. last flowers

[theo lovett]

If anyone bothered to look up from their own bubble to observe the pair, they would likely look like any other couple here on a date. It might be hard to guess what date number they were on; a visible awkwardness between them, lulls in the conversation, leading it to look like a first or second. But then there was plenty of touching and a genuine warmth between them that spoke to a deeper connection.. maybe a very successful second date, or a less successful tenth? "I'm technically an older brother but I'm not sure how much elder wisdom I got out of the few minutes between us. That reminds me, I need to tell Ollie." Finishing what was left of his steak in two big mouthfuls, Theo retrieves his phone, firing out a quick text to his twin: You wouldn't believe who I bumped into. He thinks about leaving it at that, but decides not to let his question be a rhetorical one. Stella. As in, my Stella. How crazy is that? The second drink is going down even more easily than the first, making it easy for him to slip into old habits. My Stella. Easy laughter flows between them as she literally bites off more than she can chew, a sight that's a relief to him given how slender she was. "You got that right, yeah. It's gotta be done. I haven't actually been, but you know, it'll be funny for everyone back home." Would she tell them she'd seen him? Of course she would, she had nothing to hide. "God it's good to see you. Feels like fate that we'd bump into each other, and that we'd both have tomorrow off, right? Feel like I'm never off, someone's on our side."

[Deleted]

"Being twins probably has its own set of rules - maybe he already got the message we'd seen each other via telepathy," Stella jokes, reaching down simultaneously to bring up the group chat back home. Hesitating for a second, she switches to the girls only chat and taps out a quick message. Just ran into Theo in LA. What are the chances? Her phone immediately vibrates with emphasis replies but she quickly puts it face down on the table, mischievous smile surfacing. "Just told the girls back home too...gonna make them wait for a response." She isn't sure why, definitely one of the more calculated things she's done. There's nothing wrong with what they're doing here anyway, just two people catching up and having dinner, subtly dipping into their shared history when it seemed fit. Rationalized enough in her head, Stella leans back into their plans, clasping her hands in front of her. "Can't wait to send them all the price tags." Her second drink is all but gone, a silly buzz settling over her as she chews through another bite in front of her. "Maybe the hospital set it up, wrote out a whole little meet cute reunion."

[theo lovett]

The warm buzz of alcohol has settled into Theo's tired frame, making him feel invincible. This chance encounter felt so much like a product of LA, of its infinite possibilities and its fundamental capability to surprise and delight, though realistically he would have been a lot more likely to see her in Anchorage. It takes seeing her now to know that he must have been subconsciously avoiding that on his sporadic visits, a realization that would be jarring if he weren't buzzed, given that she's such a ray of sunshine to be around. "Let's have another round and we can get the waiter to take a picture for us, they'll love that. We'll make sure he gets my good side." The idea of her texting them about him gives him another illicit thrill, unconsciously loving the idea of being alive in her world, in her conversations. "Oh yeah, like my building supervisor making sure I lived down the hall from another Alaskan. Maybe it's an LA rule, pair the country bumpkins off together." It's funny to think of the hospital being a central part of their reunion, given how bitterly he felt about his place of work these days... it was redeeming itself. Right on cue a waiter collects their empty glasses and Theo takes the opportunity to order a beer, knowing he'll be gone if he keeps on the Negronis. He picks up a piece of broccoli from his plate, taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully as he racks his brain for other LA activities. "We can hike up to the Hollywood sign another time, we'll do the Walk of Fame, all of it. It'll be fun, I haven't played tourist since one of my early dates with Dolly."

[Deleted]

Stella isn't sure what thread she wants to tug next, smile extending on her face as she hears the vibrations on her phone rattle off along the table. There were so many gaps in their histories, staring down the reality of that as they cataloged one another. The subtle changes, the missing awkwardness they'd slowly grown out of. His eyes though, they're exactly the same. Expressive blue, excitement crackling at his own suggestions. So familiar it jarred her, gaze falling to finish the rest of her second drink to hide the feeling. She'd packed so much away, after all this time. The spectrum of emotions had been tightly lidded and compartmentalized, but with the light buzz settling over her and the sudden, rich proximity, Stella felt it shuffling out from its hiding spot. "Exposing the city - everything's a movie after all," she plays along, as if they're stuck in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, none the wiser to the strings being pulled. She quietly switches to a beer as well when he orders, almost grateful for the new lead when he mentions what she assumes is his ex. "Was she not from around here either?"

[theo lovett]

Her phone keeps flashing and a warmth erupts within Theo. Deep down he had worried that his friends had lost interest in him, a disinterest no doubt hastened by his neglect of their friendships. Ollie hadn't replied yet and he would inevitably put a dampener on Theo's mood, responding with something flippant and unworthy of the incredible moment of kismet at hand, if he responded at all. He pushes his phone into his pocket as deeply as it'll go, regretting even messaging his brother in the first place. The name slips from his lips so easily that he cringes at himself. Both because he's made himself sick thinking about her, and because he's sure the slip will seem intentional, a tit-for-tat with her over Jake... or maybe that was just how he thought, and she wouldn't care at all. She didn't seem to. "Oh she grew up here," he says, deciding there's nothing else for it now he's put her out there. "But she comes from like, insane money, a super high power family. So her experience of the city is totally different to what I'll be able to show you... she never really let me in on that side either. For what it's worth, it sounded boring."