Home again home again ~Wheelsy AU

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Starla pulled into the shadowy, covered garage, hiding them from the golden, liquid sun of Californian legend, and then found them a spot to park. Once she did that though she just crossed her arms on the steering wheel and peered toward the airport itself. It was hot out there...even in the shade. Plus she had felt on edge around Bill since she had talked to him when he arrived and...

...yeah, that wasn't exactly a good way to end things. "Well, here we are again." She had no idea where to go from there?

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"Aw hell, sorry, should have let the windows down first." Duh. California was a lot hotter than back East, even in a garage. She turned the engine back on and rolled her window down.

"A good roommate is good. You're doing better than me, I'm liking livin' alone now you know." She was learning to have her own space again. It was good for her. "She treating you right? Paying rent and such?"

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"Oh no, s'alright."

He cracked his own window, then left the door alone.

"I'm glad you're happy." And he meant it. "She's doin' what she can. She helps out a lot, an' I guess she's been treatin' me alright. She looks out for me."

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"I should be more considerate anyway. Air's important after all." She laughed.

"Well...that's good. That ain't exactly a 'yes' on the rent thing, and if she's planning to stay then she should you know," so she wasn't taking advantage of a good man. "And you did promise to show me a picture you know."

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"She's still gettin' back on her feet a bit, an' I ain't exactly hard up. It's fine. An' if she stays we'll talk about cost an' such then."

He wouldn't feel right going on about money when he was trying to help Clarice out, after all. And, he knew she'd gladly pay more if he let her.

"Picture. Right."

This was going to be interesting.

Pulling out his phone, Bill fiddled with it until he found his pictures, then brought one up on Clarice and handed it over to her.

"That's Clarice."

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"You best set a date for that 'stayin' bit Bill, else you know how you all get. A stay turns into a while, and a while turn into comfortable time..." and so on and so forth.

Oh, picture!

...picture.

"Bill, she's pink. You been fiddlin' your phone?"

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"I will." Only he probably wouldn't.

Shifting in his seat, Bill shook his head.

"No... she's pink. She uh, she was on medication when she was young for immunities or somethin', an' there was a reaction an'... somethin'. I dunno. Doc Mitchell explained it t'me, but I never know what the hell he's talkin' about. She's just pink, s'nothin' wrong with her, an' she ain't sick or nothin'. Just, pink."

He probably should have worked harder to memorize their cover story.

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No, he wouldn't. She'd call and remind him some time. That or write a letter to the mystery woman after a few months, reminding her to pay rent.

And...

...

...

"Bill, you have got to be kiddin' me. Pink." Just...pink. "That has got to be the strangest thing I ever heard! And you say Doc Mitchell knows what happened? Is he writin' a paper?!"

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Bill shrugged and shook his head some more.

"I dunno. I ain't ever seen it before myself. But that's what the record says, an' the doc, I have no idea what he's gonna do with it. He's tickled as all hell, I know that much."

He almost said "tickled pink" but that would be too much, wouldn't it?

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Starla would have swatted him! "That's really strange." She was going to say that a lot apparently. "She gives you any trouble and you call me. I can handle girls, even if they are pink."

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"I'm sure she won't, but I will if she does."

It kind of surprised Bill a bit how fast he got over the pink thing, but he still knew it was pretty strange.

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Yes, well, familiarity bred contempt? Or something! "And even if she doesn't. I'll call and talk to her some time." Just in case. To feel her out!

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"I-- " don't think that's a good idea.

He had the feeling that talk would probably turn out badly. Really badly, given recent events.

"I dunno, she's-- that might well,-- if you wanted. Y'all could talk. She's there. At the house. Most times."

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It might go something along the lines of 'Hi, I'm Starla.' then 'Oh, you, you fucked Bill over you know.' and get worse from there?

"I might at that." Because Bill hadn't told her no now had he?

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If he told her no she'd ask why, and that wasn't something he could explain.

His only hope now was that she wouldn't actually call, or that he could head this thing off by talking to Clarice.

Maybe if he asked she'd be nice to Starla, for him.

"Okay."

That was all he could say.

It would be fine. It would. Starla would at least wait until he got home. So, yeah.

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Would she now?

Would it be?

In reality the only time she was certain Bill wouldn't be there to butt in on a girl keeping track of another girl in his house would be WHEN HE'S IN FLIGHT!

"It'll be fine Bill."

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"Of course."

He threw her an easy smile; covering how he was anything but.

"So... I guess this is it, then."

He glanced towards the airport, then looked back at her.

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"Guess it is. Got all your flight info and such? 'cause I don't remember a damn number of it." She grinned at him just as easily, glad there wasn't going to be a fuss.

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"Yep. Boardin' pass an' everything."

She was so casual and easy about it, it hurt some.

He had experience wearing the brave face, though, and if she didn't feel anything, he could pretend he didn't, either.

"Even remembered to chuck all the change out of my pocket."

Because he learned on the way out how much of a hassle it was grabbing loose change out of one of those bins after security.

"Thanks again for havin' me, Starla. I'll uh, I'll call when I land."

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She felt friendship, and sometimes that hurt worse in the end?

"I never remember to toss my change. I always end up pouring the damn handful out at the end, after security." She snorted. "Travel safe and all, don't talk to any strange bums in the causeways and don't let anyone touch your luggage and stuff!" She was teasing now.

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He actually chuckled at that, and shook his head.

"Don't worry, I won't. I'll talk to you later."

He hesitated, then he leaned over to hug her; because friends could do that. And, because he could at least get that before saying goodbye.

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She hugged him back easily and ruffled his hair. "Hey, gotta make sure the country boy stays safe." she teased cheerfully. "I'll keep my cell on me, call that when you get in safe!"

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He ducked his head when she ruffled his hair, taking a moment to breath her in before he pulled back.

Smoothing his hair with one hand, he smiled and nodded.

"I will. Bye, Starla."

With that he got out of the car, grabbing his duffel bag from the back seat and heading towards the terminal.

He couldn't stop himself from looking back before he went inside, and couldn't keep his head from dropping after he was past the doors and walking towards the check-in.

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"Bye Bill!"

Well, she wasn't walking him in to the airport, no call for it since increased security started just past the ticket booth anyway. No need for the facade at all once he was out of the parking garage.