saltwater

[Judith Haddock]

She laughs when he says he wasn't popular. Judith could remember the exact day he faded into popularity. His bushy black hair and marble-carved face, just plucked by Emmy who has just happened to notice him. "It's just this aura about you.. such a weird vibe. Like you'd not give up, even if you were told to. So annoying," she rolls her eyes and shoves a couple of fries in her mouth. "Are you excited for the snow?"

[Deleted]

Lucas often lied about his school experience when asked, too ashamed to own up to the truth. An ex of his had once managed to dig up a photo of him and Emmy, and she had been disturbed by it... not because they weren't physically compatible, but because it was so obvious even from that one photo that Emmy was antithetical to everything grown up Lucas stood for. "You're very good at reading people. Almost psychically good." He's finished his own fries so steals a couple of hers, pushing his plate towards her to encourage her to steal some more of his burger. "I'm usually indifferent, but I have this friend who's so into it that it kind of becomes infectious, so maybe I'll care this year. How about you?"

[Judith Haddock]

She smiles as he pushes his plate towards her and she dumps her fries on the plate to share. "I've been told it's a gift," she says, feigning angelicness and looking at the flickering yellow ceiling lamps. "There's something magical about frostbite and having to wear seven layers to leave the house," she nods. "Actually, you'd never guess it because I kind of look.. you know, emo. But I'm batshit about Christmas. So when the snow comes, I morph into some elf like creature who suddenly has a million traditions to complete by December."

[Deleted]

The scene is so close to one from their early teens that you would think they were intentionally trying to recreate it, but everything came so naturally with her. "Wanna share some pancakes?" He watches her as she talks about Christmas, the corners of his mouth tugging into a knowing smile. "God, you sound just like her. I should introduce you two, you can watch Hallmark movies and drink eggnog together to save me the effort." He runs a hand through his hair, feigning awkwardness. "Sorry, bad form talking about another girl on a date. You just remind me of her so much."

[Judith Haddock]

"It's.. almost 8? Pancakes?" she narrows her eyes at him, "of course I do. Why would you even ask?" She grins as he talks about her, her merriness about the holiday so extreme it could be a disorder of some sort. Lucas wasn't a stranger to her festiveness but it was something he hadn't been there for in a while and that made her heart ache. "Oh no. I swear to you, I'm one of a kind. A total original. That other girl can't remind you of someone who is an OG," she shakes her head, watching as a pile of pancakes is placed down by the surly waitress. "You kind of remind me of someone too. Kind of nostalgic feeling."

[Deleted]

"Attagirl." Lucas flags down the waitress, who has been decidedly ignoring their corner of the restaurant despite the fact that the whole place was almost empty. "I've always thought of her as one of a kind too, so it's weird meeting you. Maybe you're related, do you have a long lost sister?"  This was not the first date Lucas had been on where he had found himself talking about Judith, though usually he could hold his tongue until the second or third. "I get that a lot. I'm a bit of an Every Man type figure," he says, knowing this comment will annoy her and hiding his grin with a mouthful of syrupy pancakes.

[Judith Haddock]

"Oh, wait. Maybe you're talking about my twin - Whodith. Very unpopular in her golden days. Me with glasses. Good ol' Whodith." She showers the pancakes in syrup and forks a pieces into her mouth. "Oh. So you're a bother and you're vain?" she asks, cocking her head to the side like a curious puppy.

[Deleted]

Luke snaps his fingers, as though recognition is dawning upon him. "Whodith! Yes that's the one. Whodith and I go way back." He's laughing as he shovels more food into his mouth, nodding along. Being accused of vanity makes him tilt his head back at her, bemusement etched across his features. "You think it's vain to think of yourself as commonplace? Though I won't defend myself against being a bother, there I'm guilty as charged."

[Judith Haddock]

She grins and takes another forkful of pancake, the sugar delighting her tastebuds. Lucas was anything but ordinary and that was true not only from her perspective. While she always had thought him interesting and poetic, she could see that he fascinated others as well. "Maybe not vain... maybe dumb? Because how could you think you're common when you're very clearly not," Judith chases the pancake with milkshake, her brain getting hyper because of the sugar overload. "Obviously you're as unique and special as they come.. or don't? Like me, you're also an OG."

[Deleted]

There were no secrets between Lucas and Judith, not after a shared upbringing so intense it rivalled twin siblings. Even if they were trying to hide something from the other they would give themselves away with the smallest gesture, or a turn of phrase that sounded odd only to the other's ear. That's how he knows she means what she's saying and he can feel his cheeks heat under the compliment. "All that and you've barely spent an hour with me. Are you always this forward?" Under the table his feet find hers, grazing against the space where her calf meets her slender ankle in a covert gesture of affection. "This is awkward, but I need to come clean about something."

[Judith Haddock]

"Didn't I tell you I'm really good at reading people?" Judith feels his foot against hers and shifts her foot forward to rest against him. "Awh no," she grimaces, her front teeth catching the fat of her lip, "you have a girlfriend??"

[Deleted]

"Your mind." Lucas swirls the last of his milkshake, the dregs catching the foamy remnants all down the side of the glass. He knocks it back like he's doing a shot. He's a little shifty now, scratching his neck and avoiding her eye as he musters up the courage to say what he wants to say. One last bite of pancake gives him the courage-- that, and the protection of the pretense. "It's about Whodith. I think I'm falling in love with her."

[Judith Haddock]

She chews and looks at him with bemusement. She's expecting him to say something funny and clever, her eyes falling to him as he begins to speak. Judith pauses and a smile warms her face, her cheese becoming rosy as her heart fills. She nudges her foot to his leg and frowns, "what are you doing here then? Go and get your girl."

[Deleted]

He's surprised to find his palms are sweating as he finally looks at her, watching to see how his words land. It's soon and he hopes she's not put off by his enthusiasm for her... falling in love had been so easy when he had already loved her to begin with. A wide grin spreads across his face as she replies, and he immediately gets up to sit on her side of the booth. Placing one hand on her face, he pulls her in for a long, slow kiss. "I love you," he repeats, directly now. He pulls away a little, that grin back on his face. "Best first date I've ever had, how about you?"

[Judith Haddock]

She kisses him back, his hand warm against her cheek. She felt it was uncomplex and honest love, it came easily and she follows him without hesitation, "I love you too." She smiles and kisses him again, her character fading away now that he's on her side of the booth. "Well, service could be better," she cringes as she makes eye contact with the waitress, and her hand finds his. "Can we please please please go bowling now?"