JADED

she wondered for a moment if this was as strange for him as it was for her. there was still evident tension between them, but there always had been from day one. she’d known she’d wanted him from the first moment she saw him and while they were turbulent to say the least, they never seemed to lose that tension. part of her felt like it would be better for her to just let her lips do whatever explaining they could in other ways, at least then her loneliness and fevered need for attention would come across strong. at least that was a language the two understood. 

“— mhmm.” it was a hummed response, her eyes now looking over her most recent mess of a piece. “yeah. I tried to walk back in and kiss him and it went wrong, but we’ve talked since then, we’ve hung out and things are a bit better. still— nothing.” she indicated to the canvas. “any advice?”

•

It wasn’t resentment that he felt towards Neve. He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt that, not for longer than a beat, before it was replaced by hurt and now? Acceptance. Forgiveness even. But that didn’t mean this wasn’t a strange conversation to be having by any stretch of the imagination. He doesn’t think anyone would disagree. His ex speaking about her ex. She’d had a life after him, and he hoped it was a good one, just as he had. But he could easily see a deep-seated sadness in her. He’d seen it when they were together but thought that as the years passed, it had faded. It turned out, she was just incredibly good at saving face. At showing what she wanted, when she wanted.  

@lukasxnovak​

Fingers hesitated at the heavy doors of the lecture hall debating on leaving this entire situation alone. There was no time for hesitation however if Ava wished to remain anonymous and continue quietly about her day slipping in and out of a simple university lecture hidden among a throng of students. She’d only overheard a conversation had in the wee hours of the morning from a caffeine deprived college student grumbling about the seriousness of a professor. True enough Ava had actually fallen off her chair leaning in attempting to hear more of a conversation then a simple stranger should be privileged to. Here she was now, bruised rear sneaking into a university lecture on art history moving quickly to the back to sink down low into her seat by a crowd of children hoping that the professor that was scheduled to teach today was was anybody but who she thought it could be. Glancing at her phone Ava wondered if she’d just done something incredibly foolish for no reason highly doubting the man about to walk into the room would be her ex. In that moment Ava pictured the dollar store version of Lukas Novak walking in the door or an older man, partially balding with some idea of art name Louis Novak. For half a second Ava could imagine it and if it was some little old man she would quietly get out of her chair and gracefully exit the lecture hall to have a good laugh at her mind getting the best of her. For now she waited, sunk down in a seat at the back hoping for some reason to be proven wrong.

•

It was a typical Tuesday lecture to his 101 students. Students who, if given the chance, would’ve preferred to major in partying than in actual school. Not that Lukas was one to talk. He’d had his years and now he felt a bit of remorse for the professors he’d likely driven insane with his own antics. The students were in the midst of taking a quiz and he’d stepped out to grab something from his office down the hall. He’d waived off the need for a TA but now he was wondering if it wasn’t a bad idea after all. Stepping back into the front of the hall, he looked at his watch, “alright, times up. Everyone – pass your quizzes to the front. We have just one more ––” he’d been watching as the students shuffled the papers forward when his eye caught onto an all too familiar figure sat in the back of the hall. 

Lukas’s voice faltered for a moment and he made a mental note to ask Ariel if she actually thought the town was haunted. Because from his standpoint, it definitely was. Two exes in under two months. Seemed...less than idea. Eyes still on Ava, he cleared his throat, doing his best to school his expression. “One more chapter to go through but...we’ll just...see how it goes.” He had an hour left. One which he faltered through the first fifteen minutes, distracted by her presence at the back before hitting his stride halfway through. The rest of class sped by, talking about Van Gogh and his impact on art today. 

“You know why they did. You’ve heard me ramble off enough history about the town that you should be as well educated on the town as I am.” Ariel teased him. “The only reason we’re friends? Ouch. Hitting me hard there Lukie.” she said, her hand over her heart, teasing him with the nickname. “Sadly, no new ghost stories. Might have to conjure up a new one.”

•

she chewed on the side of her cheek as the question left him. he’d find out sooner or later, it was a small town and he was bound to run into clay or look a little closer at the art hanging on the walls and see clay’s image reflected in oil and acrylic. there was no avoiding that she might hurt lukas, the lack of time between her divorce and jumping into a very intense relationship with clay, a practical stranger at the time— there was no avoiding it.  “ I uh— did what I do best and fucked up.” she started, wrapping her arms around her form as she looked anywhere but at him. “ I cheated on my very amazing boyfriend. with his best friend actually. And then I didn’t face any questions, didn’t face anything. I just ran back to russia.” it was hard for her, admitting her mistakes, but he of all people knew how she fled when scared, when stressed, when things just got too much. that was what Neve did best after all and maybe Lukas had lost more than most involved.  

•

To say he hadn’t expected the words flooding out of her mouth would’ve been an understatement. Lukas wasn’t sure what he’d expected but it wasn’t that. He continued inspecting the art as she spoke, not quite sure what to do –– what to say. That was the thing, though, wasn’t it? They’d never really known what to say to each other apart from the heat of the moment, groggy good mornings and good nights uttered between fervent kisses. They’d always had other ways to say what they meant. And with none of that there anymore -– with all of what they’d been gone, evaporated like smoke....Lukas was at a loss. 

“They’re taking it for the credit, pretty much.” Ariel nodded. “I remember taking a course like that in college.” she laughed. “The dumbest question I got today was ‘Why did they name the town Eureka? Were the founders drunk?’“ she rolled her eyes, looking down at Pierogi as he sniffed the air as they approached the burger joint. “Ouch. You know my ghost stories are amazing.”

•

WES: probably wouldn't hurt, tbh. kid could use some fresh air and dirt.

WES: jesus i sound like some old fucking boomer. no one told me fatherhood would make me this lame.

WES: nope, dont buy it, soccer is boring baseball is superior.

WES: dude you are like three years older than me dont even start

WES: speaking of tvs though, just bought us a new one for the house. if youre nice enough i'll let you watch kickball on it. and maybe provide beer.

LUKAS: Too late to turn back the clock now. You're officially older than me. I've heard dad years age you.

LUKAS: Baseball is literally fucking sitting there watching people maybe hit a ball. At least soccer has action.

“uh— yeah, a lot of these are.” she hummed. it was strange, being this close to him again and having him back in one of her creative spaces. he had always been a sort of muse to her, and she believed that without him, she wouldn’t have been successful as she had been. her sketch books had been full of his portrait and his form over the years; neve spending some of those mornings where he slept in after coming home late and jet lagged, just sketching him as he rested. some of them made their way to oil, others just stayed graphite and paper, tucked away for no one to ever see. “ I’ve been trying, but these are all at least a year old now.” she gave a little sigh before she nodded towards the back where her studio was, indicating for him to follow. “this is all my new work. “ and it was a mess. the space disorganised, half finished paintings stacked on the floor, easels with confused and undirected art just waiting. she wasn’t going to show him her courtyard, she definitely wasn’t going to show him the drum where she liked to burn the pieces she just couldn’t get to speak to her. a lot of money had literally gone up in smoke lately. 

•

There would always be a part of him that wondered about the what if, but his life was full of them at this point...he knew better than to dwell. He’d moved on, so had she. They were different people now, yes, but standing in her studio, looking at her work –– it felt familiar. Like nothing had changed. He remembered pouring over her work with her, feeling her gaze on him as he read or sent emails from the balcony of their home in Prague. It had been a home, even if he hadn’t been there as much as he probably should have been. And maybe it had never quite been home to her, the way he thought it had. There were a lot of questions, but he knew better than to ask. He’d let it go ( really, he had ), but sometimes you couldn’t help what still nettled at you. 

Clayton stood up and looked at the car, blowing out a long breath as he moved up onto the sidewalk, letting his eyes check out the car as he crossed his arms over his chest. ”Cant’ say I ever thought I’d see a car this fancy in Eureka.” He glanced over at the man when he asked if there was a good mechanic. “Down the street is a good mechanics place but your car seems more expensive.” He chuckled lightly as he let his eyes move towards the car again. “Damn, it’s like the fuckin’ batmobile.”

•

special delivery - @lukasxnovak​

Clayton walked down the street from the parlor, looking to grab something quick and head back to do payroll. He turned his head when he noticed someone standing in front of the car, looking down into the hood with confusion on their features. “Hey… You alright?” He asked as he took a step off the curb and leaned down to look inside of the hood with him. “It looks like your belt is fucked…”

•

LUKAS NOVAK @ G VASILIEV ART (neve’s gallery) @lukasxnovak​

it had been some time since neve had been around lukas, and with good reason. she can’t remember what she did that night, she can’t really remember what they spoke about or if she said anything she shouldn’t of, but she figured him being around, regardless of how she felt about it, could be a good thing. she’d cleaned up the gallery, wondering whether she should remove the painting she still had of him, and those newly added ones of clayton. would he even know it’s him? she left them, they were good pieces and they would always hang proudly among the art influenced by them. “So—” she started, leading him through the small gallery. “this is it. I mean I still have some of my staple pieces, I’m sure you recognise those and uh— my newer work is scattered throughout. “

•

Maybe this was a bad idea ( actually –– he knew it was a bad idea ), but Lukas told himself it’d be fine. Their last surprise encounter had been...bumpy but he couldn’t shake it or her words. The regret in them, even in her drunken state. There was something about Never that would always be more like a wound or a scar, than a fond memory. Maybe if they’d parted differently...but the past only held ghosts now and Lukas had moved to Eureka with the intent of starting over. He figured the least he could do was try to do the same with Neve. A fresh start, as if history could be so easily forgotten. 

Claire: Hi, hello.

Claire: Funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and by forum I mean my house.

Claire: House? Locked. Keys? Inside house.

Claire: Are you a good lockpick? If not it's nbd, I'm only sitting outside like a dumbass until someone comes to grab them for me.

Lukas: You're in luck, Claire

Lukas: I happen to be an excellent lockpick, don't ask me why.