[[ mixed muses-verse // ben-tiwa ]]

[almosthonorable]

whitetextiswhite

[ "we could go someplace where you're not wanted" ]


He caved.

(Caved like a dynamited rock tunnel.)

His only stipulation had been that Tiwa had to wait for him to move his door to Mexico.

Which is why he's smirking as he strides into the bar and finds Little Miss Magic curled on one of the couches.

"Found us the perfect place," he says, tipping his head toward the Front Door.

Ascensión awaits.

Comments

[almosthonorable]

"I gotta get me some pockets like yours."

[piwakawaka]

"Also helps to have a Mum to get stuff from."

She tosses him a pie and settles down on the bed roll before tossing over a packet of tea,

"Should drink something too."

[almosthonorable]

He's more than a little excited about the pie; the tea pouch hits his shoulder and lands on his knee.

"Lemme boil some -- "

A beat.

"Well, unless you can you make cups of hot water just appear, Little Miss Magic."

[piwakawaka]

"That would be messy."

With a grin, she starts munching on a pie of her own.

[almosthonorable]

He chortles and gets up with a quiet groan as his muscles protest.

"Hold on, you'll have your tea in just a minute."

He rustles in his saddlebags and comes back with a small pot and a canteen; within minutes, he's pouring boiling water into two dented tin cups.

[piwakawaka]

"Thank you, do you want milk or sugar with yours?"

From her pockets come first a few little containers of half and half and then some little sugar packets, soon her tea is quite sweet and milky.

[almosthonorable]

Ben takes both, and it's possible his tea winds up even sweeter and milkier.

He nurses it and gives Tiwa a wry half-smile.

"It ain't coffee, but it really ain't half-bad."

[piwakawaka]

"Coffee's only good if its really sweet and has chocolate in it."

[almosthonorable]

"Now that ain't quite so -- you just haven't had the good stuff."

A beat.

"We'll have to remedy that in the mornin'."

Ben makes damn good coffee; it's nearly on par with Bar's.

[piwakawaka]

"Alright, I guess I'll believe it from you."

She leans back and pulls the blanket up over herself with a grin,

"Tell me about this place, feels old here."

[almosthonorable]

"'Cause it is old," he says, lips curving into a half-smile.

"Old Mexico, and I'm not wanted here."

He settles against the smooth, tall rock at his back.

"It's a beautiful country, beautiful people -- and kind. Most of 'em ain't like the man we met today."

A pause.

"Some of the prettiest coast you'll ever see, too. We'll get there tomorrow, before the sun goes down."

[piwakawaka]

"Music was full of life and heartache."

That gets a laugh and she sings a quick trill,

"I'm an island girl so you'll have to impress me."

[almosthonorable]

"Oh, you're gonna be impressed, Little Miss Magic, don't you worry."

Smirk.

[piwakawaka]

"We'll see. Do you know any songs from here, I want to learn one."

She leans over and kisses his cheek with a smile before settling down again, he's so silly.

[almosthonorable]

Ben looks deep in thought.

Then:

"La cucaracha, la cucaracha,
ya no puede caminar
porque no tiene, porque le falta
las dos patitas de atrás -- "

[piwakawaka]

He gets considered for a bit,

"What's it mean?"

[almosthonorable]

He clears his throat.

"Translation's 'the cockroach, the cockroach, can't walk anymore because it doesn't have, because it's lacking its two back feet.'"

[piwakawaka]

Her laughter completely fills the night air, startling a few birds as they try and sing along with the strange sound.