Wheelsy AU ~ Tire changing

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"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.insanejournal.com]

"Yeah, I got a charcoal Webber an' a propane grill. Been in storage awhile, but outta still do the job."

Thinking about food, he shrugged.

"Well I can guarantee we'll get at least two or three potato salads. Someone will likely bring a jello mold an' dip. Desserts will probably be covered, too. Might wanna make biscuits or maybe some corn bread. Baked beans, fruit or somethin'. We invite enough folks an' whatever's made will get eaten."

Nodding about the cloud, he pounted and traced out the figure.

"Yeah, it's a lake monster, got humps an' a long neck."

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"So, what, we need to pull them out of mothballs and scrub them down?" The grills that was. "We can have a scrub fest, scour that old picnic table out back too. Do we need more seating? Maybe some logs?" Or would everyone sit inside? Pity, it was nice in the evenings!

Huh, well, she wouldn't pout about not making a dessert then. She could handle staples! "Beans, fruit slices, biscuits and corn bread, maybe a three day chili for those who don't want burgers? I can set that to simmer days ahead of time..." And it went well with cornbread!

"...in what lake? Is it dangerous?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Yeah, shouldn't be too hard. Got some foldin' chairs an' such, too. Probably borrow some from folks if we need to."

In small towns chairs kind of migrated from one event to the next.

"Chili would be good. All that sounds real good. I'll do burgers an' dogs, maybe some chicken."

Chuckling about Nessie, he shook his head.

"Nah. It's in Loch Ness, in Scotland. Just one of those stories, like Bigfoot."

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"There's a log or two deeper in the woods that'll work too. I'll pop them in toward the end of the yard? See if folk want a bonfire maybe? Logs make good fire seats." That or she was an old fashioned gal?

"I'll do chili!" And they would totally have the meat aspect covered!

...

...

"I have a teammate by the name Sasquatch, we have fought a Wendigo." So asking if Nessie was real was a TOTALLY VALID THING OKAY?

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"A bonfire? You tryin' to burn down my house?"

He chuckled and shook his head.

"Hell, if that's the kind of party you're lookin' for we'll have t'throw it at the lake, or borrow someone's field. Then we can do it right."

Raising an eyebrow, he looked at her.

"You gotta teammate... of course you do."

Really, how could he not have expected that.

"Huh."

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"Not at all! I like your house! Small fire then, camp fire. You have a big backyard Bill!" Fire within forty feet of his house wouldn't hurt it! Poooouuuuut!

"And you brought up party. I was good with barbeque. If you want a louder coming out thing though..." She could work with that! Bigger pot of chili in the making though...

"Yep. Magic and magic based folk are also pretty common in my life Bill."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Hey, here in the South we do a bonfire we do it right." Which means Big.

"Bonfire is definitely more of a party than a get together. I'm good with just a barbeque, though. But, uh... let's not call it a 'coming out thing', that uh, that means somethin' entirely different."

Blushing a bit.

"I wouldn't call Bigfoot or Sasquatch magic. They're more... prehistoric. Or, supernatural, if you're stretchin' it. Don't think I've ever heard of Bigfoot pullin' any rabbits out of a hat."

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"Ah, you set everything on fire until the air patrol calls you on the phone to yell?" Bonfire of doom. Doooooom.

"Coming out of mourning thing. What else could it mean?" Also not up on the repressing sexuality thing really! "I'm good with a plain old barbeque though." It was easier! And less fire-y!

"Magic is more the source than anything else. Wendigos are such from a curse, even modern Wendigos. Same with Sasquatch."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"I ain't in mournin'," just so that was clear. "And um, the phrase can also mean that a person is gay, an' lettin' the world know about it."

He was quick to add, "Which is fine, I got nothin' against it, I just don't wanna confuse folk, 'cause I ain't."

Easier and less fire-y it was, then.

"Alright. I guess we can put it together in a week or so. Give us time to clean up an' get ready for it. Invite folks."

Hearing about curses, he wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Huh. The TV always just makes it out like they're a different kind of ape, or ancient humans or somethin'."

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"Right, just a funk." Much better than mourning really! Also easier to deal with in the long run! "Oh...why would they have to let the world know? It would only matter to people they want to date right?" Thinking it over...thinking it over...

"Wait, do people have to hide sexual preference on this world?" That didn't make any sense! None! Grar.

Thingy.

"And I guess in a world without a heavy magic influence a bigfoot could be? But a Sasquatch is always suppose to be magical. It's weird when people think they're the same thing."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Funk. I'll go with funk."

He nodded, and then his expression turned a bit apologetic.

"Some do. Either 'cause they're afraid of what others'll think, or like you said, it's nobody elses damn business."

He turns onto his side, propping up on one elbow as the magic/Bigfoot talk has his interest.

"They ain't the same? Huh. I figured it was all just different names for the same hairy dude. Bigfoot, Sasquatch, the Yeti. So what sorts of magic does Sasquatch have, then?"

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"Not the cool kind of funk," she made sure to point out. Funk was also, apparently, a music style so she had to make the distinction!

"Weird world Bill, weird world." And that was her comment on that really. Her world, the worlds she went through? Lot better things to worry about than who wanted to sleep with who and why.

Awww, he was now blocking some of her cloud viewing! Maaannnnn! "Hmmm? Not having magic herself, but cursed, magical transformation. Some faster healing, turns into big, furry snow beast everyone calls a guy."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Definitely not the cool kind," he agreed easily enough.

"Yeah, sometimes."

He wasn't hovering over her! Just sitting up.

"Sasquatch is a she? Huh."

He would be sure to remember that, should he ever run into her.

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Him sitting up still blocked half the sky over thattaway! "My sasquatch is a she. Not every sasquatch though, should you encounter many somehow." One never knew! And it could be a deadly insult to call one a girl if he wasn't!

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"I guess I'll just be careful 'bout what I say if I ever run into one."

Laying back again, he adjusted his shirt which was starting to dry, so it wouldn't stick to him.

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"Best course of action," she agreed. "In fact, it's a good tactic for most interdimensional meetings." Because why not give him the ABC's of such travel?

"That and don't get munched." She rolled over to lay on her stomach, letting the other half of her clothing catch some sun.

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

It was a good rule of thumb.

"You run into many situations where you might get munched?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Zombies, creepy space aliens, evil hamsters..." she shrugged and watched a line of ants march past her nose. "Generally if they aren't talking when you arrive, assume you could be munched by accident."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Or on purpose." Geez.

Letting his eyes slip closed, he took in a deep breath.

"Lucky for me, I've kind of already tackled two of those, so I think I'd be able to handle evil hamsters. Maybe."

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"Wear boots," she opined cheerfully. "Nice, thick boots." Granted, the hamsters had been a joke but she could keep rolling with it!

"And yeah, you have." Yep. He was a hero, simple as that. Was it any wonder another had landed in his lap? "Came to it could you do it again?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Boots. Gotcha." He was mostly sure she was kidding, but then again, given all he's heard from her maybe evil hamsters were a thing.

His eyes reopened on her question, and he was quiet a minute thinking about it. It wasn't easy, revisiting that night, and if it were to happen again he wouldn't have the same motivation to get through it he did before, but that didn't mean he wouldn't fight, that he would just let things unfold.

"Yeah. If I had to."

He let out a chuckle that was less humurous and more trying to shake a shiver of unsettledness that had crossed him.

"I wouldn't want to, mind. God, I hope nothin' like that ever happens again, but it's my job. I'd do whatever I could t'keep my town an' its people safe."

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"Well, boots are always useful as I'm sure you're aware." Being a solid country boy and all. She wiggled around until she coudl use his side as a pillow and went back to staring at the sky.

"That's...good." Sort of. "It's the real difference between heroes of the moment and real heroes Bill. Heroes of the moment have one drive, one single thing keeping them from breaking down during a single crisis. Real heroes can do it, every damn day if necessary, because it needs to be done."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

He lifted his arm without thinking, giving her room to lay against him, and tucked his hand behind his head.

He continued to look up without really seeing the clouds as he considered her words.

"I don't really know which kind I am." He didn't really like being called a hero, but his actions fit the definition, he supposed.

"I do what I got to everyday doin' the Job, but it's not a crisis day in an' out."

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"Yeah, you're a cop." And many cops were heroes, but not all. "I hope you don't have to find out really. You're a good guy, you deserve a quiet life if you want one." She was big on people leading the lives they wanted.

"Cops deal with the small, day to day problems. Heroes handle the giant stuff, and if you're lucky your world doesn't get big stuff too often."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

Looking down his torso at her, he asked, "What sort of life would you want? If you could choose?"