His back was sore. It was the third night in the row he had fallen asleep on the living room sofa, and the painful realization that they were more for show than comfort was hitting him. With a deep groan, and a tight grip to the arm rest, he managed to push himself up into a sitting position, his laptop sliding between his legs as he pushed his glasses up his forehead, knuckles dragging harshly against his sleep riddled eyes.
The house was unusually silent, the familiar sound of children running around accompanied by clanking pots and pans were no where to be heard, and it made Link's shoulders sulk with a knowing feeling. With a deep sigh, he closed his laptop, setting it on the low glass coffee table before throwing his legs over the edge of the sofa to stand. He could feel his joints creak in protest as he threw his long arms over his head, bending his back in an arch as he stretched his aching body.
He already knew he was alone, his kids probably off at school, wife most likely meeting up with a friend for some coffee that would be charged to his card sometime this afternoon. It was the usual routine nowadays, sadly. They were both aware of the rift that had fell between the two of them, driving them apart with a painfully silent stake. Link was usually an optimist, but he was just waiting for her to say something about it, to throw the idea of divorce in the air.
He wasn't sure why that's where his mind went first thing, like there was no way to rekindle their fire, or bring them back together. Of course, it wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to rewind his life a few years, to the point when they couldn't keep their hands off each other, and whispered breathy I love you's in the middle of the night.
A soft sigh tumbled from his lips as he bounded lazily into the kitchen, switching the light on as he went, as the sun had not yet made it's appearance. He went through his morning as usual, the silence in the house was calming, albeit, a little depressing.
The notification of his phone jerked him out of his stupor, reaching into his back pocket and sliding the lock back to reveal a text from Rhett, announcing his arrival in his driveway. It brought a small smile to the mans lips, the thought of seeing his best-friend and working on another episode was an excellent distraction to the constant whirling thoughts in his mind.
Rhett sat in the drivers seat of his car, one hand on the wheel as he nursed a cup of coffee in the metal mug his wife had bought him, as Link quickly opened the door and threw himself in. He was quick to grab the seat belt, his hands almost jittery as he locked it in place and glanced up at Rhett with expectant eyes. Rhett, in return, quirked a brow at the man.
"Good morning to you, too, brother." He remarked, a smile threatening to breath his stoic expression as he brought the cup to his lips once more. Link let out a sigh, resting back against the seat with his hands on his thighs, one leg bouncing rapidly.
"Another night on the couch?" Rhett asked, placing his mug in the cup holder before pushing the car in reverse, throwing his hand over the back of Links seat as he twisted in place to pull out. Link glanced at Rhett as he moved, before nodding his head.
"Yeah. I am so sore, man. I don't think I can make it another night on that couch." Links tone was lilted with a playful tune, but Rhett could see right through the mans facade, a frown pressing on his mouth as he made the way down the street.
"Then maybe you should sleep in bed with your wife, like a normal husband." he commented. Link visibly tensed at the words. It was so like Rhett to get straight to the point, avoiding the dancing around and tact altogether.
"I can't help it if I fall asleep on the couch. Would be nice if she woke me up or somethin' though." Link muttered, adamantly refusing to take the entire blame for the rift that had been driven between him and Christey.
"You're right, brother. But, in this case, maybe you should take the first step and ask her next time? Or just not fall asleep on the couch in the first place." Rhett countered, his eyes leaving the road to glance at Link for a fleeting moment. Link moved to cross his arms over his broad chest, his knee still bobbing rapidly.
"Yeah, maybe." He breathed out, his gaze turned out the window now. Rhett let out a soft sigh, reaching for his mug as he turned the wheel with his palm, leading them down the road toward Mythical Studios.
Rhett wasn't entirely aware of the situation between his best-friend and his wife, but he did genuinely care. He couldn't really relate, as things were going great between him and Jessie, but he tried his best to. Although it was frustrating, as Link was one of the few people who seemed to have an emotional block or something, like he didn't want to face his problems head on, he did his best to coax it out of the smaller man. The image of Rhett in a plush chair, a notebook and pen in his hand as he wore glasses for no explainable reason, while Link laid out on a couch with his fingers interlaced against his chest came to mind. He might have to start charging Link for his therapy sessions, or something.
Link was quick to hop out of the car as they pulled into Rhett's parking spot, grabbing his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder as he made his way toward the back door. Rhett moved much slower, taking his time as he gathered his coffee and his own bag, closing the door and locking it before making his way toward Link, who was entering the code for the door the third time, a frustrated scowl gracing his features.
"2253." Rhett said, watching Link hastily push the numbers in. "You're gonna wanna do it slower, it's not registering." He added on, and Link let out a frustrated groan, impatiently pushing the code in a little harder than necessary. Rhett was quick to notice Link's unusual mood this morning, and an angry Link is never a good Link. He was contemplating the best way to bring up the conversation, one that implied Link spilling the beans and hopefully getting this frustration off his shoulders. Finally, the door clicked open, and he was quick to enter the building, making his way through the narrow passageway toward the open floor office. Rhett followed behind, casually sipping his coffee and nodding at a few early crew members.
"Uh, hey guys." A familiar tone chimed in. Rhett turned his attention to see Ellie approach, and Rhett wanted to give her a motion that said, this is not the time, when he caught sight of a new face trailing behind the woman. Link continued on wards, not even realizing that Ellie was flagging him down, while Rhett stopped in his tracks to acknowledge her.
"Sorry 'bout that, Ellie. He's kind of in a mood today." He apologized, and Ellie raised her brows and gave an 'O' expression,
"Yeah, it's hard to miss with him." She replied, before gesturing toward the woman behind her.
Rhett turned his attention to the girl, considering her appearance for a moment; She was young, mid twenties if he had to guess. A little on the short side, but then again, everyone was on the short side in his eyes. Her hair was a pretty chestnut color, a few natural streaks of highlight making their appearance in the long, wavy strands that bordered her angled face. Vibrant green eyes connected with his, and she smiled, reaching a small hand out for him to take.
"I'm Lucy Rhodes. Your new graphic designer." She introduced herself, and Rhett quickly took her hand, shaking it while simultaneously trying to remember this girls interview. Surely, he would have remembered her, especially with a face like that.
"Rhett McLaughlin, nice to meet you. Uh, not trying to sound like a jackass or anything, but who interviewed you?" He asked, pulling his hand away with a slightly confused stare. She mirrored his expression, and it took him a second to realize she was trying to think of a name,
"Uh...Blonde lady, super pretty...Sandy?" She threw the name out there.
"Stevie?" He answered for her, and she quickly nodded her head,
"Yes! Her, very nice lady. She told me to come in today, apparently supposed to have a meeting with you and another guy. Probably the one that walked away." She said, motioning toward the hallway that lead to their shared office. Rhett nodded in understanding, before gesturing for her to follow, while throwing a curt nod in Ellie's direction.
Lucy was good at putting on a professional face, but underneath the surface she was cracking and breaking at the seams, the anxiety of starting a new job thrusting her heart against her rib cage with a pulse that rung in her ears. She was almost positive she forgot something important, the nagging feeling itching in her head as she went through her scrambled mental checklist, her eyes trained on Rhett's back. I don't think I've ever met anyone so tall. Like a squirrel, her thoughts were all over the place, and she often times forgot what she was thinking about in the first place. This was one of those times.
"Have you been given a tour yet?" Rhett's southern drawl cut through her thoughts, and she quickly nodded her head, forcing a smile on her lips.
"I did. Ellie was very nice, showing me all the bits and stuff. Love the set by the way, very homey and rustic." She replied, her eyes drifting from Rhett's back to glance at the pictures that adorned the hallway. A poster of Rhett and another man in what looked like 90's rollerskating gear caught her attention, and she almost walked right into Rhett in response.
"Thanks! We managed to impress a professional designer." He remarked with a smile, before opening the door before them, revealing a well furnished office space that housed two separate desks.
Her eyes were drawn to the man hunched behind a laptop, sitting at the noticeably more organized desk.
"Link, this is our new graphic designer, Lucy. Stevie hired her on, it's orientation time." He announced, motioning for Lucy to enter the room. She quickly crossed the threshold, taking stance in the middle of the spacious office as she watched Link glance up from his computer, locking eyes with her.
Link was never really one to be dumbstruck by anyone, but there was a first for everything; the woman was absolutely stunning, her angled features and verdant eyes throwing him off guard momentarily. Lucy herself was struck with the intense blue of his gaze and the well placed streak of grey in his hair. She silently wondered if it was natural as the man pushed himself away from the desk to stand.
Holy cow, he's tall. They're both giants.
"I'm Link Neal, nice to meet you." He said, rounding the desk to approach her. She quickly stretched her own hand out, taking his grasp and noting how her hand seemed to completely disappear in his. She had to tilt her head back to make eye contact, despite the heels she had worn that day. To be fair, Lucy was on the short side, standing at a whopping 5'1.
"Lucy Rhodes. Pleasure to meet you, sir." She said, in a firm tone despite the slight shake in her hand. Link released his grasp, letting his hand drop to his side with a small, crooked smile.
"I haven't had anyone call me sir since we hired Chase on." He remarked, his eyes leaving hers to glance at Rhett with an amused expression. Lucy raised her brows, a slight blush creeping up her neck as she moved her fingers to fiddle with the hem of her shirt, a force of habit when she found herself uncomfortable or anxious. Rhett let out a chuckle from beside her, before replying,
"Yeah, well don't get used to it, man. Doesn't last very long." He replied, a playful lilt to his voice. Lucy forced out a small laugh, as Rhett motioned for her to take a seat at the couch along the wall. She placed her laptop bag beside her, interlacing her fingers across her lap as she waited for the duo to take the two chairs on the opposite side of the wall, an expectant expression on her face.
"To start things off with; Welcome to Mythical Studios!" Link began, gesturing toward her in a friendly manner as a broad smile encompassed his lips. Lucy mirrored his expression, hanging on to every word they said as they went through the basics and fundamentals of the show, and what her job would be. Granted, she would get more information from a man named Colin later on, as they weren't experts on Graphic Design, but she appreciated the information they had to offer regardless.
Lucy felt her stomach bubble with excitement, her head spinning with a million questions she wanted to ask, but chose not to. She was content listening to her new bosses talk about their show, and what had lead up to Mythical Studios. If was definitely different from any other orientations she's had, and she chalked it up to it being a very, very good thing.