An Outdoorsman's Guide To The Calls Of Common Thieves

Late night eavesdropping

18/05/2024 - 04/09/2024 (crazy)

crash!
That's not a sound I was expecting tonight after such a joyful morning of LARPing. However, I know exactly what it is, or more accurately, who it is. The window-breakers.

Argument [BREAK] - Masafumi Takada

I have to move fast, or they could run and we'd have nothing again. This is the third strike, and it sounded closer to the Black Lantern than the other two. Grabbing my trusty chair leg in my full suit of window-breaker-fighting armour - my nightdress and Ryan's flannel - I set off, ready to stop these suckers.

Their lantern light guides me to just around the corner, and I slowly sneak up to the corner of the building where the streets cross. Trying to be as stealthy as possible, I keep an ear out with my back to the wall, listening intently to whatever I can hear.
?: "... so loud! Some ... uld hear u..."
It was difficult to make out what voices were speaking and what they were saying. I try to gather as much as I can, nonetheless.
?: "... got it? Ok, let's get grooving."
Huh. That's peculiar. I don't think I've ever heard someone say that. 'Let's get grooving'. Interesting.
?: "... there's one mo... get ..."

Suddenly, a hand covers my mouth. I jump slightly and yelp behind the person's palm as my eyes dart over to who is covering it.
Surely enough, it's my new found investigating partner, Ryan Lucan. He's also trying to hear as much as he can understand from the muffled voices.
?: "... can go."

Footsteps swiftly retreat from the scene of the crime, thankfully not in our direction, and Ryan takes his hand away nervously, my breath causing his palm to heat up slightly.
"Sorry about that, I didn't want us to get caught, you know?"
"I totally understand, you're good." My heart rate still hasn't recovered. "I still didn't get a single word of what they said. Except from 'Let's get grooving'."
"'Let's get grooving'?"
"That's the only clue we have so far, other than that they only steal from the front display of stores and there are at least two of them."
"Sounds like something an old guy would say. I've known some of the folk here my whole life. In fact, I'm sure I've heard that before."
"What? 'Let's get grooving'?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, so they've been here for quite some time. We should probably get this information to Pike tomorrow."
"Good idea."

Moonlight - Kali Uchis

The two of us start to retreat from the scene, with our tiny clue.
Ryan randomly speaks up. "I'd say you and I make a pretty good team."
"Yeah?"
"We've already narrowed down the list of suspects."
"We should totally be in one of those movies."
"I can see the posters now. 'Doc and Ranger: The crime busters'."
"The major motion picture."
"The ride."
"On ice."
I find myself laughing softly at the cheesy jokes, and he's looking at me with a fond smile, chuckling a little as well. That smile... is so cute...

"I'm guessing I'm not getting that back, right?"
"Getting what back?"
He lightly tugs the sleeve of the flannel with an amused expression.
"Yeah, no." I reply confidently, hiding my sheepish reaction.
"I figured. I have more at home anyways."
"One definitely fits the nature superhero aesthetic with one of these."
"I like to think of it more like a rugged mountain-man vibe."
"Rugged mountain-man, eh?"
"The ladies love it."
I scoff humorously. "The ladies?"
"Oh yeah. What, you don't believe me?"
"No no, I do."
"It's ok, you can give in." He says with a sort of teasing smirk.
"Give in to what exactly?"
"My charming charisma, of course.
"It's almost impossible to resist."
"Almost?"
"Almost."
He blushes. It's kind of cute.

My eyes land on the tiny, golden, heart-shaped locket around his neck. I totally wasn't gawking at him. It was a coincidence. Totally.
"You're still wearing that thing?"
"What thi-?" He follows my gaze to the locket, and looks back up at me shyly. "Memories, haha."
"Nice ones. I enjoyed that."
"Right? LARPs have a way of making light of... less than pleasant situations." He fidgets with the little locket in his fingers.
"Like the window-breakers?"
"...'window-breakers'?"
Oh shoot. I didn't tell him about my name for our thieves. That's awkward.
"Right. That's, uh, what I've been calling them in my head."
"It suits them. They break quite a few windows."

The two of us reach the Black Lantern, and I turn to him to prr ways once again.
"Well, I'll see you outside the police station tomorrow then. Night ranger."
"Night doc."
I turn to open the door to the Lantern, but he stops me, catching me arm in his hand.
"Wait!"
I pause for a moment from the warmth of his hand on my arm, before turning to face him casually. "What's up?"
"After talking with Pike, would you maybe want to ... never mind."
"You alright?"
"Yeah, yeah it was nothing."
Maybe want to... hang out, perhaps? Could that be what he's getting at?
"Well I'm free afterwards if you wanna hang. My only appointment tomorrow cancelled, so I have a day off."
"Would you maybe ... uh ..."
His cheeks are turning red from embarrassment, adding to his cuteness factor. I smile encouragingly and try to prompt him to show him that I'm interested.
"Would I maybe what?"
"Would you maybe wanna hang out in the park? With me? I mean of course with me but- um..."
"Of course I would."
"Yes-! I mean thank yo- I mean great."
"Good night Ryan." I open the door.
"Yes!" I hear him whisper under his breath as he walks away.

As I snuggle into the covers of my bed, the realisation hits me. Was he asking me out? Like, on a date? He seemed pretty shy about it. I wouldn't be opposed to it in any way, I mean he's... now that I'm thinking about it, I think he did ask me on a date. Ryan asked me on a date. Huh. That's so crazy.

OH MY GOSH RYAN ASKED ME ON A DATE-