noteasytobepink | Wheelsy AU ~ Hollywood Nights

He studied her a moment, and realized maybe he wasn't explaining things right.

"Y'know I don't mean actual years, right? 30 years is just how long I've got t'make payments t'pay off the loan I got. In uh, money."

Maybe that would make more sense.

"I'm startin' to find out there's a lot I do that isn't usual."

Staying when everyone else thought it better to go, working a job that probably doesn't pay him as much as he deserved, loving a woman who never once had feelings for him.

"I reckon that's part of what the doc was referrin' to when he said it ain't really a surprise I'm still single." Or a surprise that made sense, same difference.

"...no, I didn't." Years made as much sense as money really! "So, you got someone to lend you money, and they give you thirty years to pay them back? That's generous." Maybe, who knew?

"Do they break your knees if you don't pay?" She was familiar with far less savory sorts of money lenders.

"And you're just an unusual guy, Bill. That's not a bad thing really. I prefer unusual to the rank and file...and the rank and file don't tend to be any happier anyway." She grinned at him then, chuckling. "I think the doc meant you're bad at noticing when girls like you."

"Yeah, the bank gave me a loan. An' they're not all that generous, they make plenty on interest." Which is quite a bit over thirty years.

"They did give me a decent interest rate, though, since I'm a cop." Which should some people at least appreciated a man in uniform.

"If I don't pay I lose my house. Get booted out on the street an' push around a shoppin' cart, talk t'buildings, whatever else homeless folks do."

He can joke about it now, but growing up it was a real fear.

"Unusual guy, huh? Well, at least I know there's one person out there who don't mind the way I am." He gave her a faint smile, and shook his head about the doc.

"I'm sure the doc meant a lot of things. Man knows more'n I give him credit for, I guess."

"Ah, so it's a gouging kind of loan then?" She could see that. It was kinda evil really, ergo, right up her alley in that 'must fight it' kind of way. "And we could get a tent in the woods if you lost the house." Because she would still be his roommate right? AS long as she was in his reality.

"And no, I don't mind. I think you're awesome, Bill." She stuck her tongue out at him then laughed. "As for Doc, well, he is a doctor. That makes him inherently smarter than all of us."

"We could, but I don't plan on it. I like ownin' my own place, havin' my name on the mailbox an' all. I aim t'keep it."

His 'we' was a yes to them still being roommates.

"I'm sure it does, an' he knows it, but you won't ever hear me admit it when he's around."

"That's fair, I know people don't like to give up their things." Clarice chuckled, amused at the idea of trying to get Bill to part with his house. "I will be extra, extra careful when cooking so nothing catches on fire."

Bets she could do!

"Awww, but what if he'd stop teasing you if you just fessed up?"

"I appreciate it." He really did. Having his house burn to the ground isn't something he'd like to see happen.

"He might stop the teasin', but then I'd have t'put up with how smug he'll be instead."

Teasing was probably the lesser of two evils.

"He teases because he cares, Bill." Clarice had to point it out really! "He worries about you young single boys...and he warned me to take cover when your ma finds out I"m living with you."

He snorted half a laugh.

"Yeah, that'll be fun."

He planned on taking cover, too.

"It won't really be that bad, once I explain it to her."

"Frankly I'm a little worried about that. You haven't told her right?" Else Clarice would have heard of it by now! "Which means the gossips probably will tell her soon. Should I sleep at the station for a while...she could ambush us!"

"Geez, you're makin' it sound like we're doin' somethin' or somethin'," He said. "It ain't a big deal."

The way she was talking about it did make him a bit nervous, though.

"If there's one thing about my mom, it's that she don't listen to the gossips. She'll give me a chance t'explain before she goes crazy or somethin'."

"I have never dealt with a Mom before, only heard stories." And apparently said stories were terrifying. "The whole town thinks we're doing one thing or another Bill! Assumptions, assumptions...MOMS KILL GIRLS OVER THOSE!"

"I guess the only hope now is that she's happy just killin' you, an' not me, too," he replied, giving the first genuine smile in awhile.

"If she really does get mad I'm gonna blame you, just so you know."

"Doomed. I am DOOMED. Why do I worry about you then?" She waved a hand over her head like she was asking the heavens above. "Why?!"

"Oh..."

"...right. You're cute. I'm going to get sacrificed the maternal rage beast over a cute guy. Damn. I'm a sap."

He ducked his head, and tried to cover the action by taking a drink.

Looking at her, he gave a partial shrug.

"Well, if it makes any difference, I appreciate the sacrifice. An' bein' called cute."

Yeah, the head ducking thing was part of the cute. It was inescapable.

"See that I get an appropriate grave marker and all. I'd hate to end up as Jane Pink or something because someone got clueless at my funeral."

"I will. I promise t'even bring you flowers."

"Nice ones, no end of day sales." she snorted. "A girl, even a dead one, likes to feel appreciated."

"'Course not. They may not be roses, but I'll get you somethin' nice."

Fiddling with his beer can, cleared his throat before speaking again.

"I appreciate you hangin' out with me tonight. It was good t'have someone to talk to."

He'd started out wanting to be alone, but realized it was nice to have the company.

"Oh good, I like nice things, even if they're temporary." She traveled light after all, but flowers were never a bad thing and she made her battle dresses out of watered silk.

"Hmmm? That's what friends do Bill, bug you and hang around until you realize you like having them around. I could come over and lounge on your bed, poking you until you collapse in ticklish giggles, but that leaves the desk unmanned."

"You're a different sort of friend than I've had in awhile. Most of my other friends would've let me drink myself blind, couple of 'em might've joined in. Probably would've gotten hit with at least a couple 'I told you sos', too."

It's not that they're bad friends, they're just a different sort, who've seen Bill carrying his torch for far longer than he should; often against their long running council.

"I think some of 'em have given up on me, where things like this are concerned."

"Well, no offense Bill, but I wear a dress better than most your friends." She had to point it out! "Most your friends are guys and they do thing differently. Plus I'm manning the desk tonight and cannot get drunk."

She was a very responsible girl!

"And I don't give up on people unless they tell me, to my face, and in their right minds, to leave them."

He chuckled, and had to admit she had a point there.

"I've seen a couple of 'em in a dress, an' you're pretty right there. You keep bein' all responsible an' such I'm gonna have to deputize you."

She was already proving better than his current (drunk) deputy.

"That mean even if I drive you nuts you ain't gonna throw in the towel on me?"

"You know, if the other guys cross dress I'll dress as a man for a day, no problem." Just so she could see them in dresses? And maybe get pictures? "Now I know what to bet the next time they start a stupid contest." Contests like 'Who could stick the most pencils in the ceiling'.

"If I was deputized would that mean I'd have to salute you?" Cheerful salute time! "And no, maybe throw a towel at you, or pin you to a wall and shake you or something, but never give up."

Bill leaned back in his chair, trying to recall the exact circumstances of the cross-dressing.

"Well, some of 'em it was in high school, for the powderpuff game." Which... he may or may not have been a part of (being the starting quarterback, 'may' is more likely than not). "An' the others were lost bets. So yeah, if you wanna see it, win a bet."

Pencils in the ceiling would be an easy one for her, what with the pointy thing throwing practice she's had.

"The only time anyone salutes me is if they're bein' a smart-ass, or someone important is around. You could bring me coffee, though. That'd be nice."

He gave her a smile, and he was glad to know that he had someone like her on his side, no matter how bad off he happened to make himself.

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