Purple

Thirty

Dedicated to _ImChoChangYall_

After looking around for a bit, making sure no one was near, Luce headed to Clancy's. She knew he was inside, so she knocked on the door and waited patiently for him to answer. When she heard his footsteps, she removed the serious look and planted a more neutral one. She didn't want her resting bitch face to scare him too much.

When the door opened, she saw his face and she could tell he wasn't expecting to see her. Expecting to see Ruby? she thought. She faked a smile, but he didn't need to know it was fake. "I'm sorry, is this a bad time?"

"I'm sorry? Oh, no," he shook his head, "not at all." He looked around, making sure no one was hanging around before he moved to the side to let her in. "Please, come in."

She mumbled a polite thank you as she walked inside. 

"I apologize for us not talking a lot since you arrived," he said as he closed the door. "I've been very much busy with assigning jobs, looking for supplies, helping Ruby."

Helping Ruby? That's funny. "No, I get it." She waved him off. "I get you're a busy man, believe me. While we may not have been talking, I have been getting help myself."

His eyes lit up, a smile immediately forming. "So I've heard. How's it going with Luke? If you need help with any of it I'm here too." 

Looking at him, she could tell he meant it. But why would he help her when he's been helping Ruby all this time? She didn't think it would be fair to learn from him with he stopped teaching Ruby because he "became too busy for her."

She smiled at him sincerely. "I appreciate the offer, really, but I'm actually doing fine. Luke, he's surprisingly an amazing teacher." She chuckled. "I can tell you taught him well."

He looked down as he laughed a bit...shyly? Wait...is he becoming shy? Around her? "Luke, he's..." He sighed as he looked at her. "He's special, believe me. I'm sure you already know anyway." He shook his head, scoffing in disbelief. "I'm sorry, but your story. It's...it's amazing. I mean, separated and reunited. Here. I mean, what a coincidence?"

She put her hand to her head, shaking her head as well. "Yeah, I know. I'm still in shock too. I look at him and I see how much he changed, and I don't mean because he got older. He's not the same kid brother anymore." Thinking about him put a small smile on her face, a real one though.

"I'm sure he thinks the same with you. I'm sorry if I sound like a weirdo, but I've seen you two together a few times. There's never been a time you both haven't smiled."

Weirdo, she thought to herself, but she kept a smile. She shrugged sheepishly. "Just wait until we're bickering back and forth like old times. You're gonna take back what you said right away."

He chuckled. "Well, not that I'm not enjoying our conversation, but do you mind if I tell you something?"

She squinted her eyes a bit. "Okay...?"