1 × 1 with L U C I F E R + taikunfoo

[L U C I F E R]

Rik glanced at him as he rolled the window down. He didn't often roll the passenger window down since he couldn't often reach. He felt the breeze push into the car and he cranked down his own window. He felt the air whip his cropped hair about. He smiled brightly and looked over at Eric.
"This food better be good." He said as he returned his gaze to the road. "I'm starving." He said and slapped his stomach. He flicked on his indicator and pulled into the parking lot

[taikunfoo]

Eric glanced at Rik with a somewhat bemused expression. "I wouldn't exactly call it good food, but it's more edible than some of the 'food' I've eaten in the past." He said with a grin, remembering some of what his school had tried to pass off as food in one of the dining halls. When the car came to a stop, Eric popped the door and climbed out, not bothering to roll the window up. It was a small town, and while some folks might be curious about the new car parked out front, they weren't the kind to go snooping in someone else's vehicle with the sheriff's police cruiser parked in the same lot. Eric stretched before starting to climb the slightly rickety wooden stairs to the bar.

[L U C I F E R]

"Trust me, this stuff is going to he a Hell of a lot better than anything I've eaten. But honestly, what cpuld do with is a nice home-cooked meal sometime. I mean, I think we did have one but my mind's a little foggy on much of anything that happened that day. Doctors said something about lack of oxygen to the brain or some rubbish but I dunno." He said, rambling slightly. In truth,he perfectly understood what the doctors had been saying but he just didn't want to admit it to himself. Rik had been in fire situations often but never for that long. The things burning in there that don't burn cause an increase in the carbon monoxide release. Rik continued to convince himself he was fine.

Rik gave Eric a glance when he saw him leave the window open. That made him uncomfortable.

"Close the window." He demanded. He hadn't meant to sound so harsh but that's just how it came out. "I-uh... Please?" He said, giving Eric an apologetic look as he, himself, closed his window right up. He climbed put and shut the door. Once the passenger window was up, he locked the car - he wasn't taking any chances with some monster getting in his car and doing to her what it did to Eric's.

[taikunfoo]

Eric looked up sharply at Rik's tone of voice, and after a moment realized where he was coming from. With all of the strange things in the car used to hunt down various mythical creatures among other things, it'd be bad news if someone even saw the supposed FBI agent with them. He rolled the window up before getting out of the car and walking up the rickety porch steps into the bar.

Inside it was dim and smelled faintly of cigarette smoke- the people smoking were sitting outside on rocking chairs and benches, but it didn't stop the smell from wafting into the building. Eric didn't care for it, and crossed the room, sitting down at a wobbly table with two seats in the corner of the bar. This put them close to the pool tables, which weren't particularly active this early in the evening, so he and Rik could speak relatively freely as the other patrons were clustered around the bar.

[L U C I F E R]

Rik followed Eric into the pub. The smokey smell of cigarettes filled his nose and he tried not to cough but a small wheeze passed his lips. He's been at a few bars that allowed smokers on the outside areas of the premesis but there usually weren't many people about.

Inside it was that familiar dusky orange glow of artificial lights. The tables and stools were dark wood and most looked authentic from the construction of the building. They sat near the pool tables and Rik instantly picked up a small menu and began glancing over it. He glanced at the chalk 'Specials' board.

[taikunfoo]

Eric half glanced over the menu, more to refresh his memory of it than actually pick out something different to order. Their steak was one of the better items on the menu- it came from one of the beef cow farms fifteen miles up the road, and Eric never ordered anything else. He glanced up from his menu to see Rik looking at the specials board, and he shook his head. "Don't do it man- that's how they get rid of leftover foods from the previous week that they need to get rid of before they expire. You'll notice the items are an odd hodgepodge of ingredients from the menu" he said, gesturing to the sticky laminated sheet he was holding. "They try to lure you in with cheaper prices, but trust me man, your stomach will thank you for avoiding it." He said, remembering a few times where his father had decided to be frugal about their trip into town and had paid dearly the following day.

[L U C I F E R]

Rik, who had been eyeing the 'Meat Marvel' looked back at Eric. He chuckled softly.

"Thank you muchly." He chuckled and turned back to his menu.

Although the prices were higher, if what Eric said was true, he'd much rather have something in date. He glanced up and down the exhausted list before giving up and dropping it onto the table.

"What do you recommend, my local tour guide." He chuckled, looking Eric in the eyes with curiosity woth what to order.

[taikunfoo]

Eric flipped down the menu onto the table, eyeing it as it stuck to the table- he wasn't sure if it was because of the general stickiness of the table or the laminated menu.

"Anything with meat in it- the cows comes from a farm up the road, the chicken and pigs come from different farms down the road. Most everything comes from around these parts, unless you get something pre-prepared like the fries or something." He said with a shrug. "Depends on your tastes, but we're spoiled a bit living out here with the fresh food. Only problem is that we have to sell it to others cheap to for them to buy it, so we aren't exactly rolling in cash." Eric glanced down at the menu again, looking away from Rik. He didn't want to be stuck in the cycle- a life of farming and breaking your back for meager returns.

[L U C I F E R]

Rik listened. He had begun to think the steak sounded nice. However, just as his mind was wandering, he heard a solemn sadness in Eric's voice as he mentioned the money. He knew all too well the struggles of bending over backwards for people and - in his case - getting nothing but an arrest warrant as payment. Rik's line of work was not how you could make money but it did have it's rewards. Despite the pride he got from saving lives, Rik occasionally contemplated becoming a mercenary - he was definitely skilled enough and at least he would make money.

As Rik's mind began to wander again, so did his eyes. They traced over the walls of the pub and then down to his hands on the table.

[taikunfoo]

Eric fidgeted slightly now that the topic of money was brought up, but he did want to know- was there any decent wage in his line of work? "Do folks usually pay you pretty well to get rid of...issues?" He asked as a waiter walked by their table asking for drinks. Eric stayed simple with a glass of ice water, and then returned his focus to Rik once she had left. "I really don't know much about how this all works, would you mind telling me more about it?" He asked, genuinely curious to hear more, especially as to how someone could roll up in town pretending to be a federal agent and get away with it.