#int. lt james: 001

[bodexjames]

closed starter for @ltjames

location: mercy general (during the blackout)

Being away from home was never easy even when Bode loved his job. He constantly felt like he was stuck, being happy about one thing in his life and unhappy about another. But this situation with his dad had to be one of the hardest things he'd endured in recent years while being away from home. He thanked everything he had ever believed in for taking the stairs and not the elevator as the power went out as soon as he reached his father's floor. "Seriously? On my day back?" He muttered under his breath, turning on his phone's flashlight as he tried to find the room. There was no need though since as soon as he turned right, Bode saw LT's familiar figure leaning against the wall. "Leighton!" A small smile showed up on his lips, reaching over to hug his baby brother. "Bro, finally. I took the earliest flight here."

[acevedohadid]

"You're right. Why wouldn't I? Have you seen any ghosts yet? Like, what am I looking for?" Dario didn't believe in many things, except from being a good person to those around him. He wasn't religious, nor was he a believer of anything so ghost hunting was just another experience that he was welcoming with open arms and an open mind. Taking the blunt out of his backpack, Rio began looking for a lighter. "Always come prepared. You wanna go first?"

"Someone's gotta do it." He replied, "It's a burden to carry so much talent and gift, but aye, who better, you know?" LT tossed back at Rio, nothing more than good fun between them. That was a blessing. God knew LT needed some lightness in his life at the moment. He never did well with true heavy shit. "Who's the fuck to say you didn't?" He asked, "The night is young, so much to behold, my friend." LT went silent for a moment as he debated on his answer, it wouldn't take him long to say, "Smoke. You got one rolled?"

[bodexjames]

Bode could hear the relief on LT's voice. Even after years of living far away from home, the two still knew each other like no time had passed. "I boarded a plane as fast as I could. We got lucky I hadn't left for this case my team is working on in Hawaii." He explained as he pulled back to get a good look at his baby brother. Every day that passed, he realized that Leighton was an adult, that took care of himself and their father. He was a great man, even if Bode still saw him as his baby brother. "I don't know yet, I have to make some calls and figure out my stay here."

He'd work on that after he saw his father and helped LT with whatever he needed him to take care of. Their father at the hospital was a big deal, who knew how long he'd have to stay here now. "He's still refusing to follow the doctor's orders?" Bode asked with a deep frown. "Is he awake now?"

LT had wanted to be in denial about his father's declining condition just a little bit longer, but unfortunately for him, that was not in the cards. Ending up in the hospital was the last place he cared to be. When the lights went out, it only added more frustration to the already irritating situation. He leaned up against the wall, arms crossed, attention on his father's sleeping form. This was the kind of moment in which LT could really use his big brother. While he was proud of the guy for doing what he did, he'd be lying if he said it didn't suck. He wasn't even sure when Bode was going to have time to come to Wilmington. But as if God read his mind, his name was called, in the exact voice he cared to hear right now.

"Bode." He pushed off the wall just as his brother came closer, LT wrapping his arms around him, holding him tight against him. "Thank Fuck you're here." He muttered against his brother's side, before pulling away. "How long are you in town for?" He asked, "Dad's going to be glad to see you, man. Maybe he'll listen to you, because he's fighting me every tooth and nail."

[acevedohadid]

"You know, it's actually unfair to be so good looking and so smart at the same time. It's actually very sus." Rio joked, smirking back at his friend. It was no wonder that Rio had stayed in Wilmington for longer than he had planned, he'd found himself surrounded by so many people that saw life like he did. "If I get high, I'm definitely gonna wake up thinking we caught a ghost in a basement somewhere. Sounds awesome." He ordered a few shots and two beers. "Do you want to smoke or an edible?"

TO: @acevedohadid

"Listen -- hear me out..." He began, "What if, we take a few shots, get a little high, go to this fright thing in Wrightville Beach -- act a damn fool, and then afterwards, hunt down some ghosts?" Normally LT was very professional about how he went about his ghost adventures, but tonight? Tonight, he just wanted to be as out of his mind as possible. Rio would even be down for it or think he already lost his shit.