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.insanejournal.com]

Bill snorted and grinning at her over the rim of his beer.

"Right. If I'd of been asked an hour ago I'd have said I didn't have a shot in hell with you."

[noteasytobepink]

"Oh?" She asked, arching an eyebrow as she racked. Someone would come over, it was inevitable. "Why would that be?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"'Cause you're you an' I'm... me." Which didn't sound right, and made no sense so he tried again.

"I mean, you're pretty, an' outgoin'. You've been all them places an' had all them adventures. You go runnin' for miles for fun, an' think nothin' of blinkin' off to the other side of the world."

His tone came out with a certain fondness and admiration as he gave voice to the things he'd taken notice of since she moved in with him.

"An' me, I'm a small town homebody. Didn't think I had anything that might interest you."

[noteasytobepink]

"You," she noted casually, "have saved the world from hostile invasion, no matter your reasons for doing so you did. You are also generous, kind to a fault, and know how to appreciate the simple pleasures in life most people look down on. Why wouldn't you be awesome?" Simple as that really.

"And to be honest Bill? People like me? We're just regular people too. Running, popping around? Those are just my personal habits and routines are comforting, just like for anyone else." She leaned her cue on the table and sashayed over to lean against his side again. "Plus, someone who has, and holds to, a home? That's amazing in my life Bill."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

He listened and smiled, and blushed, but with the heavy buzz that's really more like drunk at this point, he doesn't bother to try and hide it.

Instead he put his arm around her again, and grinned down at her.

"I guess I am pretty awesome, huh?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Yes sir you are," she agreed easily. "And you're lucky I'm a good person or I'd probably molest you at this point." SHE MIGHT!

"And now we need some opponents. Spot any likely candidates?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

He chuckled into his mug, giving her a look over the rim of the glass.

"I might not mind that so much."

Taking a healthy swallow, he glanced around the room.

"Hm, I dunno. Guys over there seem pretty full on themselves."

[noteasytobepink]

"Yeah, but you'd get all tense and weird around me once you sobered up." Nope! She'd molest him properly when he was cold sober and asked her to! That was alright though, kissing was nice for now.

And those men did look full of themselves. "Hmmm, so how do we hook them?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Hey, m'not drunk. Takes more'n a couple shots t'get Bill Pardy toasted."

Looking at the small group he arched an eyebrow at her.

"We? Hey, this is your game. I'm an innocent bystander here."

[noteasytobepink]

"But you are relaxed enough to let me kiss you without going all stiff on me..." And she did appreciate that a great deal!

"You're the local, what will they respond to? I don't want to go slap them as a challenge say...maybe if we got in a mock fight? Made it look like they could swoop in on a girl or a guy depending on their taste?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

Bill snerked then snickered and laughed, catching the double entendre that she probably hadn't meant to include in that.

Still laughing, he looked over at the group again. He studied them, thought it over, then shrugged and lowered his beer to whistle at them.

"Hey. Y'all wanna play the lady? She's tired of kickin' my ass."

He turned back to Clarice and gave her a 'how's that?' smile.

[noteasytobepink]

"Or we could use the simple and direct method." She chuckled and waved, friendly like, at the other group. "Things can go wrong when you over plan things!" And she'd really meant for him to call people over from the beginning.

She just hadn't wanted to accidentally poke his pride by saying something like being tired of him!

"Annnnnd...you're laughing at me."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

The three guys looked at each other and decided to come over.

Shaking his head, Bill took a step back to give Clarice room to work.

"Nah, I'm just laughin'." He wasn't about to explain why.

[noteasytobepink]

"Sure you are babe." She snorted and then turned a bright smile on the trio that came over. "My date here thinks we should go home, thinks I may have had too many shots. I told him I could still play the pants off anyone here. Game?" They'd seen the pair taking shots right?

Soooo many shots.

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

One of the group smirked.

"Sure, I'll play you."

Bill took a seat with the other two, giving a nod of greeting as the pool game was set up.

"Hey, how's it goin'?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Eh, hasn't been as lively around here as we like," one admitted to Bill. The other was watching Clarice, and the customary "She's pink!" slipped out.

As for her partner, well, Clarice graciously let him break. "I won't be going easy on you. Hope your ego can handle it."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

Bill chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah. It's a uh-- it's a thing." He couldn't remember their cover story right at that moment.

"Sound pretty confident there, missy. That mean you won't cry if'n I win?" The guy chaulked his cue and leaned on the table to smile at her.

[noteasytobepink]

"A thing? She's pink!" Just, that was some thing! The other man, the quieter one less focused on the pink was comfortably drunk, so he leaned toward Bill and asked quiet seriously "Does it taste like bubblegum when you kiss?" Okay, so maybe he was a little focused on the pink too.

Clarice just smiled, simple and open at the man. "Takes a lot more than my pride riding on a game to make me cry. Why, you wanna try to make me?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"I know she's pink, ain't color blind here." Bill replied, then barked a laugh at the other.

"Not that I noticed."

"Not my aim, no," he man shook his head. "I also don't mind makin' things interestin', though."

[noteasytobepink]

"Huh," the asking about bubblegum flavor harumphed in surprise. Really, seemed like she should you know? "Still, damnest thing."

"Well, I do prefer people not trying to make me cry," Clarice admitted. "But I'm always up for escalation. What did you have in mind?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Yeah, she's somethin'." Bill smiled.

"Well, assuming you got it to lose, what about five bucks a ball?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Something pink." And didn't that just take all. "Oh...looks like Blake there is getting ready to take your lady for a ride. No one here bets with him any more."

Clarice eyed the table then smiled; guileless, innocent, and naive seeming. "Bill, babe? Do we have the cash?"

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

Bill turned his attention back to the table.

"Yeah, why? You gonna need it?"

Blake cracked a grin.

"Yeah, mister, she'll be needin' it."

"But, didn't you say you were gonna be takin' their money?" Bill asked as he passed over his beer to hold so he could reach for his wallet. He could have sworn that was the plan.

[noteasytobepink]

Clarice shrugged, "Gotta have money to wager if we're going to win or lose any. Else we'll have to play for something else." And Bill had the money!

The men sitting near Bill chuckled. "Don't let his looks fool you, Blake there is a mean pool player when he wants to be."

[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

"Alright, well... I got sixty... sixty-four bucks. An' a stick of gum."

He held it out to her, glancing at the other two.

"Oh, she's got this. It's my job t'be the good guy an' warn folks. Which, right, uh, be sure you wanna do this, man. She's better than you think you are."

Money and disclaimer duties done, Bill reclained his beer and went back to drinking on the sidelines.

Blake only chuckled at Bill and laid down his own money, taking up his cue and making the break. He sunk three on the break, including two solids which he followed with a third before it was her turn.