Early Friday evening saw Jack entering the antique store thirty minutes before closing. He slunk up to the counter, wilting as Kieran looked up from the book he was reading and gave him an amused smile. He should have known Sam's suggested curfew would be more trouble than it was worth.

Kieran set his book down and stood as Jack approached. "Couldn't wait?"

"I'm not eager. I'm antsy and anxious," Jack replied, rolling his eyes. He swallowed when he noticed an older man and woman looking through a case full of rings. He leaned over the counter and whispered, "Sam's made me promise to stay off the streets at night."

"I do believe we had arranged for me to pick you up," Kieran whispered back, teasing mirth shining in his eyes.

Jack shrugged and stared at the book sitting in front of Kieran. "Couldn't stay at home. I'm feeling… I dunno. More paranoid than usual. Sam's got me on edge. There's weird stuff popping up, I guess," he said, not mentioning the part where he did himself no favors by going through Sam's current case files.

"Nothing too horrid, I hope. No unsightly murders? Unexplained break-ins?" asked Kieran. "I do hope there's not an arsonist on the loose. I read there was a fire recently."

If Jack didn't know better, and he probably didn't, he would say that Kieran was fishing. He shrugged it off as a business owner's concern over the neighborhood. "He's not being specific. So uh… Whatcha reading?"

Kieran smirked and turned the slim book over and held it out to Jack. "Carmilla. A lesbian vampire, so she had two traits working against her having any semblance of a happy ending. It seems to be a running theme."

His smile slipped into a frown as he looked past Jack. "Lindsey," he warned in a terse tone.

Jack turned to find Lindsey making a show of examining a high backed chair. She smiled at him before turning her gaze to the couple shopping.

"Very well," Kieran relented.

Jack watched, fascinated, as Lindsey greeted the customers with sincere enthusiasm. He wondered what it was like to easily chat with strangers and apparently enjoy it. "Was she gonna jump me again?" he asked, pulling his attention back to Kieran.

"No, she's had her eye set on them since the moment they came in," Kieran replied with a sigh. "She does well with speaking with customers, but she's… unable to do much else."

"Yeah, that whole germaphobe thing. That's gotta suck. Why's she work here?" Jack asked, waving his hand to the room at large. "I mean, not that it's dirty or anything, but everything's… old?"

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"She appeared on my doorstep," Kieran replied with some amusement. "I didn't know what I was getting into when I acquired her from her previous residency."

Jack resumed watching Lindsey happily converse with the couple. "At least she's good with customers."

Kieran nodded and picked up his book. "She likes people."

"Gross. Er. Nothing against her. That's an admirable trait." Jack turned to face Kieran and, for once, didn't feel the need to shrink away at the amusement directed at him. "I like that she likes people. I wish I could like people. Like that. People are nice. Sometimes."

"I have an idea for tonight. We could order in," Kieran offered. "You'll avoid the general public, and I'll help keep you off the streets."

Takeout was usually cheap, or at least within Jack's budget, so he shouldn't feel the sharp stab of being indebted. He might even be able to pay for the both of them. He was pretty sure he had funds in his checking account and that his credit card was paid down. "Sure. Chinese? Pizza?"

"I'm considering ordering from Le Poulet Noir," Kieran said distractedly as he placed the book he'd been reading in the display case by the register.

"Le… That ritzy French place?" Jack asked, his voice breaking. He'd fallen into another trap. Somehow. What was it with weirdo Europeans giving him things? It was nice being on the receiving end of generosity; he just needed to learn to accept it without guilt. Without dread.

"Yes. They have a decent amount of positive reviews."

"Yeah… I didn't know they did takeout."

"Most restaurants have succumbed to the march of time and the necessity to keep up. Even the most prestigious will bend for the right name or price."

"Sure. That's not what's going on, right? The right price?"

"Oh, heavens, no. It's listed on their website," Kieran said with a laugh. He leaned over the counter and lowered his voice. "Which, if I'm to guess, looks much better than mine." His smile was light and teasing.

Jack's stomach dropped. "You remember that. Great. I was kinda drunk."

Kieran nodded and straightened as the older couple approached the register. "Lindsey designed it."

"That explains the Geocities vibe," Jack said under his breath.

"Hey! I was on ten webrings," Lindsey said from behind Jack. "I know how to make a functioning website."

Jack sidled away from the register, and Lindsey followed. "Functioning is a low bar. I can send you some tutorials."

Lindsey scoffed and tossed her hair. "It works. There's a form. People have used it! We've sold things through it. Don't diss my website."

"I'm not…" Jack broke off with a sigh. "Sorry. I just think you guys'd do better with a more… modern setup."

He slouched and shuffled a step back as Lindsey's eyes narrowed. He shivered as the temperature seemed to drop. "Sorry," he said quietly.

"Whatever. I'm heading out. Enjoy date night," Lindsey said as she waved her hand dismissively. She headed to the back storeroom, then paused before moving to the backroom that exited to the alleyway. "It's a new moon, and I'm working with a theory that it ups my range."

Jack frowned. "What range?" he mumbled as she disappeared through the doorway.

image [https://i.imgur.com/eZY0YUq.png]