the more i smoke ; the more i find

"I don't care if you asked nicely...I'm still not dancing on the bar. This isn't Coyote Ugly." Romeo chuckles, shaking their head at the drunken patron sitting at the bar. "Here's a water on the house. Drink it." They state before turning to the person waiting for their attention, flashing a smile in their direction. "Ignore Frank, he's mostly harmless. What can I get started for you?"

gus can't help but chuckle as he watches the interaction between the bartender and patron ; enjoying it so much , he's almost disappointed when the attention is turned to him. he blinked , forgetting he was in fact waiting to order and not just standing there to people watch. “ wait … this isn't coyote ugly ? ” he asked , but his tone is anything but serious. he looked around the bar , dramatically. “ where am i ? ” he furrowed his brow , feigning a sad expression. “ dang … guess i'll have to settle for a tequilla soda then … ”

when  it  came  to  mallory  ,  felix  always  felt  at  home.  he  mad  himself  comfortable  in  her  home  ,  moved  around  if  freely  and  comfortably.  there  weren't  many  people  he  could  do  that  with  ,  but  she  was  definitely  one  of  them.  things  had  always  been  effortless  with  her  ,  and  it  was  something  felix  was  incredibly  grateful  for.  there  weren't  many  people  in  his  life  that  he  trusted  so  having  mallory  around  meant  the  world  to  him.  he  helped  himself  to  her  cabinet  ,  pulling  out  two  mugs  and  setting  them  down  on  the  counter.  ❝  coffee  or  tea  ?  ❞  he  questioned  as  he  turned  his  head  towards  her.  it  might've  been  her  kitchen  ,  but  he  spent  enough  time  in  it  to  know  his  way  around.  the  least  he  could  do  was  offer  to  make  her  drink  for  her.  ❝  oh  ,  and  what  are  your  christmas  plans  with  the  kids  ?  i  was  planning  on  keeping  it  pretty  lowkey  with  evelyn.  do  you  think  we  should  do  a  joint  dinner  type  of  thing  ?  we  could  end  the  night  with  christmas  cookies  and  a  movie  if  you're  free.  ❞

felix  was  practically  part  of  the  family  ,  so  mallory  rarely  blinked  an  eye  at  how  casual  he  was  in  her  home.  she  ,  too  ,  was  guilty  of  the  same  when  she  visited  the  henderson  home.  thus  ,  it  was  second  nature  to  find  felix  comfortably  in  her  kitchen  after  she  returned  from  checking  on  the  kids.  “  tea  ,  ”  she  answered.  “  my  favorite  black  one  ,  ”  she  motioned  vaguely  ,  knowing  he  would  know  what  she  was  referring  to  without  further  explanation.  she  was  a  creature  of  habit  ,  mostly  ,  and  felix  probably  had  her  routine  memorized  as  well  as  she  did  by  this  point.  “  oh  ,  the  same  as  last  year  ,  ”  she  responded  ,  though  there  was  a  bit  of  hesitancy  in  her  voice.  the  holidays  were  always  a  bit  rough  when  navigating  a  lingering  grief  she  seemingly  didn't  acknowledge.  “  already  bought  a  ham  that  i  doubt  olivia  will  eat  ,  ”  she  shrugged  ,  like  it  wasn't  an  obvious  tradition  in  her  household.  “  so  i  expected  to  have  leftovers  if  you  and  evelyn  don't  join  ,  ”  she  chuckled  softly.  “  i  don't  mind  handling  dinner  if  you  deal  with  everything  after  ,  ”  she  smirked  ,  already  imagining  the  sugar  high  they  would  inevitably  allow  as  a  sort  of  christmas  present.  “  but  we  may  need  to  prepare  for  more  than  one  movie  ,  in  case  someone  doesn't  agree  …  ”

❝  well  ,  i  guess  that  depends  on  how  you  feel  about  the  holiday's.  ❞  she  knew  that  everyone  viewed  them  differently  ,  that  for  some  people  ,  they  were  not  important  and  that  for  other's  ,  they  were  extremely  passionate.  she  was  one  of  those  people  who  loved  celebrating  the  holiday's.  gianna  enjoyed  the  togetherness  and  the  fact  that  her  parents  came  back  to  town  to  visit  her.  ❝  if  you're  looking  for  something  fun  to  do  this  holiday  season  ,  then  it'll  be  the  perfect  piece  for  you.  if  you're  trying  to  avoid  the  whole  ...  holiday  spirit  thing  ,  i'd  probably  just  skip  this  one.  ❞  she  nodded  at  his  words  ,  a  smile  smile  offered  to  gus.  she  adored  children  ,  but  she  wasn't  so  sure  she  would  handle  working  with  them  for  several  hours  a  day.  childcare  was  not  for  everyone  ,  and  she'd  always  possessed  a  great  deal  of  respect  for  the  individudals  who  chose  to  pursue  careers  in  that  field.  ❝  well  ,  they  are  notoriously  stubborn  from  my  understanding  ,  so  i  commend  you  for  your  efforts.  how  are  you  feeling  about  being  back  here  ?  you  were  away  for  quite  awhile.  ❞

“  the  holidays  are  fun  …  at  least  ,  usually  ,  ”  gus  mused  with  a  gentle  smile.  he  was  aware  how  delicate  feelings  around  the  holidays  could  be  ;  memories  could  be  happy  or  sad  or  even  bittersweet.  still  ,  he  chose  to  try  and  embrace  the  more  fun  and  festive  side  of  the  season  when  he  could.  “  well  ,  i  can't  wait  to  read  it  then  ,  ”  he  chuckled  softly.  “  help  me  decide  what  to  do  and  what  to  avoid  ,  i  guess.  ”  he  was  curious  what  gianna  may  include  ,  anyhow.  even  more  so  ,  he  wondered  what  was  new  since  his  absence  and  what  might  still  be  the  same  all  these  years  later.  a  laugh  escaped  ,  one  that  was  perhaps  a  bit  louder  than  intended.  “  stubborn  ?  that's  an  understatement.  ”  he  looked  around  ,  almost  a  little  bit  embarrassed.  gus  adored  his  students  ,  but  there  was  no  question  that  they  were  still  quite  the  handful.  “  i  ,  uh  …  ”  he  nodded  ,  rubbing  the  back  of  his  neck  as  he  looked  back  at  the  other.  “  i'm  glad  to  be  back.  just  trying  to  get  back  into  the  swing  of  things  ,  y'know  ?  ”  his  smile  turned  sheepish.  “  like  you  said  …  been  awhile  …  ”

❝  right  ,  right  ,  of  course  ,  ❞  felix  answered  as  he  nodded  rapidly.  he  had  no  idea  what  was  wrong  with  him.  he  was  typically  a  much  more  composed  person.  he  could  flirt  ,  he  knew  how  to  talk  to  people  ,  but  it  was  as  if  it  all  vanished  when  he  was  in  the  other's  presence.  he  was  internally  embarrassed  ,  even  if  he  was  managing  to  maintain  a  neutral  sort  of  expression  on  the  surface.  ❝  well  ,  thank  you.  i'm  um  ...  i'm  really  proud  of  her  ,  but  i  think  being  her  dad  makes  me  a  little  biased  ,  so  i'm  happy  to  hear  it  from  someone  else.  ❞  while  he  liked  what  he  did  and  there  was  a  certain  satisfaction  that  came  from  helping  people  ,  he  never  wanted  to  see  anyone  he  actually  knew  in  the  er.  felix  chuckled  ,  nodding  in  understanding  at  the  other's  words.  ❝  hopefully  it's  an  injury  free  year  for  you.  ❞  he  couldn't  imagine  chasing  around  an  entire  classroom  of  kids.  he  already  had  a  difficult  time  keeping  up  with  his  own  some  days.  ❝  they  can  be  especially  picky  at  this  age  ,  ❞  he  sympathized.  his  daughter  had  her  own  preferences  ,  and  he  was  constantly  trying  to  keep  up  with  them  when  they  changed.  ❝  yeah  ,  okay.  cal's  is  good.  i  like  their  food.  ❞  it  wasn't  too  fancy  ,  and  it  was  a  relaxed  enough  environment.  that  was  exactly  what  he  was  looking  for.  ❝  what  time  works  for  you  ?  i  just  need  to  get  her  ready  and  dropped  off  for  her  sleepover  ,  then  i'm  pretty  free  after  that.  ❞

gus  nodded  ,  trying  to  contain  his  smile  best  he  could.  “  no  ,  no  …  you  should  be  proud  ,  ”  he  insisted.  he  knew  parents  were  obviously  biased  of  their  own  kids  ,  but  he  didn't  think  he  was  exaggerating  in  the  slightest  with  his  praises  about  evelyn.  “  she's  great.  promise.  you're  doing  a  great  job.  ”  maybe  he  was  a  bit  biased  himself  ,  given  he  knew  felix  before  fatherhood.  even  if  he  hadn't  predicted  any  of  this  ,  watching  his  former  friend  now  ,  somehow  it  made  perfect  sense.  there  was  clear  love  ,  and  suddenly  gus  couldn't  imagine  anything  else.  “  oh  ,  i  highly  doubt  i'll  get  away  from  this  year  unscathed  ,  “  he  let  out  an  amused  laugh.  ”  if  i'm  not  chasing  that  one  …  “  he  pointed  a  look  in  the  little  girl's  direction  ,  but  his  exaggerated  expression  only  contracted  the  idea  that  she  was  even  close  to  a  potential  problem.  ”  i'm  chasing  someone  else.  i'm  probably  safe  until  spring  ,  but  …  “  he  shrugged  before  holding  up  both  hands  ,  fingers  crossed.  he  doubted  he  would  actually  end  up  in  the  hospital  ;  but  a  twisted  ankle  and  plenty  of  paper  cuts  were  surely  in  the  foreseeable  future  for  the  teacher.  ”  you're  telling  me  …  got  a  few  kids  who  don't  eat  if  the  sandwich  is  cut  wrong  ,  “  he  chuckled  softly.  safe  to  say  ,  the  extra  (  picky  eater  approved  )  snacks  he  kept  stocked  came  in  handy  more  often  than  he'd  admit.  ”  good  ,  “  he  nodded  as  his  choice  of  establishment  was  accepted.  at  the  following  question  ,  he  hummed  in  thought.  ”  well  …  does  six  pm  give  you  enough  time  ?  " 

"sort of. i mean, the more you swipe yes, the more potential matches you'll get. it's all a numbers game." gen shrugs, sipping from her drink again. "you're not telling your life story, but there are usually some prompts that you fill out and such that are meant to catch people's attention. it's not for everyone, though. though i can't say i've had any luck with meet cutes or meeting anyone in real life either."

her nose crinkled slightly. “ should finding love really be a numbers game … ? ” mallory mused , her tone almost sad at the idea. maybe she was a bit too nostalgic for the less technological methods of dating or simply too out of touch for modern methods. she nodded as she listened , though didn't seem completely sold on the concept of dating apps. “ i see , ” she hummed. “ that's such a shame. i mean … i used to love hearing how couples met. it's a bit boring if everyone met on an app now ... ”

"cheers to that." genevieve lifts her drink in a cheers motion, taking a sip. "truly, it's tragic when you let a good hair day or a cute outfit go to waste. all of the apps kinda suck in their own ways, but i guess lots of people meet their partners too, so they have their redeeming qualities too. clearly, i just have terrible luck." or terrible taste in romantic partners, but gen wasn't about to admit that.

mallory chuckled at the cheers before mimicking the motion. “ so , so tragic , ” she agreed with a shake of her head. she furrowed her brow slightly as she tried to understand dating apps in general. she wasn't judging , but it seemed so foreign to her since she never partook in them herself. “ it's all swiping , isn't it ? how do you know someone's … vibe ? from a few pictures and words ? ” the question genuine. “ what happened to meet - cutes ? like reaching for the same box of cereal in the grocery story ? ”

❝  you  and  me  both  ,  ❞  he  stated  ,  a  low  chuckle  passing  through  his  lips.  he  felt  like  he'd  be  a  headless  chicken  without  mallory  ,  really.  she  was  one  of  the  only  people  he  truly  felt  like  he  could  be  reliant  on  without  the  fear  of  her  up  and  disappearing  in  the  dead  of  night  looming  over  his  head.  ❝  well  ,  thank  you  for  that.  ❞  he  wasn't  sure  why  he  was  thanking  the  man  for  doing  his  own  job  ,  but  he  cast  the  thought  aside.  he  was  not  about  to  go  off  on  some  internal  tangent  on  himself  in  front  of  gus.  he  hadn't  seen  him  in  years  ,  but  he  still  at  least  believed  him  to  be  capable  of  being  responsible  for  the  children  in  his  class.  he  was  curious  to  know  what  brought  him  back  to  town  in  the  first  place.  perhaps  he'd  ask  him  when  they  were  alone.  he  just  needed  to  make  it  through  the  rest  of  their  conversation  without  completely  embarrassing  himself.  ❝  while  i'm  sure  that  statement  holds  some  truth  ,  it's  still  a  lot  better  to  be  a  non  -  patient.  nobody  wants  to  be  stuck  in  a  hospital.  ❞  he  knew  he  didn't  want  to  walk  into  an  emergency  room  to  find  gus  in  there.  ❝  food  ,  right  ,  ❞  he  stated  ,  nodding.  ❝  that  would  make  sense.  people  do  tend  to  do  that.  i'm  down  for  whatever  ...  i'm  not  really  a  picky  eater  ,  so  whatever  works  for  you.  ❞

gus gaped a little bit as felix thanked him , his cheeks heated with slight embarrassment. he hoped it wasn't enough to be noticeable. “ just , uh , doing my job , ” he chuckled softly. “ and she makes it easy. she's a good kid , a great kid. ”  the father probably already knew the type of kid he had , but he also knew some kids were completely different at home than they were at school ; he had a feeling evelyn wasn't one of those kids , however. “ a non - patient , ” he repeated with a nod. he knew what the other meant , but somehow he found the phrase a touch amusing. “ i promise i'm not trying to end up in a hospital bed anytime soon , but you know what happens when you're chasing around a couple dozen kids during recess. ” he didn't actually think he'd wind up in felix's care anytime soon. he couldn't recall the last time he was even at a hospital , but he suddenly found himself less terrified of the idea. gus couldn't help laughing at felix's response to his vague suggestion of food. “ okay , ” he nodded as his grin grew. “ i wouldn't judge you even if you were a picky eater , y'know. ” his tongue swept across his lips , almost smirking. “ spend all day with picky eaters , actually. how about … cal's ? ” he suggested the diner with a raised brow. it seemed like the simplest option ; an ideal place for two friends to catch up , right ?