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."Lexington.""Oh." The name didn't seem to mean anything to Sin; he just nodded in response."Are you a teacher?""No," Boyd said, his lips lifting in amusement."Why?"Sin actual y smiled back, one side of his full mouth twisting wryly."A lot of youngteachers who have summers off come down here for vacation during this time and Ionly noticed you being around so much just a couple of months ago.""Ah." Boyd's smile grew a hint teasing as he looked at Sin sidelong."And here I washoping you thought I had a good temperament.What a shame.""Well I don't know enough about you yet to judge that," Sin replied with a shrug."Maybe I will eventually."Boyd met Sin's eyes and for a moment their gazes locked.At least Sin seemedinterested in potentially being around him more.He smiled more genuinely."I hopeso.It would be nice to know some people down here."He turned his attention back to the road as he navigated the poorly visible streets.The traffic lights were the only thing that seemed to shine through the rain with anyusefulness."To answer your question I come down here to relax," he explained as he slowed toa stop at a red light."I had a lot going on for awhile and I needed a place to getaway.""A lot of people do that." Sin's gaze shifted to the window where he looked out intothe pouring rain that blurred their surroundings.It reminded Boyd of a watercolorpainting: colors seeping together to become indistinct smudges on a grey-blackcanvas.Sin tilted his head back against the seat and for the first time Boyd noticed how tiredhe looked.While he physical y looked healthier than he ever had at the Agency,there were faint circles under his eyes."Most people like the atmosphere.That'spartially why I moved here."Boyd nodded absently, not taking his eyes off of Sin."How long have you livedhere?"Sin reached up to rub the back of his neck, long fingers squeezing absently.Hiseyebrows were still drawn together and Boyd couldn't help remembering thatexpression and those actions-- it was what Sin had always done when he had aheadache."A little over a year.I moved from DC and was originally going to move to Richmondbut changed my mind at the last minute and came here instead.I hate big cities, althe fucking people."Boyd nodded and eased his foot off the brake when the light turned green.Thatmade sense to Boyd, as Sin had felt so on edge in Lexington around crowds.Although that made Boyd wonder how much of it was by Sin's choice and how muchhad been determined by the Agency.Had Sin really chosen to come here or hadthat been yet another twisted memory?That made him wonder how the Agency had dealt with people who should havebeen in Sin's past but who he wouldn't be able to contact now because they didn'texist.Did the Agency make him think everyone he'd ever known was dead or didthey have some sort of high level ruse in which an agent pretended to be someonefor him or an automated message could be generated if he cal ed the number ofsomeone he thought existed?And, once again, the overarching question of what was the reason for any of this?"Do you like it?" was all Boyd asked instead.This time al Sin did was shrug and his gaze remained fixed on the stormy oceanthat raged on the other side of the beach.It didn't seem like he would answerdirectly at first and his mouth turned down slightly.His expression turned serious,eyes narrowing in thought.But after a moment he just shrugged."It's alright.Can't complain."Boyd wondered about that response.It wasn't the kind of answer Sin would havegiven back in Monterrey, when he'd expressed regret about having to leave.Maybe without the Agency as the other option, a place like this wasn't enough tohold his attention.Although, part of what Sin had liked in Monterrey was that they'dbeen together.Then again, that likely wouldn't factor into this answer because Sindidn't know Boyd so he couldn't be missing the intimacy they'd once had."That's good," Boyd said as he turned onto another street.The rain wasn't letting upat al , which made him wonder how long it was going to last."I like Annadale but thetourist attractions don't make it an ideal place to live.""That's why I live on the other side of the main beach," Sin agreed.He turnedslightly in his seat, gesturing to the west of them."Down where the diner is, youhave the strip with al of the bars, the amusement park not too far away, full of thefucking col ege kids-- up Ocean is where most of the locals live.I'd rather just stayon the beach with a beer then party with al of the goddamn tourists on theboardwalk."Boyd nodded easily."I can't blame you for that." He paused as he stopped atanother red light that hardly glowed through the storm.Honey brown eyes turned tostudy Sin."So what else do you like to do in your free time?""I dunno." Sin glanced over at Boyd briefly, eyes still slightly narrowed."Read.Workout.I'm not some exciting person."Boyd smiled slightly at the knowledge that Sin's hobbies, at least, hadn't changed."Reading can be exciting," he said lightly."Do you have any favorite genres?""Mostly crime stuff.Apparently I like reading about people getting kil ed." Smirkingslightly, Sin smoothed a damp hand over his face again.Eyebrows quirking, Boyd gave a wry smile."Should I be worried, stuck alone in thiscar with you where no one will hear my screams?"Sin raised an eyebrow, mouth twisting."Maybe.I haven't been too keen on strangepeople lately, and you ask a lot of questions so who knows what wil happen by theend of this car ride."Boyd couldn't stop an amused smile."Alright," he said blandly.The light turnedgreen and he turned down another street."Bury my ashes at sea when you're donewith me and I'll be a good victim.""You can't bury stuff at sea, but if it makes you happy." Sin smirked again, and let hiseyes slide out to the darkening sky."Why the sea and not a nice ditch somewhere?""I don't know," Boyd said thoughtfully, his eyebrows drawing down at his own words.He looked over at Sin."Honestly, I'm a hydrophobe so I couldn't say why I'massigning myself such a dire afterlife with my own request.""Maybe you're one of those religious fanatics that beat themselves," was the helpfulsuggestion from Sin.He looked over at Boyd again."Do you have a guilt complex?"Boyd's lips lifted humorlessly as his gaze slid away."You could say that."Sin's gaze rested on Boyd for a moment and one eyebrow ticked up, but then he justshrugged slightly and looked out the window again."You shouldn't have driven althe way up here.It's getting worse.""It's alright."Even so, Boyd had to drive slowly down Ocean Drive.The rain came down in suchheavy sheets that he hardly had any visibility even with the wipers flying across thewindshield.Although Boyd considered himself to be a very good driver, despite his penchant forexcessive speed on the open road, it was a relief to see they were alone on theroad
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