CHAPTER NINE
"Great idea about going out after court." Lance spoke up as he sat on the curb, his lanky black pant clad legs practically up to his chest with how tall he was. He appeared a bit messed up perhaps even flushed but he was smiling a tired smile that was hinting at a good time. A green beer bottle was clasped between his long fingers, he could feel the coolness radiating off of it. "I think it's safe to say that we all needed a little break."
"Really good idea." Wendell echoed with a nod as he lifted his own beer bottle to his lips and took a swig.
"Yeah. Nothing better than sitting on the curb sipping a beer because we all look too baby faced to get in anywhere." Krys announced which caused both young men, plus Vincent to turn around and look her way.
Lance soon found a chuckle escaping his lips and when Krys turned quickly to look at him he felt he found himself flush. "What?" He blinked, still finding it difficult to wipe the silly, somewhat intoxicated smile off his lips. "It's funny." He added as his tie loosened even further around his neck.
"Cheers gentlemen." Vincent announced on his way to intoxicated land, even for a well behaved Brit. All three raised their glasses and then Vincent lulled his head over to look at Krys with a little smile. "And honorary gentlemen." Krys smiled sluggishly and shook her head, finally raising her own Smirnoff bottle. "To the success of the trial."
"To the Jeffersonian." Wendell added as he looked up toward the night sky where all their bottles were gathering.
"To finding people my age who are as much out of their element as I am." Lance raised his bottle and continued smiling quite sloppily.
"To a night OUT!" Wendell interjected using his free hand to point he almost fell forward into the street on his stomach but Krys caught him and with a grunt hoisted him back onto the curb.
"To sitting on this curb with a beer like I'm in highschool again." Krys added as all three young men looked in her direction curiously. "I was a very mature high schooler."
"I find it quite peculiar that you Americans call it highschool while we refer to them as universities." Vincent went on, shrugging his shoulders he took a long swig though he wasn't quite done with his point. "Did you know that..." He lost his train of thought and started over, cringing some as if trying to find the words. "Didyouknow..?" Looking to the floor he shook his head. "Did you know... No."
"Get used to that Wendell." Krys spoke toward the blonde as Vincent silenced himself by taking another long sip of his beverage. "You'll be hearing that a lot more often now that you two are roomies." Krys smiled like it was something horribly entertaining and as she laughed a quiet sort of laugh in her own inebriated state she leaned forward her hands landing on Lance's leg so to steady herself. The psychologist noticably blushed a perfuse red.
"Whoah. Easy there." He coaxed softly, without realizing his hands reached out and braced her back. She was warm in his hands, he could feel her breathe, even through the material of her clothing he could feel soft skin. His heart skipped a beat and he felt his throat become dry. "You're a total lightweight." Now Sweets had never had a normal life because of his advanced knowledge and beginning college when he was fifteen, but he had heard those words uttered before from the older kids on campus who ignored him, and until now he never had a reason to use them. But just then, they had come out. Sadly he had some alcohol in him so it didn't really process as much as the psychologist would usually allow it to.
"Oh no." Vincent blinked in utter shock which caused everyone to turn around and look at him in question. "I can't seem to recall my fact." He uttered in disbelief which caused everyone else to laugh. "This is extremely disheartening."
"It'll be okay Vince." Krys reassured as she moved now to balance herself on his lap, much to Sweets' dismay. He had actually liked having her so close. "You'll remember at least half a billion of them tomorrow." Her hand moved to rest on his shoulder and she playfully moved him back and forth though Vincent refused to smile. Wendell meanwhile chuckled and took another gulp while Sweets did the same.
"Look at us." Lance commented with a smile, gesturing outward he tucked his empty beer bottle into the cardboard container before picking up another one. He couldn't remember ever just hanging out. Usually he was working, but today he had friends, friends his age just as smart as he was, and it felt good. "The youngest and brightest minds gathered on one curb outside a bar."
"Pub." Vincent corrected with an eager voice doing his own rounds of cheers before taking another swig.
"Do you think Doctor Brennan, Agent Booth, and all them ever do something like this?" Wendell asked as he stared into the night thoughtfully, as thoughtful as he could be anyways.
"I'm sure they do. They're only human." Krys nodded, taking another sip as she finished off the drink and passed it down the line so that the empty bottle could be discarded. "Really they're not so different from any of us... I mean, if you think about it, you guys are the Booth's and Brennan's of the future." Okay, this made little to no sense, but amongst friends, it seemed to.
"I get to be Doctor Brennan!" Vincent called out so that Wendell couldn't call the title, though the blonde didn't seem too upset.
"I get to be Booth then." Wendell nodded and Sweets frowned as he craned his neck to look at the intern.
"I wanted to be Booth." Lance frowned. He had always wanted to be as bold and as strong as the FBI Agent, they were getting so far in their sessions after all.
"Sorry man." Wendell apologized, he actually felt a tad guilty for calling the title but it was one thing he wasn't going to roll over about. Looking over to the side he pointed with his bottle toward the data analyst. "You're Doctor Hodgins."
"Me?" Krys blinked with a frown of confusion. "Why?"
"Because..." Wendell winced a bit as suddenly his head hurt and he couldn't think of the reasoning. Not exactly anyways. "I spend a lot of time with Doctor Hodgins, and you're it."
"Right then." Krys nodded, in this state that was a good enough reasoning and she leaned forward, clasping her hands together.
"Whoah wait." Lance exclaimed as a thought finally settled in that caused his eyes to widen.
"What?" Krys looked his way.
"That makes me Angela. She's the only one left!" Lance went on with a worried, almost childlike expression. "I don't want to be a girl!" He retorted, now he definitely felt like he was a kid again.
"I'm sorry dude, you're the girl." Wendell laughed, finding the whole ordeal horribly amusing. "But if it makes you feel any better you're very attractive."
"Ridiculously attractive." Vincent hicupped before finishing off his beverage and declaring aloud: "You know. These American beverages aren't half bad."
"God bless America." Krys shrugged her shoulders with a smile as she attempted to stand, her hands reaching out to rest on Lance's shoulders as she got to her feet. Lance's hands moved to rest atop of hers, bracing her, out of instinct. "The laser tagging was a lot of fun guys. Lots of fun." Removing her hands from his shoulders she nearly tripped over her own two feet and
Lance found himself moving to his feet as if an attempt to grasp her but he never made contact. "Where are you going? You have to stay!" Doctor Sweets proclaimed almost whimsically, he really didn't want this night to end. It had been great fun, going laser tagging, to a diner, and various other venues that were open late. He couldn't even remember them all and he was willing to bet that it was a signature of a good time. "It's only.." He looked to his watch but all he saw were blurs. "It's early!" Was all he could settle on in his state of panic by now they were a bit away from the other two young men but neither one had realized.
"Is not." Krys retorted with a little smile as she stumbled back while facing the psychologist, a silly little smile on her face. She then moved to walk away but in her own drunken state she stumbled back around to face him. "You want to know something?"
Lance gave a little nod. "I'd be very interested in knowing what you know." Lance responded honestly, sobering up immediately, as much as he could.
"You're actually a lot of fun." She stated outright, nodding as she went on. "Once you get out of that suit you're a lot of fun." Blinking she caught herself. "Not naked or anything. Like I mean, when you come out and actually hang out.." She went on, wrapped up in her own words she stumbled forward and pointed boldly right up at his chest. Lance could only laugh turning bright red as he looked down at her, having fun in the moment, that was until Krys blinked up at him, her smile fading right up against him. "Sometimes."
"Well, thanks." Lance admitted quietly and he gently reached his left hand up and rested it atop the data analyst's. It was a genuine gesture, nothing intimidating or even scary about it. As his fingers clasped around the top of her knuckles he took in how warm she was. "You're a lot of fun too Krys."
Krys' lips curved in a bit of a smile as she laughed to herself, still up against him. "Heh.."
"What?" Lance tilted his head in confusion.
She looked up at him matter of factly, her voice soft. "You're not analyzing me right now."
"No, Krys." Lance couldn't bring himself to smile though inwardly, he was beaming. "I'm not."
Her lips curved into an even bigger smile. "I can tell." And then, as if unable to hide her usual sarcasm and boldness back she continued on. "How come you call everyone else by their titles? But you call me Krys... I find that weird."
Lance found his thumb trading idle circles around the flesh of Krys' knuckles and he didn't ever want it to end. "Oh." He blinked as he looked right at her face, he hadn't even realized he was doing it. His brow furrowed in thought, momentarily confused as he often was in her presence. "I have no idea."
"Robin! There's a cab here for you." Vincent called out from the curb, or at least that's what Lance thought until the young intern slid into view, a grinning Wendell right behind him. "Hello, hello, hello.." He nodded to both as Krys stepped away from the psychologist and for the first time Lance found himself wanting to swat the man, and he knew others in the lab felt the same especially when the man was spewing random facts, though this was quite different.
"Sorry I have to head out guys." Krys apologized as she began to walk away, trying to keep herself upright. "I have an interview tomorrow."
Lance blinked with a frown. "An interview?" Why wasn't he told about this?
"Yeah. With a William Barrett." Krys responded and Lance immediately felt his stomach do a sickening turn. "It's not for television or anything but he's writing an editorial and he wants to talk to me. Apparently he's already spoken to Parker so if I don't do it I'll feel like a complete wuss."
"Krys wait." Lance called out, jogging beside her as best he could before realizing his error. "Miss Robin wait.... Krys Robin.. Robin.. KRYS." He stopped beside her, a bit out of breath he spoke softly and with great measure. "You don't have to do that. Not if it makes you uncomfortable."
"The thing is Sweets, if I can't talk to one guy, how am I gonna do it in front of a whole courtroom?" Krys gave a little shrug though she was obviously putting on the brave face before she turned away leaving Lance with the two interns.
It was quiet other than the sound of the cab pulling away for a good while before Vincent finally decided to chime in with a rather loud: "Is anyone in the mood for waffles?!"