Sabrina was now the proud owner of an official Vallo driver’s license because of Lance’s lessons. The picture looked like shit and she was a bit annoyed over the fact that there was apparently a flying license that she never knew about, but that was something to deal with some other day. Today, she meant to thank Lance for helping her learn to drive a car.
She figured food was usually a good way to do that or alcohol seemed to go over pretty well with their usual crew, but because all of this had started with cars and talks of racing, go kart racing seemed like a way better thank you. Who cared if it was mostly kids and teenagers at the place, though she was staying away from the bumper cars because every single one of those looked to be an absolute sticky mess with the youngest of the crowd in that line.
“This is where we trash talk each other, right?” Sabrina asked as they inched up further in the line.
Lance didn't mind the kids running around and probably would have been just fine to hop into one of the sticky bumper cars. But the go karts were good too, probably better really. So he happily got into line with Sabrina to wait their turn.
"Yep," he answered with a grin. "You're going down Sabrina, to depths you will never recover from." A pause with another grin. "Or something.
Lance elbowed her lightly, "you still need to show me your license photo, it's like a right of passage to get told it's not that bad when clearly it is that bad."
Oh. Right. She remembered doing something similar when Harvey had gotten his license. The thing had looked awful, completely washed out, and out of proportion. She hadn’t been alive when Theo and Roz had gotten theirs, temporarily off in the Sweet Hereafter, but she wasn’t thinking about that. Now was a time for fun, not a trip down a depressing memory lane.
“I will be flying by you and leaving you in the dust, Lance,” she told him, fishing in her bag for her wallet. Sabrina handed over the card, shaking her head at the image on it. “You’d think they’d be able to afford a better camera or printer or whatever in this place.”
She was proud of the thing. Even if it was awful.
"Do go karts even have dust?" he asked, his face a mask of absolute seriousness, a finger pressed to his chin for good measure before a smile crept across his lips.
"Ohhhh…" he said as the card was handed over. A tsk noise as he looked it over. "Sabrina… what the hell? This is like the least terrible license photo I've ever seen," he said with a sigh. "You can't even call this a license photo, it looks too good." A pause as he handed it back. "You should have seen my first one, I broke out two days before, my hair was a disaster… you got off easy." He also managed to break out before his Vallo one too which was a nightmare and a half.
Which was to say, it wasn't fair.
“It's got to be the angel genes,” she quipped, placing her card back in her pocket. She still thought she looked washed out in it, but at least her hair hadn’t been out of place. “I have to get a flying license too at some point.” Which was bullshit. She’d never been carded for that before and she’d flown plenty.
“At least if I want to fly in the sky above the city.” She didn’t. Teleporting and Waypoints were a lot easier there. The sky over the forest and ocean didn’t seem to be as regulated so she’d stick to spreading her wings out in that area.
She inched up in the line. “How’s living with Atreus going? How many animals are in your bed every night?”
Lance made a face at the mention of a flying license. "Really?" News to him too. "I might just press my luck with that one, I don't think Red would be into the idea." Sure he was the pilot but she was sentient herself, they'd probably make them both do it and Lance had no doubt that wouldn't go over well.
There was no stopping the grin from spreading across his face at Sabrina's question. Sure he'd all but been living there before, over more nights than not - but there was something to be said about the whole making it official thing. It'd been a nice thing to focus on in the wake of Atreus' run in with the daemon too.
"It's good - really good," he answered, "and uh - mostly just Monty, though the girls sleep on the floor usually and will come up on the bed in the morning, Bessie too sometimes," a pause as he thought and laughed. "Though like eight of them tried to crowd in at one point when Atreus was still recovering." But that was more out of worry than anything.
All of her hellhounds had tried sleeping on the bed with her and Nick when magic had been disappearing from Vallo. Sabrina blinked away the memory, not allowing herself to go down that particular memory lane. She kept her smile in place, wanting to hold onto the good vibes around her as she glanced behind, making sure she wasn’t bumping into the person next to her as they moved forward again.
“One isn’t too bad for your usual pet to person ratio,” she told him, “I usually only have Salem and Shadow if I’m home for the night.” Maleficent preferred hogging the cat tree for herself and the rest of her animal horde stayed in Hell. Maze had occasionally stayed over toward the end of her pregnancy, but there hopefully wouldn’t be another one of those anytime soon.
“Are you guys doing a housewarming party or whatever they’re called? Do you need anything?” she asked.
"Depends how much Monts decides to flail out during the night," he replied with a laugh. "I swear sometimes he takes up as much room as at least four dogs." Not always, but the odd night. Lance didn't much mind it though. Between Atreus and Monty, he general slept better these days than he had in years - the solid weight of both a warm presence when his dreams went to bad places.
"Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii - hadn't even thought of it?" he answered and moved up in the line. "Do you do a housewarming when someone already lived in the house forever and the person moving in has basically lived there for a few months now?" He grinned. "I'm new to this whole moving in with someone thing," he added. "I don't think we need anything? But if I think of something I'll let you know."
“I have no clue what the etiquette is for them, but free stuff is always fun to get,” Sabrina replied with a wink. “But alright, let me know and Roz and I will buy you guys the latest version of whatever it is.” Could anyone really have too many toasters? Especially when Kratos was known to break things?
Sabrina leaned against the barrier as they neared the beginning of the line. “Do we want a bet on who wins this?” she asked, trying to come up with something that could be worth winning.
"But what if I want something entirely impractical? Like framed photos of terrible memes?" he asked, a half joking exaggerated in thought look on his face. "But maybe an instant pot?" he added with a shrug. "Tiktok has convinced me there's no better appliance," said with a laugh.
Lance mirrored Sabrina, leaning against the rail, and watched as the group before them started up their turn. "What are we betting on though?" he asked. "I'd say laundry but I'd ruin all your clothes if I lost," he added with a grin. "Some sort of public declaration of the other being superior at all things go karts?"
“You’ve met my dad, haven’t you? Framed jokes of terrible memes is right on par with something he’d do,” she pointed out, shaking her head at the thought of it. Instant pots did seem to be the only needed appliance. Not that Sabrina knew much about using one. Takeout or delivery was usually her go to.
“If we do the clothes thing I’d just end up sending yours to the dry cleaners along with mine.” It was probably a ridiculous use of money but considering she had a ridiculous amount of it in Vallo, it worked. “Declaration could work or whoever loses has to wear a t-shirt with ‘I suck at go karts’ to the next mimosa brunch?”
"Your Dad is what my Abuela would call 'a character'" said with air quotes. Of course that would be after breaking her brain with the devil being a charming and handsome guy who runs a few bars and not so much into the hellfire and eternal damnation for swear words. But the point still stood.
Lance laughed. "That too," he pointed out. Not that he blamed Sabrina, her clothes looked like they required that sort of thing. Unlike his never ending collection of joggers and hoodies that were just tossed haphazardly into the wash
"T-shirt declaring our shortcoming works though!" He stuck out his hand to shake, cementing the bet. "I look forward to seeing you in it come mimosas next week."
“Big talk for someone who will be donning it for the occasion.” She shook his hand as the door slid open, letting them head toward the karts. Sabrina raced straight toward a red one, slipping on the matching helmet as she got into the car.
She turned toward Lance once she was in place, giving him a thumbs up as others clambered into their vehicles as well. “You’re going down,” she mouthed, gripping the wheel tightly, ready to go as soon as the whistle blew.
"Bite me, Spellman!" he shot back and realized it was maybe a little too loud when some parent gave him a look. He gave them back a sheepish sort of sorry look and then shot Sabrina one last grin before the whistle blew and they took off.
While the go karts definitely wasn't the same caliber as the Vallo wide race, Lance's focus was still there. It was a matter of pride after all. But with it being way less intense he was able to do quick checks to see where Sabrina was in relation to him, and even toss a few smug grins behind him.
The course was about as long as their wait in line was and Lance let out a whoop as he crossed the finish line first, Sabrina close behind him.
"Guess you still need a few lessons," he teased lightly as they got out of the karts.
She was never going to live this down. “I am going to be very disappointed if you don’t bedazzle the heaven out of the shirt I need to wear.” Because she was totally going to go over the top with his if she’d won. It was only fitting that she had to wear some monstrosity.
“Thanks for teaching me though. It has been fun to actually use the car that Vallo gifted.” Especially since she usually only did for long drives along the coast. Less headache inducing than anywhere in the city.
"Oh considered it bedazzled and glittered to a blinding degree," he answered with a laugh. He and Atreus didn't have a whole drawer dedicated to glitter for nothing. "I also want all the pictures, thanks," he added and knocked her shoulder with his.
"Anytime, Sabrina," he said with a warm smile. "And hey, keep practicing and maaaaaaybe one day you'll come out victorious at the karts," was added with a grin. "Let's get some food," he suggested and headed off with her in that direction.