noteasytobepink | Wheelsy AU ~ Tire changing

"It's a team spirit thing." And he'd leave it at that.

"Only if it came with someone who was gonna clean it."

"Oh, okay, a moral support thing! I can get that!" Why hadn't he said so in the first place! "Though...isn't it better to support the whole team instead of one person?" Playing favorites like that led to some weird ego issues.

"And I'd totally clean a pool."

"Nothin' wrong with havin' a favorite player."

Bill took up his hamburger again.

"Well if you're gonna clean it, then a pool is fine."

"I"ll just it add it to my room and board servitude," She admitted cheerfully. What? Made sense to her! Besides...pool.

POOL!

"And I think that's another thing about watching sports. I don't know any of the people personally! How can I be really excited about them if they aren' my friend?"

Bill polished off his burger and shrugged.

"Some people don't get into sports. It's a guy thing, I guess."

That was the common feeling, anyways.

"Then quit being wounded and disappointed with me!" She laughed and threw a fry at him before finishing her own burger. "It's like I'm kicking a puppy every time I don't get it!"

A cute puppy but still. She didn't want to kick him!

He lifted a hand to ward off the fry and laughed.

"Alright. But can't you just smile an' nod when I go on about things you don't care about? Y'make me feel dumb for things, an' I feel obliged t'try an' explain 'em."

Part of it was a defense, and part of it was wanting to share something with her, and still trying to help her figure this place out.

"I smile and nod because you're so excited about it! It's nice to see you happy and if I frown you stop smiling!" But hey, she could work on it. She finished her meal, pushed the fries aside, then leaned her elbows on the table. This way she could lean forward to staaaare at him!

"I believe...someone promised me pool?" she offered in a private, warm murmur. Why not give people the wrong idea? IT WAS FUN!

"Well hey, sports are what I got now. I'm livin' vicariously through pro-athletes." He gave her a smile and munched on a fry. "Nothin' wrong with that."

He froze for a moment when she closed the distance, unsure, and then he heard what she said and shook his head; of course she was just teasing him.

With a laugh, he plucked up a couple more fries from his mostly empty basket and nodded.

"Alright, c'mon, then." Standing up, he nodded towards the tables.

Her eyes widened when he froze, then she stood and fell in beside him. "Sorry, did I poke a sore spot?" She was actually worried about how he'd reacted.

"I flirt with cute guys. I'm sorry. Do you not want me to?"

"No, I just-- " he shook his head and gave a light laugh. "I'm never quite sure what you're gonna do."

Flashing her another smile, he moved over to the rack in the corner to pick out a cue.

"...huh." she thought that one over. She was good at being unpredictable, she was, it was a battlefield advantage. But the fact that it kept throwing Bill was bad.

So.

Time to be clear huh?

"I really like you. I'd love to flirt with you all the time. I'll ask before I kiss you." TIME TO SELECT A CUE!

"I-- thanks."

He didn't wince at his own reply, but it was a near thing.

His reactions to her was mostly fear of reading things wrong again, so it helped getting a clearer picture.

He maybe had a few things to confess, but it was hard getting them out. He didn't want this to get weird, and he especially didn't want her thinking what he was feeling was just a reaction to what she said, or what had happened with Starla.

Picking out a cue he ordered another beer and a shot to go with it from the waitress passing by, then got them a table they could use.

"I'll give you first break if you promise not t'run the table on me."

"You're welcome." He'd take things as he wanted to take things really. If she was lucky he didn't boot her out of the house for thinking he was cute!

SHE WOULDN'T MOLEST WITHOUT INVITATION! HONEST!

"Sure, I won't run table on break." She lined up, shot, and sunk three on break. She went with stripes, sunk one more then flubbed the next. So, she was three down...

His worry was more about overstepping himself, really. He liked her (maybe a lot), and had already proven how terrible his perception was in situations like this. The last thing he needed was to put himself out there again and get another kick in the teeth.

He stood by and watched, a bit nervous about his chances but not showing it.

Accessing the table, he downed his shot of whiskey and stepped up to play.

"You play a lot, I take it."

She was an honest and upfront person! If she got uncomfortable she'd tell him! What she actually wanted to do some nights though was far from uncomfortable, so...

And that smile? That was a very predatory smile. "Not at all Bill. Think about it...I am a trained fighter who relies, immensely, on angles. Pool balls are a lot bigger than small sticks when I'm throwing and tossing!" She was totally going to get him the money to repair his truck tires. Yep.

"I guess that means I'm in trouble, 'less I find someone for you to play against."

He laughed and took his shot, sinking one ball and lining up another.

One more solid fell and he missed the third.

Stepping back from the table, he lifted his beer.

"I ain't too bad myself, though. Let me get through a few of these an' I get better." He lifted his pint, and took a healthy gulp.

"We can find opponents in a bit, for now let's keep things friendly hmmm?" Because she was a whole different creature when she was competing. Competing was like fighting after all.

Three more then she scratched and came around to offer him the cue ball. "Too many of those, Sheriff, and we'll be floating you home. Are you sure that's not a pitcher?" She teased, holding onto the cue so he'd have to tug it away.

"Friendly is good." Because he wasn't dumb enough to bet her anything after seeing her shoot.

Another drink, and he set down his mug and reached for the ball, grabbing onto it in her hand.

"Hey, I can handle myself, just watch."

"I like friendly." She grinned and tugged on the cue. "And I wouldn't ask you to bet anything you wouldn't be willing to lose!" Really! Honest!

Mostly honest!

...

...

...

What were his feelings on strip pool?

ANYWAY!

"I know you can!"

She'd never convince him to do it in public.

Well... probably never.

He tugged on the ball to take it from her so he could take his shot.

"What about you? Maybe it should be you worried 'bout losin' somethin'."

Depended on the number of drinks and how many other people she could get playing? Communal naked was easier to survive! And laugh about!

When he got the ball away she leaned on the edge of the table and stole a sip or several from his beer. "Hmmm? The key to not being worried about that isn't being unbeatable..." she pointed out. "It's knowing you don't mind losing most things to the person you're playing against."

Until the booze wore off, and then he'd have regrets. Lots of them.

Setting the ball on the table, he lined up his shot.

"Is that it? So what would you not mind losin' to me?"

He was just curious, as he was still pretty sure he wasn't going to bet her.

Especially since his shot failed to sink anything. Straightening up, he stepped back and reclaimed his beer.

"Damn."

"Dunno, what's the upward limit of what you'd ask for given I have no actual money of my own?" She grinned wickedly and sashayed around the table to her shot. Last Stripe, three bank shot called on the eight.

Yeah, she was just playing with him now because that call? Missed and bounced by the barest margin.

Bill held his breath, and took it as a stroke of luck that it didn't go in.

"Oh. Someone got too fancy there."

Emptying his beer, he signaled for another one before stepping up to the table. Lining up his next shot carefully, the ball went in and set him up for another.

"Well, I ain't really a high stakes kind of guy. If you were one of the boys we'd be playin' for shifts at the station or beers. 'Course, I could maybe play you for beers. Shots for shots is fun, too."

Taking his shot, he made another and had the hope that maybe he'd catch her.

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