Participants:
| Scene Title | When Harry Met Sally |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Lucille meets the man she married in a future that will no longer happen. |
| Date | July 4, 2018 |
It’s almost dark by the time Anders leaves the college. The night is cloudy — there won’t be any large fireworks shows on this Fourth of July anyway, but if there were, it’d be a bad night for it. He walks toward where his motorcycle is parked, glancing down at where his knuckles are split from one of the night’s altercations.
His ability keeps him hidden and safe most of the time but doesn’t do much to protect his knuckles when he hauls off and punches someone at the wrong angle.
To be fair the guy had it coming to him.
He pulls off the neon yellow EVENT SECURITY shirt, revealing a slimmer gray v-neck beneath, and shoves the uniform of sorts into his back pocket.
Stalking people is apart of the job on Wolfhound, well not exactly but watching people is and that's what Lucille has been doing.
Waiting outside of the event since she was escorted out by Anders, the shock of seeing him still there. It felt like she had just talked about him with Adel not too long ago. The emotions she feels towards the man she dreamed about, confusion, attraction and weariness. Did he dream those dreams too? He just.. didn't remember? Luce couldn't be sure but there she is, leaning against a wall when he walks out.
“Hey,” she calls. Feet crossed at the ankle she looks him up and down. Yep. It's still him.
His head turns her way, and green eyes light up with surprise and appreciation. It’s not the first time a girl’s waited for him outside of a venue, but usually not one he’d escorted out. Of course, it could mean she’s there to kick his ass, for all he knows.
“Hey,” he says, studying her for a second, checking for signs of a weapon or back-up. In case it’s the ass kicking she’s after.
“Sorry I had to pull you out of there. You doing all right? I’d offer to get you a reimbursement for your ticket cost, but…” he shrugs. It was a free event, after all.
His look of surprise is almost mirrored. He noticed, his checking her out and the location makes her smile softly, “Just me,” not that she needs help although.. the whole going invisible part might be a bit of a problem. Luce waves her hand dismissively, “Nah it's fine, I don't know what came over me.. My aunt has this ability to feel and control emotions? I don't know if it was something like that?” She can't really explain the rage or well she could but her rituals of meditation and practice kept her balanced and centered. No more brawls, except for in the Crucible. The ring was fine.. but the event still puzzled her.
“Sorry for even being that much of a handful.” Rubbing her hand over her arm she smiles easily before extending her hand to the man, “Lucille.” She offers gently, her heart thumping in her chest. He was a little older in the dream, they both were. But they had a daughter in that future.
For one that tries not to think about fate too much it feels like it's kicking her in the face right now, her words to Berlin come back to her and laughs inside. Self fulfilling prophecy.
“Not your fault,” Anders says lightly with a shrug. He looks over his shoulder, back in the direction of the venue where not much is left but some debris and maybe a dribble of blood or two from the fights that had commenced. The band is long gone and only a couple of people linger here and there, licking their wounds or lamenting the night’s events.
“Weird night. I’d probably have been more pissed off myself but I might have smoked right before work, if you know what I mean.”
He takes the hand offered, his own rough with callouses and those split knuckles. “Anders Dennison.” It’s not the name he was known by in the Ferry. Not in the past nor in dreams from a future that will never happen.
“God I haven't smoked in… a long time.” Luce admits with grin and shake of her head. It had been a long time, “I had a show in Amsterdam? All the drugs.” It was a good time, a faraway time. Much like that future that will never happen.
Not Stuart? She almost asks but she stops herself.
Instead she feels those calluses on his hand for a quick moment and nods her head, “Nice to meet you.” Another flash of white and Lucille is withdrawing her hand and running a hand through her auburn hair. She's decided to allow it to be long again. “You didn't know the Ferry did you?”
When she asks about the Ferry, Anders’ eyes widen a little — there’s a flash of recognition and a little fear there, but it’s quickly wiped away and replaced by a lopsided smirk.
“Which one?” he says, making a bit of a sorry and dated joke based on the sound of the word, before he glances down, putting hands in his pockets. “A little. They holed me up in a safehouse for a bit. Nice people. Lost track of them though.”
He studies her face, eyes moving left to right across her gaze. “Why? You know who I am somehow?”
Rolling her eyes at his joke Lucille shakes her head before squinting, so he's not crazy. “Ah well my dad was in a leadership role there.. maybe I saw your picture in a file or something.” Umm they totally had files had. Mentally wincing at the excuse, she's not usually this nervous. Butterflies in her stomach make her stiffen and she adjusts her stance.
“Benjamin Ryans.” Which would indicate that she was Lucille Ryans. She stills herself as she breathes evenly while studying him. She had slipped into that role she played before, anxious, confused.. Lu snuffs those feelings out and that nervous energy is dispelled by a bright smile.
“I worked with them more during the war,” so when they weren't all but destroyed.
His eyes widen a little when she mentions files. He glances over his shoulder, as if to see if anyone’s sneaking up on him. Like maybe her father.
“I don’t know the name,” he says, reaching behind himself to pull the bright yellow t-shirt from his pocket — maybe something to do with his hands as her nervous energy bleeds over his own.
“I was sick for a bit — you know, that flu? There was a house over in Summer Meadows. On Roosevelt.” He fiddles with the t-shirt, eyes cast down for a moment, before he looks back up. “A sickhouse. Safehouse. It was nice of them.”
An internal sigh of relief and the tall woman waves her hand as if to ward off any worries about files. Fidgeting, they both do it. And Lucille hopes this wasn't a good idea, bringing this up. “I remember that.” The flu, it was horrible. The deaths.. back on the island before the government swept in.
“They were good.” Noah Bennet and Rebel getting her out of Europe, the years of help they provided afterwards. They succeeded, they brought the government to its knees and made change. Well, they were the catalyst. Sometimes Luce thinks about how it was really like a sacrifice.
“Sorry it must be weird to be approached by a stranger talking about the Ferrymen and those days.” Her hand in her pocket is still, her shoulders relaxed, “So.. you do security now? Your ability is.. very well suited to the task.”
There's a flash of white as she grins, “Bet I could still find you.” Teasing.
“Uh. Yeah,” Anders says, looking down at the yellow shirt in his hand. “I mean, sometimes, I do a lot of odd jobs. I was a spy during the war — not like a super spy but you know, with my ability… I would go listen in and report back to the rebellion.”
He actually blushes a little at that — perhaps because it’s one of the few good things he’s done in his life — something to be proud of.
“What about you? You were pretty kick-ass back there,” he says, nodding over his shoulder, then adds with a grin,. “You got infrared vision or something to find me if I’m invisible?”
“So you’re sneaky,” as if being able to turn invisible wasn't a clue enough. Nodding her head in appreciation to his assistance to the rebellion she offers, “I fought with Special Activities before joining up with Wolfhound.” Namedrop. His blush is taken in and she smiles briefly at it.
As to how she can know where he is when he's invisible.. a sly smile crosses her lips and she puts a hand on her hip as her eyes flash to that amber gold, “Why don't you.. go invisible and I’ll show you.” Here’s hoping he doesn't go outside of her ten foot field of radar.
Grinning, the woman closes her eyes and tilts her head, “No peeking.” As if that matters.
“You trust me not to run?” he says, a grin curving his lips. “I’m half afraid you’re harboring some long forgotten grudge that I’ve forgotten about because I smoke too much weed, and you’re gonna kick my ass. I saw what you did to that dude with the throat punch.”
Still, he disappears from view and moves a few feet away, leaning silently against a nearby light post. Very keen ears might pick up on those footfalls, diminishing in volume as they move away from her.
“You know I saw an ex of mine years ago and that's how it ended up playing out,” though they later ended up becoming whatever weird ass thing they now were. Luce misses his vanishing from sight but she still feels him and the life inside. Nerves and neurons, systems and organs, his heart.
A slow smile as she takes a step away from his location just for show, a game, “Hmm am I warm or cold?” She chuckles because surely he can't answer without giving his position away. Lu’s movements are careful as her eyes are still closed but eyelids flutter open to reveal amber gold irises scanning the place around her. Sidestepping a bit before rounding in the direction where he stands she quirks an eyebrow.
“Where.. could you be?” She feigns a stumped expression as she taps her chin with a nails. Tiptoeing slowly closer to Anders she turns away from him with a confused look on her face. “Hm guess I—”
“Boo.” Whirling around to lean in to where her senses tell her Anders’ stands. A dazzling smile of all white teeth.
Anders manages not to laugh as she feigns her uncertainty — he also decides she’s not a threat, and doesn’t ru off while hidden from her view.
Once she says ‘boo,’ he laughs, and a moment later, flickers back into view. “You are something else, Ferry chick,” he says, with a shake of his head, but then the grin slips away. “Listen. You’re… well, amazing. And I don’t know what you read or heard about me, but, well, I’m not.”
He laughs and leans his head back to stare up at the sky,. “Jesus Christ, what is wrong with me?” he groans, before looking back at Lucille. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but, you can do better than me. Like, a lot better. You’re way out of my league.”
Her grin stays there for a moment longer, reveling in the feelings of fun and easiness but then there's that, that and Lucille’s grin drops. Carefully she takes a step back to study the man now turned visible. Well it's not like she wanted to ask him on a date. To be honest she didn't know what she wanted or why she approached him. To know. What could have been, she hasn't spent the last few years laying awake about that dream though. That time had long past. Though seeing him did something for her, seeing him alive and well.
“Look I'm not sure if you've ever heard of female friends you don't fuck.” Speaking quickly before biting her lip and shaking her head, she doesn't mean to come off that way. The comment about her being way out of his league is ignored, she's heard that too much before. It's a nice sentiment though.
“I just wanted to make sure I thanked you for making sure I didn't like,” a shrug of her shoulders. “Kill someone or something.” Ya know no big.
Anders’ eyes widen a little when she stops smiling and snaps at him. He takes a step back too, and tips his head, watching her out of the corner of his eyes. At her question, he makes a show of looking puzzled, then touches a finger to the other, as if beginning to count.
“Let’s see, there was Christine- oh wait, nope, we did… Maybe Andrea- oh, wait, there was that one time…” he shakes his head. “No, I can’t really think of any, but I’ll take your word for it,” Anders announces with a wide grin.
“But, hey, you’re welcome. I don’t like cleaning up murders after the show so it’s not completely selfless. I had ulterior reasons,” he says, tucking that yellow shirt back in his back pocket.
There's an apology on the horizon but Luce doesn't know if she’ll say anything right. She’s probably fucked it up already. But then he's joking despite Lucille’s snappiness and that causes her to snort, “All these ladies falling head over heels, how can i ever hope to just be your friend.” Rolling her eyes with the hint of a grin on her face before she licks her lips and looks up towards the sky.
“I'm trying to do that thing here where you make an adult friend of the opposite sex without it being weird.” Her grin widens and Lu puts a hand on her waist, fingers splayed out on her side, supporting herself.
“I might not be able to blame you for not wanting to clean up after a murder.” Who would?
Anders shrugs, his smile brightening when she doesn’t get angry. “You don’t stand a chance, sweetheart,” he says lightly, though he puts his hands up, as if to soothe a colt, to indicate he’s kidding.
“Is that what adults do,” he adds. “No one ever told me. But sure, I’m happy to be your non-weird, opposite-sex friend. Just don’t come crying to me when it goes all When Harry Met Sally.”
He offers a hand as if to make a deal.
Adding her own shrug as if to answer, maybe that is what adults do Luce gives him a amused expression as he extends his hand for hers, to make a deal. How fucking weird the universe is, she thinks as she eyes his hand and then him. Just when you thought things got weird enough…
“Deal,” winking, “Harry.” Taking his hand to shake firmly without missing his eyes, “We’ll have to stay away from each other on New Years Eve’s parties then, oh no.” Faux distress thrown his way. Smiling again Lucille nods, this is better footing. Better ground to stand on. She hadn't completely ruined it.
He chuckles at the joke. “That makes you Sally, I guess. You’re cuter than she was though.”
A backward glance thrown to his motorcycle returns to her and he gives it a sideways nod of his head. “You need a ride home? I promise I won’t even ask to come in for a cocktail or something. Because I’m mature and an adult and all that. I am a gentleman though so I’ll let you wear my helmet.”
There's a scoff and Lucille brings out the keys to her own motorcycle which is parked not to far from them, her gaze to hers. She's cuter than Sally? Well thank you, thank you. Points. The Wolfhound operative grins dangerously at the man as she backs away towards her bike, “Very chivalrous, I’m impressed really,” hand to her heart with a mock pout.
Swinging her leg over before starting it up, she grabs her helmet and begins to slide it over her head, “Wanna race?” Eyebrows raised as she licks her lips. The offer there but Lu isn't waiting to see if he takes it, she wheels the motorcycle around to stop in front of Anders and flicks her visor up, pale blue eyes studying this man. This man who might have been her husband in one life. Friends is nice though, she had to tell Adel, Berlin and Colette. But first,
“Let's see if you can keep up.”