Wheelsy AU ~ Tire changing

[noteasytobepink]

"You know Bill..." Clarice drawled cheerfully. "When you said you wanted to show me the nearest 'city' I thought you meant we'd actually get there." She took her hat off and fanned herself with it, the ballcap doing little to stir the hot, damp air, but at least it was better than glowering.

"And yeah, that really does look like dry rot in the spare there. Never seen it in a tire before but I've seen it in other materials..." She wasn't even sure why they had headed out. A better bar where no one expected him to fix their problems? A place she was suppose to get fitted for a civilian aid uniform? Who knew!

Comments

[no_andy_taylor]

He barely gave the portal a second glance. After finally being through one it was easy to accept them now.

"I'll get it." She got the ice before.

With a grunt and pop of a few joints, he hoisted himself up and shambled to the kitchen.

[noteasytobepink]

"Okay, I'll be right here." Yep, with her head leaning back on his now empty chair. She missed her knee-pillow! MOURNING! MOURNNNNNNN.

[no_andy_taylor]

He returned with a bottle of red Gatorade, and offered her a hand up.

"C'mon, don't really wanna pass out halfway on the floor, do ya?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Hmmm? No, not really. What was I thinking taking those shots?" Her head was going to hate her a LOT in the morning! "I blame you. You were trying to get me drunk!" She took his hand cheerfully enough though.

[no_andy_taylor]

"It was all my fault," he admitted willingly. "But, it was nice gettin' drunk for a good reason for a change."

Helping her up, he offered her the bottle.

"This'll help some."

[noteasytobepink]

"Well, a semi-good reason. We'll still feel like idiots in the morning." She grinned and offered him some aspirin in exchange for a swig from his bottle.

Nope, Gatorade tasted nasty in any reality. "And we really did get enough for the truck? Realyy really?"

[no_andy_taylor]

He took the aspirin, and chased it with Gatorade when she was done drinking.

"Really. I can even get some nice ones that ain't gonna disintegrate on me."

[noteasytobepink]

"Good. That's three times you've said it'll cover so it must be true." She grinned and kissed his jawline, then winced as the smile pulled on a bruise or two. "I don't like not being able to do much to help with the money Bill, I worry."

[no_andy_taylor]

"'Course, I wouldn't lie t'you."

Of course, he may be guilty of sometimes hiding truths in what he perceives as the best interest of others, but he hasn't really done that with her.

"An' don't worry, it ain't like I'm hard up or nothin'. I promise, it ain't no burden havin' you here. It's actually nice."

[noteasytobepink]

"I know you wouldn't, I just..." yeah. She needed to be reassured sometimes and wasn't going to push past three repetitions? She shrugged and slipped her ram around his waist, using him as a handy prop to keep her icepack against her ribs.

"And I know you're not. I like being here. It's just weird to be more dependent than I normally am."

[no_andy_taylor]

He shuffles along down the hall, leaning into her for balance.

"Just know I don't mind. S'nice t'be needed sometimes."

[noteasytobepink]

Hey, their leaning kind of cancelled out in the middle! Hah! Who said it was impossible to walk a straight line when drunk?! "I don't mind needing people as long as I can be needed too. A balance." That'd be nice. She worked well with balances!

[no_andy_taylor]

He nodded and ambled on down the hallway, not realizing until they were in front of his door that they'd passed her room on.

"Whoop, too far. Y'wanna head back, or is my place alright?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Babe, it's all your place," she pointed out with a laugh. "But ...I'm fine here. I'd have to walk all the way back there and I'm about walked out for tonight."

[no_andy_taylor]

"Well, yeah, it is, but y'know... " he laughed and opened the door.

"C'mon. I think both of us are ready t'fall down."

[noteasytobepink]

"Past ready," she agreed easily. "And I bet your bed is awesome. Best stuff is always in the main bedroom!"

[no_andy_taylor]

"No... okay, maybe, but only because mine is a bit newer. Is your bed awful? I c'n get you a new one."

He plopped down on the edge of the bed, putting the ice pack back against his face, and setting the peas down on the nightstand.

[noteasytobepink]

"My bed is fine. I'm just as used to camping and sleeping in trees as beds!" She chuckled and winced as that pulled as well. Damn bruising. "Doesn't mean I don't like to poke everything to see how it is!" She kicked her shoes off and kept her own ice packs snug against her ribs.

"Where would you prefer I sleep?" Where would she not be in the way or making him wake up?

[no_andy_taylor]

Bill drank a bit more Gatorade, then set that on the nightstand as well.

"Wherever y'want. I think you're a bit more banged up than I am."

Kicking off his shoes, he emptied his pockets then laid back against the pillows, leaving plenty of room for her to choose from.

[noteasytobepink]

"Oh really?" She grinned at him then touched gentle fingers to his cheek, just below the bruising eye. "I don't have a shiner at least." Still, she had no idea what she'd caught in the ribs. A chair maybe?

Eh, whatever.

She kicked her own shoes off and curled on her good side beside him, head resting on Bill's shoulder in lieu of a pillow. "I warn you, I wiggle at night. And sometimes I have bad dreams."

[no_andy_taylor]

He gave a small, soft smile, leaning slightly into her touch.

"S'okay, makes me look butch."

He was glad when she laid close to him, and was more than happy to serve as a pillow. Reaching over to flick off the light, he settled in.

"That's alright. Just know I'm here for you if y'do."

[noteasytobepink]

"My tough guy sheriff?" she chuckled and kissed his shoulder because it was there to be kissed! "Defending my honor and all...don't do that again it's dumb!" she grinned.

"Honor is a really dumb thing to get hurt over."

[no_andy_taylor]

"Well y'can't expect me t'stand by when some guy is bein' a jackass."

It just wasn't in him to do that, no matter how easy going he was.

"You're too good a person t'be treated like that."

[noteasytobepink]

"People are jackasses. That's just how they come sometimes! I've heard a lot worse!" She had! She was a rebel, reality hopping freedom fighter! "Just because someone says it doesn't mean it's true!"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Yeah, well, if y'can't say somethin' nice... " he countered.

"Goes against my upbringin' t'let somethin' like that slide."