They didn’t talk while walking. Lucian tucked his hands in his pockets, looking perfectly relaxed as he led him down the street. August couldn’t relate, his discomfort increasing with every second of silence. What kind of a relationship did they have? It probably couldn’t be a close one, since Lucian hadn’t even visited him in the hospital. Were they acquaintances? Coworkers? Why did it feel like more than that?

“So…” he started hesitantly. “What do you do for a living?”

Lucian glanced at him. “I own a bar.” he said after a beat of silence.

Not coworkers then. August looked at the ground, realizing he should stop dancing around the bush and ask directly. For some reason that was harder than it had any right being, and it took multiple tries before he finally forced out a quiet: “How do we… know each other?”

Lucian glanced at him, the smile that formed on his lips somewhat unsettling. It looked almost like he was enjoying his own private joke, and August had to fight back the urge to look away, his shoulders tensing. Was there a story behind how they’d met? Given Lucian’s reaction he couldn’t help thinking that if it was, it was an embarrassing one. “How do you think?” asked Lucian.

August helplessly shrugged his shoulders. “You didn’t come see me at the hospital.” he said cautiously.

Lucian hummed. “That would be a bad idea.” he said.

“Why?”

The only reply he received was another smile, this one even more unsettling than the one before.

“Here’s the grocery store.” Lucian pointed at the building a few houses down from where they stood. He paused on the sidewalk, tucking his hands back into his pockets. August stopped as well, awkwardly shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

“Can I…” he paused. “Can I get your number?” It felt wrong to ask somehow, but he couldn’t let him walk away. Not when he was the only person who he was sure he'd met before.

Lucian tilted his head, raising his eyebrow. “Why not.” he said after a few moments of silence, outstretching his hand.

“Oh um… I left my phone at home.” admitted August when he realized what the other was aiming for.

Lucian raised his eyebrow even higher, pushing his hand back in his pocket. For a moment August though he’d changed his mind, but a second later he pulled out a pen, gesturing for him to give him his hand. August did, albeit reluctantly, unsuccessfully trying to ignore the tingling sensation on his skin when Lucian’s fingers wrapped around his wrist. He scribbled a number on the back of his hand before letting go, and August looked down at it. The writing was messy but decipherable.

“I’ll give you three guesses.” said Lucian.

August blinked, looking up. “What?”

“On how we met.” clarified Lucian, his lips twitching up. “Use them well.”