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]

"But not in a dating sense," she pointed out. "And if you tell me in daylight that it's better to be friends I won't cry at you you know." She...understood people changing their minds when alcohol wore off!

"I'll hope otherwise but you know," just in case, she'd make sure there was less for him to regret if he did change his mind! "And I'd have had a nice night of kisses and ear nibbles."

[no_andy_taylor]

"What?" Bill blinked at her. "Hey, just because I'm a bit buzzed don't mean I'd-- what kinda jerk you think I am?"

He looked affronted, and a touch hurt. As if he'd just dump her like that.

"I like you, okay?"

[noteasytobepink]

"I like to plan for most outcomes," she admitted softly, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Just in case. I don't think it's the most likely outsome but...just in case. People are...complicated. They do things I can't predict sometimes." For example...he liked her.

Go figure!

"And people not from my world have said I move really fast once I decide I like someone and that spooks people and if I do I'm sorry!"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Well I guess that's a smart thing t'do. Goin' in without a plan is a good way t'get hurt, I s'pose."

It's what had happened with him, he hadn't really prepared for rejection.

"I'm gettin' used t'your way of doin' things, I think. Takes me by surprise sometimes, but it ain't nothin' that's gonna run me off."

[noteasytobepink]

"Well, you haven't seen me get mad yet..." she pointed out almost cheerfully. "I can be intimidating. I don't have Mr. Creed's teeth but still, I'm scary rar!" Fear her!

[no_andy_taylor]

Bill laughed and shook his head.

"Nah-uh. After seein' all the kung-fu, ninja stabby things you c'n do, the last thing I'm gonna do is get you mad."

[noteasytobepink]

"Never did figure out the running on water and sticking to walls bit. I assume real ninjas are part spider." She did! A whole clandestine tribe of Peter Parkers made a lot of sense in some of the worlds she'd seen!

"And good, I"d hate to be mad at you." Naturally, because she'd said it, she'd end up in a world where Bill was the bad guy and they had to fight. It was inevitable.

[no_andy_taylor]

"You just need some suction cup thingies for the wall climbin'." Bill says.

Leaning in, he presses a kiss to her cheek, then pats her hip to let her know he's getting up.

The last of his water is drained, he drops the tab and tip on the table they've been using, and nods at her.

"Come on, I know you want t'go find another game."

And he'd drunk his water, so obviously was now sober enough to go with her.

[noteasytobepink]

"Suction cups don't do a damn thing on concrete," she sighed dramatically and slowly slid from his lap. That was her cue to drain the rest of her water and grin.

Yep.

"I do. Games are fun no matter how they turn out." Griiiin. "Though if you get hurt I'm taking people apart."

[no_andy_taylor]

Bill waved off her concern and hooked a thumb at his chest.

"Hey, I c'n handle myself. I don't need any bodyguard."

Offering her his arm, he started for the door.

"If anyone's gonna be doin' the escortin' here, it's me."

[noteasytobepink]

"Escorting, surely," she agreed with a laugh. "But I'm a violent, violent little girl and I'll pout at you if you don't let me crack heads should the need arise!" She would! Such pouting!

"I assume you know how to get to the other place?"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Well hold on, now, we ain't 'bout t'go raisin' hell. Crackin' heads is only allowed when it's the difference between me gettin' my ass kicked an' not." Just so they were clear.

Holding the door for her, he took a breath of night air when they were outside.

"Yeah, think so. I'm sure it's out here somewheres." Laughing he gestured at the buildings around them, and totally did not stagger a step walking down the sidewalk.

[noteasytobepink]

"Well, I wasn't going to use it as my first diplomatic choice!" She laughed, swaying out the door with him happily. "I'm just saying if the opportunity comes up..." And it might!

Yeah, violent little thing.

"We're going to get lost and end up in a sketchy tattoo parlor aren't we?"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Why do I got the feelin' we're gonna be bruised, in a jail cell or both before tonight's over?" he asked, eying her.

Laughing, he shook his head.

"Nah, I'll get us there. At the very least I c'n promise no tattoos. I learned my lesson on that one long time ago."

[noteasytobepink]

"Bill!" She gasped, mock-offended! "There isn't a jail cell made that could keep me!" Seriously, what was he thinking?!

"And that sounds like a story about tattoos..."

[no_andy_taylor]

"S'now we ain't just gonna get arrested, we're gonna break out, too? Gonna have a record a mile long 'fore this night is out."

He 'tsked' at her, turning the corner and walking along.

"I almost got a tattoo once, in high school," he explained; laughing. "An' just that almost was enough t'get it from my mom. An' she told me, I could live t'be a hundred years old, an' she'd still have my hide if she found out I ever got one."

[noteasytobepink]

"I asked Mr. Creed about a tattoo once. He blinked at me and said 'Sweetie, you're pink. What else do you need?" And, well, tattoos in modern worlds were different than in post-apoc worlds!

"And We'll make surethey don't get your name! Can't be ruining the rep of the nearby sheriff!"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Yeah? What were you gonna get?"

They cross a street and up ahead is the lighted sign of their destination.

"An' what if they get a hold of my ID? What if they interrogate me an' I crack?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Some people we camped with all had marks...it was pretty, so one of those but we didn't stay with them." Because they were captured, really, but still!

"And that, Bill, is why you have a false tooth with poison inside."

[no_andy_taylor]

"Well that's cool." Bill thought so, anyways.

"Poison pill? Uh, no. I ain't that crazy, an' I hope you aren't, either."

[noteasytobepink]

"Nah, but you're talking about a legal institution torturing you so..." She grinned and kissed his cheek. "Ready to go had some bad people the luck they deserve?"

[no_andy_taylor]

"It could happen," was his only reply before he grabbed the door for her.

"I'm ready t'watch you make some more heads explode with your calculatin'," he laughed. "Gonna stick with the beer this time, though, if that's alright." He didn't think he could handle anymore shots.

[noteasytobepink]

"Not in your precinct," she murmured cheerfully in his ear. It wouldn't! Bill was not a torture type guy!

"You know...I don't think about the math much anymore. I have to stop, and think slowly to explain it all!" This was a smokey, dingy little place wasn't it? It would bleed money if she had anything to say about it. "Might want to order the expensive beer. The cheap stuff here might kill you..."

[no_andy_taylor]

"We could probably sit around until doomsday an' I still wouldn't get it all."

Inside Bill cast a look around. This sure wasn't his usual place. It had been years since he'd spent any time in a dive (since he was sneaking into them, actually).

Still, he gave a snort and a smirk.

"Darlin', I was raised on moonshine an' Pabst. I can handle the swill if it comes down to it."

[noteasytobepink]

...honestly, this was closer to the kind of place she'd known as a kid. Mean little bars because even outlaws and slaves wanted to drink sometime. "Mr. Creed said there wasn't any reason I shouldn't get an education just because the world was a mess. Educations increases survival chances." And Bill had had real education opportunities! And No survival drive hammering it in! He didn't need to understand it!

"And there's no reason why you should drink swill when I'm sure there's other options."