#lukechat

Luke sees his opportunity. Finally, the Sinclair sisters aren't clumped together like the three wicked witches. He doesn't think and he doesn't hesitate. He shifts his course and heads straight for Angel while she's trying to find the perfect shot with her phone. His grin is already there by the time he reaches her, lazy and a little smug. "You know you didn't say thanks, right?"

-

"Don't you think this kinda defeats the point?" Luke's questions are always delivered through a grin, like he has an answer already swirling in his mind. He flicks a lazy gesture to the shut down bar, the set design taking over the walls to make it resemble a dive bar one could find in the south. "Don't people hate you 'cause you jet ride for 15 minutes to get a slice of cake? Why couldn't you go to a real honky tonk?" but truthfully, Luke isn't complaining. He's getting paid for this, to look at Lilah Rey in daisy dukes. Even if he's trying to keep his gaze on her face, which...honestly, even that doesn't quite stop his mind from wandering. Not when she looks at him like that. "What?" Luke smirks then, feigning innocence briefly. "I'm just saying. Oh wait, sorry, seen and not heard. Got it." he bops his head in a nod, a shit eating grin taking over his expression as he places a cigarette between his lips. "Since this place is locked up, can I be seen and not heard on a smoke break? Or...do you need me because you might get a splinter or something?"

A whistle sharpens in the air to capture Max's attention, Luke staring expectantly for his brother to meet his gaze. As soon as it does, he's nodding to get them both moving. "I got us on a run, come on." Luke mentions, his pack already settled on his back as he waves a hand towards the hotel. "Leaves in fifteen minutes. Be fucking fast." he adds, and admittedly, he was hoping he would first stumble across Ash before Max. But, there's a slight relief the brother he has to leave with isn't Owen. Chances of finding anything about Liam and Alex are low, but it's better than nothing. They all think alike enough that Luke feels hopeful they've probably traveled in circles around one another. "Some guy said something. That there's not as much shit going on around here but a few more safetowns popping up." Luke speaks firmly even if somewhere in his subconscious is concern that he can't ever shake. "Some place called Greenstone or something, about an hour away. Worth a shot."

.

"Wh...why are you getting fucking snippy? I don't actually fucking want to be here at eight am, Esra." Luke doesn't think he can be any clearer as he stands in the doorway of her room. But it's all starting to get old. Having to trek up three flights of stairs to Esra's floor every morning, just to remind her that he has to know what she plans for the day...Luke has never even babysat for Owen or Margo. Nobody ever babysat him, either. "And just in case you fucking forgot, I'm not asking because I actually give a shit!?" his voice picks up. "I gotta know so I can say to whoever the fuck that I know. That's it! It's not...it doesn't have to be this hard, I swear to God. Just make some plans, fucking tell me them. Then I go." he shrugs wildly at her, an expectant look on his face for some reciprocation. "Okay new rule, you decide what you're doing the night before and tell me then. Problem solved."

-

Orient Bay is the first town to resemble life. If he was any other person, he would say how it symbolizes the hope of life. But he's Luke Morrison, and the most he can conjure is that the unfamiliar streets give him the sense of relief and unease all at once. He guesses the strange pit in his stomach is because he assumed none of them would ever live normally again. That his mind needs time to adjust, to take a break from thinking about survival. From worrying about where Alex and Liam are. But as he explores Orient Bay, he can't find a moment for long enough before he's moved along. Urged to head back towards the town center. It's another feeling he doesn't like, but he's been used to glances of suspicion and judgment for years.

Home. A simple word that had multiple meanings. A month ago, home was his grandfather who had finally found his place in the sky. Now, for Luke Garrity, home was a small farm, in a small town, in a big state. Home was an unbearable heat even with the sun setting over an open field. Home consisted of an old barn that never seemed to get fixed. It was his first night back into town after his grandfather’s passing and there was no more time for grieving, work needed to be done. Most people would think it was strange for Luke to move on so quickly, but it was how he was raised. Growing up, he was taught to put others before himself, to keep his feelings inside, to be a gentleman. God, family, and the farm was the order he had lived by and now that he had no more family, the farm moved up a spot. 

As Luke headed out onto the front lawn, he began chopping fresh firewood. The southern heat never stopped even when the stars occupied the sky. It became so unbearable that he started to break a sweat, resulting in his shirt to come off. Once he decided that his pile was stacked high enough, a light caught the corner of his eye. He searched his surroundings when he realized that it was the neighboring house that caused the light. Luke quickly concluded that someone new had moved in and he instantly felt rude for not realizing sooner, especially when he spotted the new owner. The woman who sat on the bench was beautiful. In fact, the blonde was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He was memorized and suddenly, he felt a pull. An urge to get a closer view overcame him and without hesitation, he walked over to her home. Standing at the bottom of her stairs Luke cleared his throat and offered her a charming smile. “Evening ma’am.” His thick southern drawl was easily heard as he gave her a simple nod. “My name is Luke, Luke Garrity, I live next door.”