Who: Mila, Aaron, Adrian, Kat When: evening, Saturday, June 16th Where: the pier mostly Status: Complete
It was technically just dinner and fun out with family, but Aaron was looking forward to going out with Mila and Kat and Adrian. He took Mila out sometimes, but they’d never really gone out with other people who weren’t parents, and having a get-together like this was going to be different. Maybe it was dumb and crazy to hope that Adrian and Kat hit it off in a good way, seeing as how they would technically be family once Aaron and Mila got married, but whatever. Both of them were lonely and needed someone fun to occupy their time, in Aaron’s opinion, so maybe they could be that for each other. Aaron was just so in love and happy, he wanted the same thing for the people he cared about the most, and his sister and semi-brother both fell into that category.
If nothing else, it took his mind off of Caden and Roxy and all that mess. He was upbeat through the whole process of getting ready, dancing with Mila a bit in the bedroom while they changed. Aaron tried to tame his curls a bit with pomade, got freshly shaved and teeth-brushed, and put on some of his nicest jeans and a decent shirt. The pier wasn’t super fancy, but he wanted to look good for his woman. That was what you did on dates.
Soon enough the three of them were piling into the car with Aaron at the wheel, and setting off on their way to go pick up Kat. “So do we think we wanna eat first? Or mingle and walk around first?” he asked, glancing at Adrian in the rearview mirror.
"Up to you guys," Adrian said cheerfully. "I'm good with either." Normally he would have wanted to eat first - and after, if he was honest with himself - so it felt pretty damn amazing to be able to say that and truly mean it. He wasn't very hungry, just the normal amount for someone who'd already had a salad for lunch - a salad - and that fact still made him feel like he was on cloud nine. He'd had a couple of days now to adjust to how he felt after the ritual with Caius and it was really sinking in just how human he felt and also how decidedly unhuman he had felt before. Darkness was dark, his surroundings were quieter and that gnawing hunger that had plagued him for over five years had been reduced to nearly nothing. He thought of food now as something he needed to fuel his body and today he'd only really eaten because he knew he needed to and not because he craved something and he was going to have to focus on not developing some weird eating disorder as a result.
Mila was hungry but she also knew it might be easier for Adrian and Kat to get to know one another if they went to the pier and enjoyed themselves there. Maybe she could find a vendor that had pretzels or something. Or ice cream. Or both. Plus, she and Aaron could conveniently wander off together so Kat and Adrian weren't so dependent on them to talk. Mila glanced over at Aaron. "We can go to the pier first, enjoy the music and all of that, and then grab dinner? I've been craving pasta like crazy, so I was thinking Basi Italia, if you guys are okay with that. They have this amazing bolognese and I've been smelling it all day, if that tells you anything."
Aaron laughed a bit and reached over to find Mila’s hand, pulling it up to his lips to kiss it. “If you want pasta, then that’s what we’ll get,” he said. His attitude was ‘give Mila whatever she wants’ these days. Maybe it was some deep-down instinct or whatever, but keeping Mila fed and safe and content while she grew their baby was the main thing driving Aaron now. Even though she technically made more money than he did, he was determined to be a provider, even if it was just a provider of Italian food on demand. He was pretty sure Kat liked Italian too, but if she didn’t they would figure something out. The two of them just hadn’t had enough opportunities to go out to dinner together in the past several years for him to be sure. “And I’m sure there’s like, snacks down there where the music is, if you guys need it,” he added. Adrian ate a lot and Mila ate a lot now, and Aaron wanted to make sure everybody was happy.
Adrian almost announced that he wouldn't need it at all but it felt like a weird thing to boast about, even if it was something that had him ecstatic today. He felt less apprehensive about being out in public where people might stare at him or ask him intrusive questions, too happy about the ritual being a success to really worry about social nonsense. Whatever happened, he was sure he could take it in stride - unless the guy who had murdered him showed up but Adrian liked to think he was either dead or couldn't remember what had happened. It had been a weird day, people had been affected by something odd in the air and all of that felt far away and like it didn't matter today. He was going to be around people and music and he felt closer to his old self than he had in years.
He half expected to drive down to his parents' street but Kat Lucas wasn't a kid anymore and she wasn't living with her parents right next door to the Morettis like she had the last time he'd seen her. Her house was small and old but decent and Adrian was just glad it wasn't Seaview - he'd had more than enough of that place already.
Kat’s place was small and old, but it was hers and that was what mattered most to her at the moment. It felt like a good place to start for rebuilding her life back in Point Pleasant, even if it needed a lot of work. That was how everything felt at the moment, and she was glad to have a night away from it all. She just had to remember to take a few pictures along the way. When Aaron texted, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door, a slight hop to her steps as she made her way down the front walk. This wasn’t really a date, more like a get together with the slightest possibility of something more, but it felt like progress from the absolute lull that had been her love-life since moving home. At the very least, she was getting out of the house to have some fun with friends and family, and that was better than nothing. “Hey,” she smiled as she climbed into the car, her eyes landing on Adrian. Was she supposed to introduce herself? They’d met before, but it’d been years. “Where are we off to first?”
Mila's smile grew as Kat slipped into the car. She was thrilled that her friend had moved back home and while she wasn't expecting wedding bells in the future for Kat and Adrian, Mila was crossing her fingers that they would hit it off tonight. Both of them deserved some happiness. "We're going to the pier first, if that's okay. And then grab some dinner after? Kat, you remember my brother, Adrian?" Considering they all grew up next door to one another, Mila was sure that Kat knew him, but it had been years since Adrian and Kat saw each other and Adrian had been presumed dead for a long time. It felt right to "refresh" their memories, so to speak.
Aaron tossed a “hey” into the back seat as his sister climbed in, already grinning as he glanced into the rearview mirror at Adrian’s face. He loved both of them and in spite of their proximity to being siblings by marriage, he thought they would make a super cute couple. Plus he knew they were both good people who would be good to each other, and that was all he wanted for both of them. Their families needed more happiness in their lives, that was for sure. Once everyone was settled, Aaron put the car into reverse to back out of Kat’s driveway and head off to the marina.
"Hey, nice to see you again," Adrian said with a smile and it struck him as amusing how familiar someone could be, even if they'd changed as much as Kat had. And she had changed quite a bit since he last saw her all those years ago. He was still getting used to being around people he didn't know, at least in a personal way, and he was relieved to find she had a pleasant presence, warm and vibrant. He was oblivious to the hopes of his sister and future brother-in-law, still thinking about this as a sibling outing rather than a double date. It was just a nice way to get social again, he sure as hell needed the practice.
“You too,” Kat smiled over at Adrian. It seemed a little crazy to be sitting next to him now, when she couldn’t recall the last time she’d seen him and only a few months ago had thought he was dead. They’d both grown up quite a bit and she had to admit, he was attractive. Not that she was getting her hopes up. She knew Aaron and Mila thought they would be cute together, but she had no idea if there’d be any chemistry, so she was trying to think of this as a get together with friends. It was much easier on her brain and it definitely lowered the expectations. “I hope you guys don’t mind that I brought my camera. I have to snap a few pictures while we’re down at the pier, but it shouldn’t get in the way of our plans.”
"I don't think any of us mind," Mila said, flashing Kat a smile over her shoulder. Work was work, after all and Mila was just happy not to have to work today herself. Things were getting busier now that summer was rolling in. "I've missed being able to spend the weekends in town. Outdoors, anyway," she said. "Winter felt like it was never going to end. Adrian, I can't remember, did I tell you Kat works at the newspaper? Her photographs are really amazing." Mila didn't want to be too obvious about the potential set up, even though she had a feeling both Adrian and Kat knew what she and Aaron were up to. Best to let them figure things out on their own, but Mila could certainly give it a push or two.
Adrian hadn't picked up the vibe until now, there was just something about the way Mila said that, like she was hyping Kat up a bit and, well, that could get a little awkward. No, he decided, only if he let it and he wouldn't, damn it. Maybe he was wrong too, but he wouldn't have to worry about shit like that if he'd just told his sister he was gay already. It sure as hell felt like the least of his problems these days, he felt more likely to stay single for the rest of his life so it wasn't worth raising the subject. "You got a website or something I can look at?" he asked to keep the conversation light. "Or do I have to buy the newspaper to see your stuff?"
Kat rolled her eyes at the obviousness of it. Maybe it would’ve been better if she didn’t know what they were up to, but she’d been there when Aaron had had the idea, so if it bombed completely, then it was her own fault for not immediately shooting it down. Kat didn’t see the harm in it though. “Kat Lucas Photography dot com,” she told Adrian. “I’m not sure you’d be interested in any of it though. It’s mostly weddings, newborns, and graduation pictures. Occasionally I get to do something really artsy, but that’s not what sells. I’m just shooting for the paper until I can rebuild my business back here.” It would take time, but that was okay. She got to do something she enjoyed and pretty much set her own hours, so long as she made her deadlines.
No matter how it all panned out, Aaron wouldn’t feel bad at all for trying. He loved his sister, he loved Adrian, and they both needed more joy in their lives, in his humble opinion. He knew on some level it wasn’t completely realistic, but Aaron wanted everybody else he loved to be as happy as he was with Mila. Gavin was doing okay now. Caden was ... well, he was Caden, so of course there were setbacks. That left Kat, his favorite sibling, and his pseudo-brother. Even if they didn’t end up together, Aaron wanted both of them to be happy. “She’s really good though,” he piped up, happy to hype Kat up anytime. “Even like, the boring graduation pictures always look amazing. She’s gonna shoot our wedding too, so we’ll actually have some good family pictures for once.”
Mila huffed a soft laugh. "It may be the only time we ever see Gavin in a suit, so we might as well get proof of it to hang on the wall." She looked over her shoulder at Adrian and grinned. "Same goes for you." And Mila was hoping it would be a relatively drama-free day but one never knew when it came to the Lucas family. But this was something to look forward to for everyone and if today went well maybe Kat would have a date for the wedding. If not, well, at least they each had a potential new friend. No harm, no foul, right?
Adrian winced a little at the idea of getting a suit. Hopefully he'd have his job back by then but either way he'd, most likely have to hit his parents up for a loan for a suit and a wedding present. It was going to be a long climb to get back even close to where he'd been before the Blackwoods incident. "Hey, I like suits sometimes," he told Mila, just so she wouldn't get the idea she was forcing him to wear something he hated. It had been a long time since he dressed up nice for any reason and he was kind of looking forward to it despite the obstacles in the way. "I'm honestly having a hard time picturing your brothers in suits." Or enjoying themselves, but he kept that to himself.
“I’d say suits can be sexy, but my brain just doesn’t go there when picturing my brothers,” Kat laughed. “I’m sure they’ll clean up well enough. Just don’t let their sour faces bring down the mood. It’s a pretty permanent state for Gavin and Caden. Aaron, on the other hand,” she grinned, giving the back of his seat a nudge with her foot, “will likely be smiling like a loon all day.” This wasn’t a complaint, of course. As the groom, she expected it of him. And she wanted him to know that any unhappiness on his brothers’ part shouldn’t affect his and Mila’s day. They would be there to support him, even if they weren’t thrilled about it, though Kat really didn’t see why they wouldn’t be. Yes, things had been rough lately, but that meant they needed a reason to celebrate more than ever before.
Aaron was already grinning like a loon, and they weren’t even close to the wedding yet. His face was going to eventually break in half, but he just couldn’t help himself. “I’m gonna bribe them to smile for at least one picture,” he joked, glancing into the rearview mirror again at Adrian and Kat in the back. He’d seen Gavin and Caden in suits before, but they were haphazard and wrinkled and ill-fitted, and Aaron was pretty sure it had only been at a couple of funerals. He wanted them looking sharp for his wedding, and he hoped they would be cooperative about it. “You’re gonna need like, ten rolls of film just to capture Mila’s beauty though,” he added. Aaron flashed his smile over at her. His gorgeous bride. He wanted to wallpaper their whole bedroom with photos of her in her wedding dress, but he knew that wasn’t the kind of thing you said out loud.
Mila smiled at Aaron, because he was unbelievably sweet and she knew nothing would spoil his happiness, not even his brothers. Thankfully they didn't seem as keen on trying this time as they had before. "I've seen Gavin clean up for church, at least, so I know it can be done on some level. Plus he has Charlie now, so I'm not worried about it. She'll take care of him." She wasn't really worried about anyone, to be honest. They could all show up in jeans and t-shirts and she would still be thrilled to be marrying Aaron. This really wasn't going to be a huge affair, but something memorable for her and Aaron. Running a hand over her stomach, Mila tried not to shift impatiently in her seat. "I really, really want one of those pretzel things now. I'm starving."
"You heard the lady," Adrian said with playful urgency. "Step on it, we need to get her a pretzel." They weren't far from the marina now and it only took a few minutes before they got to the parking lot where they could hear some of the live music playing from the pier. Adrian was already looking forward to wandering around the place and enjoying the good weather, but it was also a little intimidating being around so many people. At least he wasn't by himself, it helped to have family around and he wasn't so sure he'd have come alone. As he got out of the car to stretch his legs, he wondered if Kat had picked up on this double date vibe too or if he was imagining it. He kind of hoped for the latter but he didn't fully trust his insight into people lately so there was no telling, really.
“I’d say that’s a pregnant lady thing, but I want one too. I want a beer to go with it though,” Kat grinned, stretching as she climbed out of the car. “Maybe it’s just the summer-time vibe.” She never craved that sort of thing on a normal day, but it just felt right for this atmosphere. The evening air felt crisp and fresh, still pleasant enough, but she was glad she had a light jacket with her. By the time the sun had fully set, there would be a slight chill to the air. Kat took her camera out of her bag as they walked over to the pier, snapping a few pictures before they wandered into the crowd. She wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to capture tonight, but she was confident she’d know it when she saw it.
It definitely felt like a night to munch on a soft pretzel and some beer. Maybe a hot dog too. Aaron was sure he would still be hungry once they decided to move on to the restaurant. He’d always had a strong appetite, but it seemed to have increased a bit along with Mila’s. Someone had told him that he might get some of the same symptoms she had through her pregnancy, which was just wild, but he couldn’t deny that he was hungry more often. He took Mila’s hand as they all walked through the crowd, feeling a sense of extra-alert protectiveness that was also pretty new. Aaron didn’t want anyone even bumping into her. Luckily, they were able to get snacks and drinks from the food vendors without incident, and the four of them posted up at a standing table while they got their carb fix. “So, Adrian’s gonna be working at the hospital again pretty soon,” Aaron told his sister with a little grin. “Or will you be in an ambulance more?”
"I'm hoping to get my job back at the hospital, yeah," Adrian replied, content with just a soda, mainly because he really liked basking in the way he just wasn't that hungry anymore. If Aaron was any more obvious about this set-up thing he'd be hosting a dating show by now and Adrian gave him a patient grin before turning to Kat. "I was a registered nurse, we don't really ride the ambulance much except in special cases. I'm actually going to Portland next week to get my paperwork sorted. Things get a little tricky when you're declared legally dead."
Mila was already picking pieces off of her pretzel to pop into her mouth. There was a part of her that envied Kat's ability to drink a beer, but Mila was more than content with water. She chewed, fighting back the urge to smile as Aaron continued to regale Kat with facts about Adrian. It was pretty obvious now what was going on, but hopefully her brother wouldn't mind it too much. He deserved to be happy and even if this wasn't a love match, Kat was a new friend and Adrian could definitely use those too. "I think Mercy needs as many helping hands as they can get," Mila said. "I think they'd take you whether you were legally dead or not." Mila took another bite of her pretzel before offering Adrian a piece.
Kat did her best not to sigh and shake her head at her brother. There were far less obvious ways to do this, like just act normal and see if people hit it off. She didn’t mind exactly, but it bordered on both amusing and embarrassing. She should have known better, but at least Adrian seemed like a good enough guy to roll with it, probably because his sister was there. “You’d think they have a process for it by now,” Kat said. “It seems to happen more often than it should.” Amelia hadn’t been gone long enough to be declared dead, but Jasper probably had been, and he hadn’t been the only one. There’d been almost a dozen who disappeared in January that magically came back. Even though Kat knew the basics of what happened, she still didn’t understand it. She just had to accept it and move on. At least they were alive. “Mila’s right though. I think Mercy always needs nurses. Every time I’ve been there, they’ve seemed short staffed.”
Aaron didn’t think he was being too obvious, but he had the subtlety of a baseball bat sometimes. He was just trying to keep them talking to each other, greasing those getting-to-know-you wheels and all. He nodded here and there as people talked, pleased with how it was all going. It felt really cool to be out with siblings and not feel any crazy tension or like terrible memories were right there on the surface. He did have one terrible memory that Kat would be interested to know, but Aaron had pushed Joseph’s demise pretty deep down in his mind. He had plenty of dreams about it, but he didn’t think about it much when he was awake. He couldn’t, there was too much else to do. “Yeah, when I was there, I kept seeing the same people all the time,” he agreed with a little shrug, lifting his beer again.
Adrian winced playfully at that after shaking his head no thanks at Mila. "Thanks for reminding me how terrible that job was," he said with a little laugh. "Every hospital is understaffed, we're always taking on extra shifts, staying longer than we should, covering for someone who's sick. Why the hell did I wanna go back?" He did though, he loved his job, he was good at it and he needed to feel like he was helping again and not just hurting. He had a lot of amends to make and while he'd never wash his hands clean of all the blood that was on them, the job might at least help him feel more human again. "They'd probably hire me back on the spot, you're right. I'll need the paperwork done first though."
Mila smiled at Adrian, aware of how devoted he was to his job, even though it was full of long hours and a horrible lack of appreciation. "We'll get it taken care of," she promised. And it felt like Adrian really was on the right track back to living a normal life. Or as normal as he could, anyway. She glanced over her shoulder, scanning the crowd before turning her gaze on Aaron, a knowing sparkle in her eye. "I smell popcorn down the way. Will you walk with me to get some?" That way Kat and Adrian could stay at the table and chat alone for a few minutes and maybe see if there was any chemistry there without Aaron and Mila constantly poking at it.
Kat almost chimed in that she wanted some popcorn herself, but then decided that she’d let Aaron and Mila play their little game, otherwise they’d find some other reason to leave her and Adrian alone. She was sure they could find something to talk about in the few minutes that it took to get popcorn. He seemed like a good guy and there was still a lot she didn’t know about him. “We’ll hold the table,” Kat offered, shooting a quick smile at Adrian before turning back to her brother. “Oh, but if they have some of those candy coated almonds, grab me a bag?” She knew that was more winter fare, but it was worth looking and it was the kind of thing that was often found near popcorn stands.
Aaron was two seconds away from pointing out that Mila had a pretzel in her hand when he caught on. They hadn’t plotted or planned tactics to encourage romance between their siblings, but it had crossed his mind to leave the two of them alone at some point too. “Sure babe, of course,” Aaron said to Mila, giving her a bright smile. He nodded at Kat’s request too. “We’ll look for ‘em, sure.” Adrian had been refusing food all night, and Aaron knew that was part of his whole magic change, so he didn’t offer to get Adrian anything while they were gone. He just stepped away from the table and held his arm out for Mila to take so they could conveniently stroll away for more snacks.
Adrian watched them go with a bemused smile, then looked to Kat again and couldn't help but laugh. "Could they be any more obvious?" he asked, figuring it was probably easier to just acknowledge what was going on. They could probably bond over their siblings being overbearing Cupids if nothing else. He couldn't really blame them, they were happy and in love and they obviously wanted everyone around them to be happy too and Adrian could relate to that in some distant memory kind of way, before all the trauma he probably would have been way more obnoxious than this if he got it into his head to try play matchmaker.
“I mean, it’s Aaron, so we should probably be glad Mila talked him out of a neon sign,” Kat snickered, rolling her eyes. “They mean well. And, like, I’m not opposed, but it’s a bit much.” She hoped that came out okay and he got what she was trying to say. He was cute, and seemed nice, but she didn’t really know him and had no idea if he was even interested in getting to know her in that way. So it seemed safer to just get to know him as her future sister-in-law’s brother, unless something stood out to say that he was interested in being anything more. She wasn’t normally cautious in her relationships, but Adrian was going to be connected to her no matter what. Family get-togethers would be far more enjoyable if he wasn’t an ex.
The thought of dating was so alien to Adrian at the moment that even if he was interested in girls, he wasn't so sure he could bring himself to actually go on a date and do that whole song and dance. It made him feel kind of regretful because Kat was beautiful and she seemed really nice and in some fairytale version of his life he could so easily imagine them ending up together. "Under a different circumstances I'd probably be thrilled," he said with a little laugh, too easily imagining Aaron being even more obvious - even if he might not put up an actual sign. "My life is just chaos right now," he added with a little gesture of his hands. "But this- this is nice, just being out here with you and them. You're good company." This was where it was probably easiest just to tell her he was gay, but the label had never really felt true to him and with how much he hoped he'd one day fall in love with a woman, against all odds or not, he wasn't ready to embrace it. He also wasn't ready for Kat to possibly confide in Aaron who would for sure confide in Mila.
Though Adrian didn’t outright reject the possibility, Kat could hear it in the words he chose. Under different circumstances. Chaos right now. But. She was also sure that if he was interested at all, she’d be more than ‘good company’, but she didn’t let it bother her. The chances had been slim to begin with and, even if things might change later on, Kat wasn’t going to hold her breath. “Thanks, you too,” Kat smiled. “It’s been weird being back. I never thought I would, you know? The whole goal was to get out of this place. And my situation’s not near as dramatic as yours. It’s gotta be daunting to deal with.” People seemed surprised that she’d come back, but not shocked. It wasn’t like she’d died.
Adrian's 'I never thought I'd come back' had been a lot less hopeless than that, and it was probably crazy to be happy to be back but he was. At least this time the town hadn't gotten to hurt him more than he'd already been hurt outside of it. "You might still leave again," he offered. "If you don't want to stay here, think of it as temporary." Maybe that's what they all should be doing; looking to move. Despite everything he knew his parents would stay and so would he and Mila. It was a special brand of madness, perhaps, but if Caius was right and he could at some point access some of the powers of that thing contained within him, maybe he'd be better suited to survive and protect his loved ones. "I know it's hard though, when your whole family is here, it's easier to get sucked back in."
“It was hard being away from my family. Even when I could just hop in the car and be here in under an hour, it wasn’t the same,” Kat said. Sometimes it felt like she was in another state, or across the country. Her brothers weren’t big phone talkers, so if she wasn’t there, she didn’t often hear what was going on unless there was a crisis. It felt like there was always a crisis, something she could better help with if she was closer. When it came down to it, family mattered more to Kat than living somewhere more exciting and a little less dangerous. “Plus, I need to stay put if I want to build my business. I can’t keep moving.” She sighed, then laughed. “I know that’s nothing compared to what you’ve been through.”
Adrian remembered the Lucas family from back in the day so he knew they had plenty of trauma of their own and he shook his head with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It's not a hardship competition," he told her. "We're both dealing with shit that's hard, comparing it doesn't make one of those things easier. I hear you about family though." He could have said plenty about that but he had no idea how much she really knew. Had Aaron filled her in on the truth or did she only know the vague official story - trauma and memory loss to make up for the lack of details. He'd needed to come home, even when he was told not to return, even when he was still dangerous and out of control, home had felt important and he'd been right - it had helped him gain some control to be around people he loved.
Kat smiled and glanced in the direction that Aaron and Mila had wandered off to before looking back at Aaron. “They deserve to be happy,” she said. “We all do, really, but those two have been through so much shit that I really want things to be good for them for a while.” Aaron had filled Kat in on the truth and, even if she didn’t understand it, she believed it. It was easy to believe just about anything after what had happened to Amelia. Plus, anyone who knew Mila knew that she would never willingly stab Aaron, ever. Kat often found herself wanting to protect them, even knowing that she was probably helpless to do so. The best she could do was act like everything was normal and be there for them if they wanted to talk.
"They're happy today at least," Adrian said and followed her gaze. They'd probably be even happier if he and Kat really hit it off and he tried to imagine it again, revisiting those thoughts he'd had so often when he was younger. What it would be like to love a woman, if he could somehow find a small spark and let it grow into something real. Kat seemed like the kind of girl it might be easy with but whatever attraction Adrian might feel for her was so aesthetic and she deserved someone real - someone who didn't have to make himself love her. "The baby's healthy, we've got an awesome wedding coming up. It might last for a while, the happy."
Kat wanted more than just today for her brother and Mila. She wanted weeks. Months. Years. She didn’t feel like their family ever got that kind of luck, but she wanted it for them. They’d had too much heartache piled on at once and they deserved a long break, not a short one. Gavin probably needed one as well, but she didn’t think he’d get one until things with Jasper settled down. And Caden… it was like they all took turns. They couldn’t all be happy at once. As soon as things seemed to be going okay, someone’s life had to implode. “I hope so,” she smiled, trying to be optimistic. “I plan to spoil that baby stupid. Did they tell you what they’re having?” She’d almost said it out loud, but then realized it might be a secret. Not that Aaron could manage that.
Adrian's expression softened considerably at the mention of the baby and the thought of spoiling his niece rotten was something he was looking forward to. "Yeah," he said warmly. "Did they tell you? I don't think they're keeping it a secret or anything." If he knew, then Kat would know, he just didn't want to be spoiling it if he happened to be wrong. He wanted to have moved out before the baby was born, of course. Living with a newborn was no joke, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be there for his sister when she needed help.
“Yeah. Aaron can’t keep that kind of a secret,” Kat grinned. “He’d burst. So it’s good they’re telling people. Plus, makes it more fun to buy stuff for ‘em.” She was already itching to go buy Mila a whole batch of cute little dresses and bows, even if it would be a while before the baby could wear them. She needed to find out what colors they were doing the nursery in, so maybe she could coordinate on that, or if they had their bedding picked out. Wedding first, then the baby, she reminded herself, and she could easily see how the next few months would fly by in a happy haze. “Do you like kids?” she asked out of curiosity. Some guys didn’t, especially babies.
"Depends on the kid," Adrian replied with a smile. "They're just little people, some of them are real bastards, but yeah, yeah I like kids. They're kinda hilarious, no filter and all. I can't wait to see my niece grow up and learn everything." And he was going to be there for that he thought with some amazement. Despite all odds, he'd made it out alive and in one piece - not just once, but multiple times - and now he was home and dead set on making things normal again. "I'm guessing you like kids, since you plan on spoiling her."
“Yeah,” Kat grinned. “More if they’re related to me. I don’t think I could ever be a teacher, taking on other people’s kids every day. But a niece? Definitely.” And even more if they were her own. Kat hoped to have kids one day. She just didn’t know if that was in the cards for her. She supposed she could just find a guy and make it happen, but being a single mom didn’t appeal to her at the moment. Her life felt too complicated for her to purposefully inject that kind of stress into her life. “She’s gonna have her daddy tied around her little finger. Already does, if that’s possible.”
"That baby's already got all of us wrapped around her finger," Adrian pointed out and there was no point in denying it, the girl wasn't even born and already she was looking to be spoiled rotten. "I couldn't be a teacher either, I'm better with people one on one, whether they're adults or kids." It felt a little surreal to be idly chatting about this stuff in a crowded place and for a second some of the familiar paranoia bubbled up inside of him, that he was being watched. Looking around he didn't see anyone suspicious, just Aaron and Mila taking their sweet time getting popcorn and very blatantly not looking their way.
Kat didn’t mention her brothers, the two people that weren’t charmed by the thought of a baby. It made her glad that Adrian would be in her life, so that she’d see uncles that loved and adored her. Maybe Gavin would warm to her once she was born, but she wasn’t holding her breath when it came to Caden. Her eyes followed Adrian’s and she laughed quietly, shaking her head. Neither one of them would be impressed to hear all they’d talked about while they were gone was their baby, but it had been the easiest conversation to latch on to. “So what’ve you been up to, while you were gone? Go any place fun and exciting?”
That told Adrian all he needed to know about how much Kat had been told about him and that was entirely unfair. Telling her he was half a monster now who'd been experimented on by scientists who wanted to groom him for doing some ugly work for them? He smiled awkwardly, opening his mouth to speak and then just letting out a pained little laugh. "No, not... How much did Aaron tell you?" Nothing, the answer was nothing, that much was clear. Maybe that was why she was so at ease talking to him. His half-lies to the general public about where he'd been felt weird to spout out to someone so close to his family but he also did not feel like telling her the truth.
“Um, not much that made sense, but what does?” Kat smiled. “I know a lot of people died, and they thought you died too, and there was some concern that if you came back, they’d think you did it. I know you travelled some, but I couldn’t tell if it was of the road trip variety or the vagrant type. And there was something about amnesia, and honestly? So much weird shit has happened to my family that I don’t really expect explanations that make sense anymore.” Maybe she should need more information, but she didn’t really have any right to it. She was just a family friend and if Aaron was good with him, then so was she.
At least she sounded like someone who would believe the truth but Adrian didn't want to rain all over this nice, sunny day with a tragic tale of captivity and monsters. "Yeah it was a lot more complicated than that," he said with a soft smile. "I'll tell you all about it someday but not here," he gestured around them and even if it wasn't for the kids around, this wasn't the time or place to bring up the horrors he'd endured. "Let's just say my sister and I both went through some weird shit and leave it at that for now."
Even though it wasn’t an explanation, Kat picked up on what Adrian was trying to say. She didn’t know much about what had happened to Adrian, but she did know about Mila and that was territory that didn’t make for fun conversation. It felt like everyone around her had been touched by Point Pleasant in some awful way, yet she’d managed to get away, mostly unscathed. And yet she was back, probably painting a big, red bullseye on her chest. It was the kind of thing she wanted to prepare for, but knew there was no real way to do so. “I get it,” she smiled. “Another time. With maybe something stronger to drink.”
She could have something strong to drink, Adrian thought ruefully. There was a time where he could have drank her under the table - Lucas or not - but these days all it took to get him reeling was half a beer. Maybe that had changed after the ritual and he thought he should probably try drinking again before he made any promises. Even if he wasn't going to be into dating her, he knew he'd love to hang out with Kat again and she was practically family already so she could know what really happened to him. "Definitely," he agreed with a smile of his own and wondered if they looked like they were hitting it off from where his sister was standing. That whole thing was not a conversation he was eager to have with her, though at this point he doubted Mila would give a shit. It would still change her perception of him and he wasn't ready for that. If Kat ever needed a fake boyfriend, he'd be game, but unless she was closeted too that wasn't going to happen and he sure as hell wasn't going to lead her on. "Yeah we should get a drink sometime, just hang out. I miss hanging out with people."
Though Kat didn’t get any vibes that he was into her, she thought that she would really enjoy hanging out with Adrain as friends. If something more happened over time, that would be cool, but for the moment this was good in itself. Meeting new people was hard in Point Pleasant. It felt like it was the same people who’d always been there, who’d known her and her brothers for so long that it was hard to see past their reputation. Chilling with Adrian was refreshing in that he didn’t seem to come in with expectations of who she was and what she wanted. She could do the same for him. “Me too,” she smiled. “I feel like I go to a lot of events and take a lot of pictures, but I’m not usually there to enjoy myself. It’s nice just being out and about with friends.”
"And yet you offered to take pictures at the wedding," Adrian tittered and shook his head in mock disapproval. "You need to learn to let your hair down, go places without working." He appreciated that she was the wedding photographer though, those didn't come cheap and it was nice to have one who actually cared about the bride and groom. It just meant she wouldn't have as much time to socialize as she otherwise would. "You even brought a camera today," he added and threw his hands up in teasing exasperation. "You wanna walk? Take some pictures?"
“I know, but it’ll save them a ton and it’ll help me get my business up and running here. Taking pictures for the Gazette is fun, but it’s not really what I want to do,” Kat explained. There were some benefits that came with the job, like insurance, and maybe she’d find a way to keep doing it part time if she got her photography business running again, but there was nothing impressive about taking pictures for the local paper. “Hey, it was a requirement of me being able to come. I just figured I might as well try to have some fun while I’m here, you know? A walk would be good, if you don’t mind,” she smiled. “They’ll run a story tomorrow, so I just need to snap a few candids.”
"I like walking," Adrian reassured her. "So we can walk, you can take some pictures and we can chat. Sounds like a good time." He'd have to check out the Gazette tomorrow, even if the pictures she was taking today were just standard newspaper photos, it hit different to know the photographer and sometimes those pictures were really good. "I'm not in any rush to go anywhere either so, we can stop all you want." And Mila was probably thrilled to see them wander off together, it almost made him feel guilty that he couldn't do the whole romance thing, double dates and cute family crossovers.
“I’m always up for a good time,” Kat laughed, then finished off her beer so she could drop the can in the trash and get her camera out. It was probably better to get her pictures in now before she had another anyways. This might not be the romantic stroll that Aaron and Mila hoped for them, but Kat was having fun and she thought Adrian was too. These days that mattered a lot more than any budding romance ever did. Boyfriends were a dime a dozen, but good friends were priceless.