#lukeshthreads

[lonelyhxert]

OPEN STARTER for whomever London's streets, late evening, after a street fight

Lukesh hated being included in something when they weren't on the job. When their face was recognised or when they felt that annoying itch that they had to participate, which is what they did. And after they always regretted it. They weren't dressed to deal with it, their shirt was ripped and their lip bleeding.

But a few of the fighters had been arrested and they were free to continue their night. As if that was such an easy thing to get back from. Lukesh licked their lip and hissed at the pain. "Fuckers and alcohol, I swear, almost makes me want to take up drinking myself."

[lonelyhxert]

@iraavanan-pathak

"Wallah, your life is shit."

Lukesh couldn't help sneaking up on Ira as they watched him work. And banter came natural to them, the trio of MET agents barely could get through a conversation without insults. The fact that Lukesh had time off and Ira was forced to work simply made it funny. Because they were the youngest. And there was always something to say about the youngest: still had a lot to learn, needed to prove themself. Not Lukesh. They managed to get out of most of that only because they associated with Jack and Ira. People thought they were older.

"Can you imagine having to work and keep an eye on all these fuckers?" They chuckled. "Seriously though, what's it like keeping an eye on rich people? Feels more like a stake-out than a surveillance. Seen anything fun?"

[lonelyhxert]

@juliekang

Lukesh smirked as they bumped a shoulder into Julie, their eyes already scanning the crowds. "Hi," they said, as they contented themself with the area and turned fully towards the nurse. "Did you clock your exits?" they asked, mostly a joke and a reminder of past interactions. As if Lukesh was some private security who did this on a daily basis and not a corrupt MET agent who did it because they needed to know how to make off with evidence.

"Safety always comes first," they assured her. "And place like this... plenty people hiding their true intentions. Pretty sure those masks are supposed to show that. Hiding in plain sight." Like them: because they were not supposed to be there.

[lonelyhxert]

CLOSED STARTER for @mrzanebastias location ; could be anywhere

Lukesh knew they were cutting it close, in all regards they were certain making a fool of themself with how often they were stealing stuff from crime scenes, lining their pockets with money that could only come from the criminal circuit and then buying expensive things with it. Luckily, nobody they worked with that wasn't Jack or Ira was allowed in their apartment, so nobody would learn that they had far too many expensive things. And they did far too many expensive things; vacations abroad, renting fancy cars and suits, going to clubs, operas, and so forth.

That did mean that any time someone tried to throw a wrench in their plan, Lukesh needed to stop them. They had to find dirt on Zane Bastias, to make sure that the criminal didn't rat them out.

"You seem to be up to something," they young MET agent said to the thief, who was older, taller, bigger, than them.

[lonelyhxert]

Lukesh touched their lip with a finger and was still aware of the sting, then moved towards the stranger a bit more, aware of how in the open they were standing. “Wallah, would if I could. Bastards were fucking pissed,” they uttered, constant with their cursing if only because they were as much filled with adrenaline as the fighters had been with alcohol. “And they were too drunk to know when to stay down.” 

Yasemin was walking home from the bar when she got wind of the street fight, ever curious and a fan of fights she decided to lean against the wall on the opposite side of the street and watch. It wasn't as fun to watch as boxing, but she did enjoy seeing a good fight from time to time. "I wouldn't judge you for considering a drink after all that."

[lonelyhxert]

“Would if I could, wallah,” Lukesh said, throwing a hand in the air as they said it, shaking their head, pretending that this was absolutely not done. It wasn’t, truly, their parents would murder them, but most of all, the disappointment would be too great. Here they were, despite a demanding job they had still not taken alcohol. 

With a bob of their head, Lukesh touched a hand to their face, bruised? Perhaps. They did not make assumptions without a mirror - or a shrill of pain. No use, to worry about looking like shit when they had no interest in doing anything better with their looks. And Lukesh considered themself a looker, pretty, enticing, a looker. “Yaar, I had no interest in partaking in this, I was dragged in, and I threw no fists, I only placed a knee here or there.”

“I can do nothing but recommend heavy drinking.” Jack has the last of the drunk brawlers on his knees next to one of the police cars on scene, deftly snapping a pair of handcuffs around his wrists. It’s a complete piss-take that he’s on patrol duty, but a combination of piling HR reprimands and the shit-show of an event at the Liddell hippodrome has sent him well and truly into red territory with the Chief. Officially, it’s training for community engagement. Unofficially, it’s a very creative punishment.

“Get up.” Shoving the man up and into the backseat of the car, Jack wipes his hands on his uniform jacket before turning to face his colleague. “Mate, you’re off duty, why the fuck are you busting your balls over a drunk scuffle? You look like shit.”

[lonelyhxert]

Lukesh grinned back at Julie. "Yeah? I was hoping I'd be here too, and I guess I made it. Don't rat me out okay, I don't think I'm supposed to be here," they whispered back at her. Stuffy seemed not to be enough to explain it, they felt like they were the only person in the room - and Julie - that didn't have a stick up their butt.

They pressed their hand against their mouth and grinned. "I ain't working though," they told her. "But I am pretending I am. Plenty of exits though, two to your left, two to your right, one behind us, fire exit, and there is a balcony we can use to get to the stairs," they said, without pointing. "These stuffy people really did a number on you, if you want me for company." They wiggled their eyebrows. But no really, they were fun, they just needed to hear her say it.

Julie's surprise at someone bumping into her quickly turned into a grin at the sight of Lukesh's familiar face. "I was hoping you'd be here -- even if some of the people are stuffy," she said. They both knew that was an understatement. Many of the people were stuffy.

Despite her current job, Julie could never quite shake the feeling that she didn't belong in these crowds and others could sense it. She liked her mask though and held hers up to her face when Lukesh brought them up. "Oh, come on. They might just enjoy the theatre of it all," she said, faux posh accent to emphasize 'theatre.' "But no, I have not clocked my exits and can't find Ender. So, why don't you show me, but really can you just keep me company? I figure if you look like you're working you won't get pulled aside and scolded because of me."

[lonelyhxert]

Lukesh' eyes slightly bulged at the mention of watches, though they didn't ask if he'd actually swiped them or not. Maybe they would later, if there was chaos. They hoped of course that there wouldn't be chaos, but that could still happen. The way it seemed to be going, anything was possible.

"Good watches?" they asked, their eyes scanning the crowds, not able to turn down their training. "Wouldn't want to deal with any gals at this party, pretty stuck up if you ask me." Though... they did locate a few Ira was talking about. "Yet, seen any you'd think I have a chance with, this is a team effort, Pathak."

Once he had moved past the slight jump scare the other had just pulled on him, Ira could finally bring himself to respond :"Fucking tell me about it." He had been spending the whole afternoon running left and right in the stables to keep horse owners from stabbing one another to death. He poisoned my bloody horse, they'd yell, between a bunch of expletives that were so vicious he doubted having ever heard Jack or Luke ever speak them.

"I've had at least three nepotism babies shove their watch in my face," he began. The look in his eyes told one thing : it was a miracle no arms had been broken in the process. It was one of the reasons they had him in the strike force rather than regular forces... he could get a bit brutal in his approach. "Lots of pretty gals I suppose, but this is hardly the place."