Simply hearing her voice directed at him for the first time in so long, caused a deep sensation to prick his skin. A chill worked its way up his spine, clutched tight, and then manifested as a grove of goosebumps spread about his shoulders. Still, he didn't waver, and managed to hold it together as she gave him the slightest of hugs. One arm looped around her torso, lightly squeezing through the hug and then releasing once she did. She felt tender under the soft fabric of her clothing. That realization only made his mind wander to her skin and how it felt. He also wondered how it'd look bruised or cut upon.<br/><br/>"It's great to see you too, Layla." He nodded and a bright smile washed over his face. "Yeah, a bit different, but still the same ol' Vic I suppose." He was flustered, just a bit, but it was enough for Thomas to take notice. Thomas gave him a sideways glance and narrowed his brow, sucking his teeth some before speaking. "Take it easy Vic, remember what I said in the car." This caused Victor's face to flush and he kept quiet, eyes averted from her as she led them both inside.<br/><br/>He exhaled quietly as he stepped into her house. His eyes drifted around, taking in the interior of her home. The scent of breakfast hit his nose immediately. His stomach growled at the savory provocation. Given the abrupt invitation extended by his dear old friend, he hadn't had enough time to eat anything that morning. If Victor had it his own way, he would've long been done with breakfast by that point. He'd likely have declined Thomas' request for breakfast, but once he mentioned Layla, it was all Victor could think about. The chance to meet his obsession had proven too strong a pull and easily deterred him from his regular routine.<br/><br/>"Thanks, Layla." He said quietly as she ushered them to the table. He took a seat next to Thomas and reached for a mug, filling it with black coffee. He sipped at the hot liquid and savored both the bitterness and the heat of it as it traveled down to spread in his belly. Layla sitting across from him made his body tense, his large hand clutching a bit tighter around the mug.<br/><br/>"Oh, no. It's no problem at all. Thank you for having me." He shot Thomas a glance. "I told him to<i>at least</i>let you know that I was going to be tagging along. I didn't want to interrupt--"<br/><br/>"You worry too much, Vic. I told you that she'd be fine with it." Thomas exclaimed, cutting him off. Thomas reached for the crispiest piece of bacon he could find and started gnawing the edges of it.<br/><br/>He shrugged his shoulders at Layla's question. "I think she's gonna be home this week sometime." He mused quietly, chewing the bacon, eyes cast upwards a bit as if he were in a deep state of thought. "Come to think of it, I haven't talked to her at all today." He grimaced comically, dropping the burnt end of his bacon on his plate. He snagged his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. "Fuck me, she called..<b>twice.</b>"<br/><br/>Thomas unlocked the phone and typed feverishly against its glass screen, likely sending a text to his future wife. Victor watched in silence and went to work on his own eggs, cutting into the soft yolk before scooping it into his mouth.<br/><br/>Victor made sure to swallow and brushed a napkin across his lips before speaking. "Oh, you know, a little of this and a little of that." It was vague (though playful) and likely not enough to sate such an inquiry, so he decided to elaborate more. "My living situation back home didn't work out so well. My job fell apart, then my motivations and goals changed. So, now I'm here, living in the city thanks to Thomas. He helped to get me my new place and a job to boot. Isn't that right, Thomas? A fresh start I guess."<br/><br/>Thomas had been too focused on his phone to offer up any real substance. Instead, he kept his eyes on the screen and forced a smug smile. "What're friends for?"<br/><br/>This caused Victor to chuckle some and he took another sip of his coffee. He hid well the fact that talking about himself brought some discomfort. Typically he was able to articulate his thoughts very well and he usually never had a problem putting on his mask. There was just something about how her blue eyes bore into his own. Like she was peering into his being and seeing the bare naked truth of his soul. Part of him wondered if she had the ability to see through his thin vaneer. Still, he couldn't avert from her blue orbs. It took a bit of effort, but he managed to hold her glance, only looking away here and there briefly to sip at his coffee or take another bite of food.<br/><br/>"The food is delicious by the way." He said then made an attempt to shift the focus of their conversation onto her.<br/><br/>"What about you? Thomas told me that you're a big-shot detective now. You always did have a knack for sniffing out our bullshit when we were younger." He chuckled, the smile on his face widening ear to ear.<br/><br/>The sound of Thomas' chair scooting across the floor grabbed Vic's attention. "I have to give Tiff a call. Looks like I forgot something important<i>again. </i>Be back in a minute." Thomas then exited the eating area and walked away to handle his business. "<b>Don't eat all the bacon!</b>", he screamed from the other room.<br/><br/>This left Layla and himself alone. He chewed his bottom lip a moment before parting his lips to speak again. "Do you like the work? I assume it gets pretty dangerous."