some snacks, which he waits for with an idle look around the place.

The barista smiles and types everything in. August, who's still waiting to see if a table will miraculously come open, pauses when he sees Lucas. He looks familiar, and yet August can't actually place him.

"That'll be--oh!" The barista startles as the iPad she's using flickers and goes dark. "Oh no," she says, wincing. She gives Lucas an apologetic look. "Don't suppose you have cash? It does this sometimes." She might be new, or just not recoginize that it's the boss' brother. Probably both.

Lucas turns back to the counter and glances down at the faulty iPad. “So even the boss’s brother has to pay these days?” Though he gives her a stern sort of look, he reaches for his back pocket and pulls a chunky leather wallet out from it. “Kidding,” he adds with a quick grin. A few bills are tugged out and handed over before he replaces it and goes back to waiting. This time for coffee, food, and change. August, being there as well, gets a brief smile and nod. More like an acknowledgement than a greeting, but friendly enough.

The first barista blinks at Lucas, wide-eyed. "Ah, I--"

Before she can stammer out a response or take the cash, a second barista (one of the long-time staff members) comes to see what's afoot at the iPad. Blinks when she sees who's handing over money. "Oh! I'm sorry, Mr. Lake, I think Willa doesn't know you. Willa this is Ms. Lake's brother, so," she gives Lucas a sweet smile, "his money is no good here, just like Mr. Roen's." She glances at August, who's now eyeing this interaction with curiosity, but he hasn't been paying attention to the ensuing conversation, not until he hears his name. He glances at the baristas, then Lucas, gives him an upnod of 'hi'. The older barista smiles. "Boyfriends and brothers don't pay, those are the rules."

That August hears. He blinks. His coffee gets handed to him (cappuccino). He accepts it with a thank you, eyes Lucas with an awkward expression.

Lucas wears his grin throughout the interaction between the two baristas, shaking his head to say, “Don’t worry about it, really.” When he gets his cash back, he folds it over and tucks it into the tip jar. Because all money good there.

Once that’s cleared up, he turns to August and nods slowly, sizing the man up. “Good to meet you,” he says, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Finally. My sister mentioned she was seeing someone, but…” He shrugs and pulls out one hand to offer. “I’m Lucas.”

The older barista's eyes widen as she realizes they haven't met. She and Willa trade a Look. Then the next customer steps up, and just as Willa is about to launch into an apology about the iPad, it blips back on.

"I swear," the older barista says. "Stupid thing. If it does that again I'll call Ms. Lake, let me know okay?" Then she's back to making coffees.

August accepts the handshake without hesitation, grip firm and friendly. "August, Roen. Good to meet you too." Somewhere in the back of his mind a part of him is saying, 'Well hey so far so good, now Eleanor doesn't have to stress over it.' For a moment he looks at Lucas like he's considering him in some manner beyond simply sizing him up--they're the same height, after all--then says, "I was just gonna have a seat, soon as there is one, if you wanted to join me for a bit."

As the sound of more coffees being made drifts over from behind the counter, Lucas lets go of August’s hand and glances to a clock. “Yeah,” he says, looking back to the other man. “I could spare some time.” He smiles, again, and then motions to a spot against the wall that a couple are vacating. “And how ‘bout that?”

Given that his order might take a little more time to pack up, he starts to head that way before the seats get filled again, wondering how Eleanor will take the news that the two met this way.

August follows in Lucas' wake, pausing to grab a few napkins to go with his danish and coffee. He gives the cappuccino an experimental sip (still too hot), sets it to one side, and sets his workbag down on the floor. He doesn't get the tablet out, just settles himself into the chair. He's trying to imagine how Eleanor's going to react to finding out they met before she could introduce them. How red will she turn, on a scale of 'cadmium red light' to 'her hair'?

What Eleanor didn't mention is Glimmer, and August wonders if the lack of mention means Lucas isn't aware. But August can see that he does have it, and so he's curious. He has to approach it with caution. "Ellie mentioned you're a firefighter, like your dad." It's an invitation to expand on that, if Lucas so chooses.

Lucas pulls out a chair and takes a seat, though he looks like he’s ready to hop out of it at a moment’s notice. Part of being a firefighter. Maybe.

“Yep, it’s pretty much what I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid.” He seems pretty proud of that, puffing his chest a bit further out. “And you? Eleanor mentioned something about, plants is it?” He cocks his head to one side, staring at the man as if there’s something there he can’t put a finger on. Unlike his sister, the glimmer and his ability to sense it in others isn’t something he’s come to understand well, if at all.

August nods, has another experiental sip of his coffee. Not quite cool enough. "Botanist," he confirms with a nod. "We have a garden store at the edge of town, also run an arborist business for the area, picking up Forestry contracts when they have the extra work. I was in the Forest Service for a while, spent some time stationed up at Hoh Rain Forest. Seemed like a good fit for around here when I was done with that."

He smiles in response to the pride, remembering when he'd gotten his first posting. Well he could relate on that front. "Department doing okay? You guys did great at the paintball charity, Ellie was saying it went well." They'd still lost, unfortunately, but GHFD hadn't gone down easy. It hadn't been a sure win for GHPD by any means.

Lucas glances at the clock again, then over to the counter where his coffees are getting sorted, and finally back to August. “The guys are already gearing up for next year,” he says eagerly. Given that the two departments are still sharing pretty much the same building, it takes a while for department rivalries to die down. And there are plenty of them.

“Hoh rain forest, though?” He seems interested in that, though something else August said stole his attention more. Ellie. Something he’s more used to hearing friends and family say. “I, uh, took a climbing trip with a few buddies around there. Maybe a couple years back. It’s beautiful.”

August laughs about the rivalries. "Yeah you guys are all stuck under the same roof, I bet that makes it easy to stay focused on it. Well here's hoping next year the steak dinner's on them and not you guys." He tries his cappuccino once again. Drinkable, so he raises it in a toast to future success and has a proper drink.

He confirms Hoh Rain Forest's qualities with a nod. "Absolutely gorgeous." He smiles, wry. "Mostly I just climb trees, hadn't given much thought to trying rock climbing. Got any favorite spots you've been to?"

Coffees all done, Willa says, "Here's your order Mr. Lucas," presenting them in a cup carrier. She sets it on the pickup shelf alongside his pasties. "Thanks again!"

Lucas tilts his head up as August toasts with his cappuccino. “Lucky for me, there are places to climb all around here, but there’s a spot about an hour outside of town that has a few good routes. Whenever I get the time I head out there.”

It looks like he’s about to say more about that when he gets flagged down to pick up his coffee. “Excuse me,” he says before standing and heading over to grab his things. He chats with the barista for a quick moment and then heads back over to the table, though he doesn’t sit.

“Listen, I’m still on the clock, so I should get these back.” He lifts the coffees and baked goods and adds, “It was good running into you, though. Weird, but good.”

"Definitely don't have to go far to find good climbing out here on the coast," August agrees. He starts getting his tablet out while Lucas fetches his drinks, is half set up by the time he's returned.

"Sure thing. Nice meeting you. And," he smiles, laughs a little, "weird but good seems to be the motto around here." He raises his eyebrows. "Want to be the one to tell her we ran into each other, or should I?"

Lucas thinks about that last one for a moment. Or pretends to. “You do it,” he says pretty quickly, and with a smirk. “As much as I like to see my big sister blush…” he shrugs and leaves it at that. With another glance at the clock, he sighs and gives a firm nod. “Alright, you have a good one. I guess I’ll be seeing you around.” He turns at that and guides his goodies over to the door and on to the fire department.