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!

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[noteasytobepink]

"Depends," she shrugged. "If I open a portal it's just like opening a door you can step through. A little tingle, maybe just a touch longer to cross a threshold, but easy and simple." Under ideal circumstances.

"If I teleport you directly it can get bumpy, or if I'm injured and exhausted the doorway method can get bumpy, but no one has ever dropped more than a foot or two to the ground when they arrive." Maybe Bill's mom would like Aruba?

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Like walkin' through a door."

Okay, so that didn't sound bad, but he still had misgivings. Debating with himself a moment, he looked at the snake.

"Can you do him? Send him to the other side of the road."

He'd seen her do inanimate objects, time for animal testing.

[noteasytobepink]

She gave him an annoyed look to cover the mild hurt; after all, she'd been nothing but honest and she wouldn't hurt him. She wouldn't! "Because I'm totally in the habit of interrupting naps." The snake looked comfy!

Damn.

"What method Bill?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

He just wanted to see it done! She had him more than halfway to giving in already.

"What if a car comes by? You're savin' his life," he pointed out. "An' I'm not touchin' him to move him through, so the direct method, I guess."

Chances were if it was as easy going as she was saying the snake wouldn't wake up, anyways.

[noteasytobepink]

Yeah yeah yeah.

"You got something against snakes?" Clarice asked after a moment of thought. "Or is it just handy?" Because, well, she'd have chased the snake through a portal if he wanted. Easy.

Either way though, she snapped a small portion of her stick off (she didn't need much for something small), held it until it glowed, then tossed it straight at the poor snake.

Which disappeared.

And reappeared five feet away on the far side of the road.

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"I just don't wanna get bit."

He laughed when the snake blinked out and reappeared. It looked annoyed, but no worse for wear.

"Wow, that was cool."

[noteasytobepink]

"Gee, thanks." She snorted and twirled her stick cheerfully. "I am good at what I do. I've been blinking for about as long as I've been walking." So there non-believer!

"Unless things are drastically different on your world, a solid colored snake like that with a blunt nose isn't poisonous and isn't likely to bite you so relax Bill. You're safe and all."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

Now it was Bill's turn to look affronted.

"I know what a Brown snake looks like. Just 'cause they ain't poisonous doesn't mean tanglin' with one is fun."

He also felt the need to defend his cautious approach to all of this.

"I also haven't done any of this before. It ain't that I don't trust you, it's that I've never done it. You could tell me you've been sky divin' a million times, but I'd still baulk at jumpin' out of a plane."

Looking up and down the road again to check for a car that probably wasn't coming, he muttered, "Ain't even been on an airplane before an' you want me t'leap out of one... "

With a resolved sigh he gave in.

"Alright, but I want the walk through one. I don't wanna be blinked anywhere."

[noteasytobepink]

"Bill...you have been on a plane," she pointed out blandly. Blandly enough that she was probably teasing because yes, she did get where he was coming from.

"Doc put me through the scientific method too, it's just..." eh, she shrugged and charged the bigger stick left in her hand. "Sounds different coming from you is all."

And lo, a portal! It opened about six feet in front of Bill after Clarice threw the stick, unraveling into pink light motes and...a perfect view of Bill's kitchen.

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"The once. An' that whole take off an' landin' thing ain't the best."

He did feel a bit bad for the whole twenty questions thing, though, and so when she made the portal appear he did his best not to blink or jump.

Looking at it, he even smiled, because he was impressed with her abilities.

"Wow."

Looking at her, he nodded, then faced the portal. He was tempted to stick only his hand through, first, but decided in this case taking a plunge was the only way to do it.

Steeling himself, he stepped through.

[noteasytobepink]

"Never did see the appeal of traveling wrapped in a tin can myself," she admitted, stepping up beside him so she could peer through the portal as well. Yep, right where she'd intended it to go.

Bill's kitchen was a private place, nobody was going to see them, and frankly she liked his kitchen.

Stepping through was exactly as she promised. A little tingly, but she was well rested, unrushed, and no one was going through at speeds that had to be compensated for.

"So...now what?" she asked softly when the were both through. Because if he was going to freak out it would probably be now?

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

He held his breath and was braced for anything going through.
The tingling wasn't bad, and suddenly being in his kitchen was pretty surreal.

Looking around, he checked himself and then the room before looking back to her.

"Huh. That was... cool."

Very cool, actually.

[noteasytobepink]

She let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and grinned at Bill. "Really?" There was so much relief in that one word that, well, it was obvious she'd been expecting some form of freaking out.

Possibly rejection.

Mutants had been hunted for less.

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

He saw that relief there, and realized she'd been waiting on his reaction.

Smiling to reassure her, he nodded.

"Yeah, that's pretty amazin'. You were right, nothin' to it, an' now we ain't on the side of the road anymore, so I'm happy."

[noteasytobepink]

"Eeee!" She squeaked and swept forward to hug Bill tightly before finally letting the portal fade out behind them. Why yes she'd been leaving it open in case she needed a quick escape from a screaming Bill...

...yeah, his opinion was important to her. Incredibly important.

After the hug she stepped back and bounced on her toes. "So, now. We...call a tow truck? Or a cab? Still want to get to town?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

He was getting used to being pounced by her, and so he just laughed and returned the hug.

"Well, I can just call Jeff and have him go out and fetch my truck. He'll toe it here an' I can work on it later. I'm still up for goin' into town if you are. Just gimme a minute to get changed."

Since they were home and all.

[noteasytobepink]

"Oh, yeah, getting changed would be a good idea huh?" Right! She could do that too! "Is it a dress kinda place you were thinking of of a jeans and tank top kinda place? Since I have the option now?" Yes, this was called down the hall as she headed for her room!

And then, then, she'd have to find reference photos of where they were headed!

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Well, I had a jeans an' boots bar in mind, but if you wanted some place nicer... " He maybe should have asked her before.

"We could do a fancier place."

[noteasytobepink]

"I wanna go where you wanna go," she laughed. "Just figured I asked since I have clothing options here that weren't available in your truck!"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Alright. Well, maybe next time I'll let you drag me out in my fancy duds."

For now blue jeans and his customary plaid shirts would do.

Heading toward his own bedroom, Bill changed out of his wet clothes.

[noteasytobepink]

She was happy to throw on some hip huggers and a baby doll tee. Good enough for a boots bar? Totally.

"C'monnnnn Bill you're taking forever!" She caled laughing when she left her own room. Why not tease?

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"I'm comin'," he said, walking down the hall and finishing the last few buttons on his shirt.

"You still gotta get directions anyways, so don't be rushin' me." Buttons done, he straightened out his shirt and tucked it in, giving her a 'so there' look.

[noteasytobepink]

"Don't be rushing you? Want to go back to ambling along the road babe?" She laughed and struck a long suffering pose. "You haven't even told me the name of where we're going so how can I research? You cripple me!"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"You threatinin' to zap me back to the middle of nowhere?" He was shocked, and properly (mockingly) afraid and compliant.

"Alright, it's Sam's Leaning Palmetto, in Charleston. Y'don't wanna pop us in the middle of the place, so somewhere down the street? I think it's on Asher Avenue."

[noteasytobepink]

"Nah, that'd just be mean." She admitted with a sigh. "Gotta set a better example than that." For mutants everywhere!

"Probably somewhere down the street since you don't want me advertising the popping thing."