"You Never Know," Lucas Says With An Encouraging Tone. "You Night Say Something That Will Inspire The

Lucas's smile softens to a concerned look.

"Do you want someone to talk to? Or to talk at? I'm a pretty good listener."

He flips open the counter and gestures to a chair next to his desk.

"I can try to answer questions. I know sheriffs out there are... not great, but here? We're here to help."

Catie narrows her eyes. 'You’re kidding,' she says, the disbelief in her voice impossible to miss. 'A sheriff. Deputies. What, have you got a judge and jury hiding somewhere back there?'

She doesn’t mean to sound so harsh, but the absurdity of it all—the structure, the formalities, the idea that any of this town could resemble real life—is too much. Her gaze flicks to the desk behind him, cluttered with papers and a coffee mug, as if this were any normal police station.

'Sorry,' she adds after a beat, though her tone is only slightly softer. 'I just... I don’t get it. I don’t get any of this.'

Adrien instinctually checks his pockets, though he knows he doesn't have matches or a lighter. He does have his mini-tool kit, though.

"Uh, hold on, actually." He pulls out the kit and grabs a couple of things from it. Then, he picks up a streamer that had fallen to the ground and rips a piece off. With some creativity, he manages to light the piece and then holds it up to the joint to light for the guy.

"There we go," he says proudly. "Mind if I take a hit too?"

He'd smoked at a couple of parties. It wasn't something he needed, but he likes the experience sometimes.

to: open event starter! (0/4)

“Got a light?” The words came out rougher than intended, the night pressing its familiar weight on him. Events like these typically followed the same routine: dress up, show up, drift through the crowd with vague nods to faces he was sure he’d seen before, toss back a healthy amount of shots, and then dive into conversations that inevitably twisted into something painfully awkward. This was a loop he coped with by fading into the background and finding some dark corner to lose himself in, if only to spare others from the cloud of smoke he’d bring along.

Tonight, though, he felt the strangeness more acutely. Maybe it was the ridiculous outfit his friends had convinced him to wear. Icarus—because apparently, that’s who he was. Light D’Angelo, the fallen star, tumbling back to earth after drifting too close to fame’s burning heat. A halo of golden twigs sat precariously on his head, while makeshift wings drooped from his shoulders, and golden leaves circled his bicep like some half-hearted tribute to mythology. The costume was more a collection of scavenged scraps than an actual outfit—an oversized white shirt knotted around his waist to resemble a toga, doing little to keep out the night chill. Still, the alcohol coursing through his veins dulled the cold.

He twirled the small blunt between his fingers, lingering against the doorframe as he finally turned to the stranger nearby. The words came out low, almost conspiratorial as he raised the blunt.

“We’ll keep it our little secret for the night.”

relatable

Lucas winces as Becca pushes.

"If I say it barely hurts will you let me go?"

He'd stumbled in from the storm, trying to do his job and help as many stragglers that were still caught in the storm as possible.

Now he's sitting here, dripping wet and trying to get back out there as soon as Becca says he can. If she says he can.

where: lost and found bar when: after the storm starts who: open (0/2)

everything was too sudden for becca to truly understand. distractions took her attention before she could think; the hurried conversations, the rush of movement, the sudden noise of a hard rainfall on the roof and windows. even her own voice didn't sound right. it felt strained and warbled in her throat when she spoke, still caught by surprise just as she was getting the hang of this place. but her hands are steady on the injured ankle while she feels for irregularities underneath. "it's not a break or tear- that's good. now, i'm going to push on your foot and you let me know when it hurts too much."

where: colony house when: Halloween night whom: @horrorismx Erin

Adrien is flush with adrenaline and some alcohol too. He finds a quieter area of the house to catch his breath and chug some water.

He almost jumps in surprise but then grins when he finds Erin being chill.

"Hey! I was wondering if I'd see you tonight. How's the fan working out for you?"

He slumps on the couch next to her, smiling like an excited though sleepy puppy.

One day you’ll laugh so much that you’ll forget you have scars. Benjamín Griss

Tanner Buchanan photographed by The Emma Experience, 2020

"With a lot of practice," Adrien says. Then adds, "Unfortunately."

He unconsciously matches her tapping fingers with his own on his knees.

"I know it sounds a little naive, but trust me, it's taken a lot of experience to think like that. Experience I wish I didn't have."

Catie stares at him. Free? She lets out a short, hard laugh, but it fades quickly as she considers the honesty behind what he’s saying. 'So, that’s it?' she asks. Her fingers drum against the plastic cup, her mind racing against a wall she’s only just realising might never come down.

She looks away, biting the inside of her cheek. The idea that everyone here had already gone through these thoughts, that they’d all made peace with something that to her felt like an endless cage—it’s unsettling. 'I don't know how you do that,' she mutters finally, almost to herself.

where: sheriff offices when: utp whom: @purgatored Elm

Lucas walks into his office and sets the glass of water in front of Elm.

"Alright," he says, sitting in the chair next to her. He pulls the tape recorder closer and gives her a small smile. "You okay if I record this? That way, I don't have to ask you the details over and over again."

He makes sure to keep his posture casual and open, looking and leaning toward her, not crossing any limbs. He also makes sure not to crowd her space.

HE'S VERY HANDY 😏 9-1-1: LONE STAR (2.10)