Keysmith [NOT FANFICTION] ✓completed

Commute

"LEX!"

Lex turned around at the mention of his name, seeing Joey running to catch up to him.

The latter jogged up to him, panting heavily.

"You're... fast... whoa... okay..."

"Did you want to say something?" Lex enquired, a smirk playing in the corner of his mouth. He'd tried his best to curb his sarcasm during the day, as he figured not a lot of people would be able to appreciate it.

But now it was 5:03, and he was officially off-duty. So he could sass all he wanted to — not that he wanted to get in Jordan's bad books, which was why he wiped the smirk off his face and tried an expression of sympathy instead...

...which still came across as sarcastic, no doubt.

"I just wanted to say that tomorrow is Wednesday," Joey stated.

"Whoaaaaa, I didn't know that!" Lex rolled his eyes.

There goes "curb the sarcasm".

Joey grinned.

"Okay, let me finish. Tomorrow is Wednesday, which is take-your-work-home day. So um... this building will be closed, and you don't have to bother showing up. That probably means that from now on you have a day off on Wednesdays, unless you have technician-stuff that you need to finish at home."

Lex nodded.

"Right, understood. Anything else?"

Joey hesitated for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Nope, not that I can remember. If I think of something later I'll just call you— wait, that was the other thing I needed to do; ask for your phone number!"

Lex chuckled as Joey took his phone out of his pocket, and he gave Joey his phone number. Joey returned the favour, and then pocketed his phone once more.

"Alright, that was really all, I think," Joey stated, frowning slightly to himself as he went down a mental checklist to see if he'd overlooked anything else.

"If not, just let me know," Lex smiled, "I should get back home, Levi will be wondering what's taking me this long."

"I won't hold you up any longer, then," Joey decided, "I'll see you on Thursday!"

"See you then," Lex replied, before turning on his heel and marching back into the direction of his apartment.

Lex didn't own a car, a bicycle, or even a skateboard, so walking was the only option unless he was going to utilize public transport — but luckily for him, the British Reporters Sunday Standard was located reasonably close to his apartment. It was just under ten minutes on foot, and was pleasantly relaxing in the cool evenings.

Of course, when autumn hit Highcrest, that ten minute walk would become a ten minute nightmare. What with streaming rain, biting wind and — with a bit of bad luck — freezing hailstorms, anyone venturing onto the streets would be a popsicle before they so much as set foot on the pavement.

But that wasn't due for at least two more weeks, and until then, walking would be fine.

Lex made it back to his apartment without any unexpected events or accidents, and upon reaching the door he emptied his pockets, searching for his house keys.

When he couldn't find them straight away he muttered unintelligibly to himself, searching his messenger bag and still being unable to locate the small keychain.

He knocked on the door, hoping that Levi was inside. There was no definite reason for him not to be, but Levi was a teenager, and teenagers had a reputation for being unpredictable.