[[ milliways ]]

[almosthonorable]

whitetextiswhite

It's early -- early enough that the bar proper is more quiet than loud. Ben likes mornings like this in here, when he can sit with his coffee at one elbow and his hat by the other on the counter, and he isn't taking up more space than might be considered polite.

This particular morning, he's also got a box of ammunition in front of him, courtesy of Bar; as soon as the gray light outside bleeds to red-gold, he'll stride out back for some target practice.

Comments

[almosthonorable]

Ben's mouth opens.

Closes.

Opens again.

And he chuckles, rich and low.

"No."

A beat.

"We don't really have 'em. But I tend toward the live ones, anyhow."

[ellectrical]

"Yeah, well."

She takes one step toward him. There's no smile anymore, though nothing else, either. Her expression has dimmed, but hasn't turned cold.

"That's usually how it is for me."

[almosthonorable]

He sobers, again wondering about the specifics of the kind of work Elle takes on.

"And do you hire people to help you not get killed?"

[ellectrical]

It takes her a moment to answer this.

"Usually they owe me," she says, finally.

Unless it's X.

"And it's - to do something I can't."

After another pause, she adds, "Usually I'm the one that gets hired."

[almosthonorable]

His eyes cut to the obliterated target, and he tips his head toward her in deference.

"I'm not surprised -- you're a smart hire."

[ellectrical]

She shrugs one shoulder, her expression dimming a little again.

"And I'm really cheap."

There's a beat, and she gets something of a small smile back. "And I can take care of myself."

[almosthonorable]

Ben's forehead wrinkles.

"Now, I'll admit, I don't know the first thing about what the goin' rate would be, or what the market looks like where you are. But."

He lifts a hand to tick off points with his thumb and fingers.

"You can handle yourself, you can handle a gun, and with what else you can do, why wouldn't you raise your price?"

[ellectrical]

"I don't need the money."

Her eyes flicker away to the target for a moment, then back.

"Sometimes - other stuff. But not that."

[almosthonorable]

The answer earns another nod, short and quick.

He's still curious, but he won't press the issue; Lord knows he's the last person who should ask others about their motivations when it comes to dangerous lines of work.

[ellectrical]

But Elle lingers, making no more motion than to tilt her head slightly.

Maybe waiting to see if he'll ask, or lead into something else.

[almosthonorable]

Ben tips his head toward the range.

"All done out here?"

[ellectrical]

She glances toward the target, then back again.

And in a manner that probably doesn't need to be so coy, "Can I try it with yours?"

[almosthonorable]

"You can," he says, one corner of his mouth quirking upward. "Just not with this one."

("Gun's got a curse on it.")

"You mind waitin' out here for a minute while I go get another one of mine for you?"

[ellectrical]

But something goes slightly distant in her expression (the arrangement doesn't make her very comfortable, especially as she'd been playing her own game), and she moves to slip her own gun back in her holster.

"I think I'll wait 'til next time."

[almosthonorable]

Gauging her reaction -- and he's sure he's disappointed her -- he steps closer.

"All right."

He takes off his hat and sets it lightly on Elle's head.

"Next time it is, Goliath. I'll be sure to bring a spare every time I come out here, just in case."

[ellectrical]

Elle manages to not show much reaction to the hat, just staying still enough so that it doesn't slip off.

But after a few moments, she gets bored trying to think of an answer, and in lieu of it straightens up, needing to move up to her toes and limit the incline of her head so that the hat stays on. Her right hand presses against his shoulder for balance as she takes her time with it, but ultimately kisses his cheek.

There are some sparks with it, but only a few, and nothing that's enough to hurt.

[almosthonorable]

Ben's stubbled cheek is tingling -- it's not unpleasant, just unexpected, but he doesn't jerk away from the contact.

" -- you're welcome," he says, but somehow it sounds more like thank you.

[ellectrical]

She's still not particularly quick about it, but Elle lowers herself to her feet, and moves her hand from his shoulder again.

Her only response is a smile that edges awfully close to a grin, before she takes a step away, and turns.



Ben may want to stop her before she (only maybe inadvertently) walks off still wearing his hat.

[almosthonorable]

Swallowing back a bemused chuckle, his longer strides bring him even with her a moment later.

That hat's on loan, after all.

[ellectrical]

Elle just glances over, her smile intact, and makes no move to step away.

But Ben is going to have to take his hat back.

[almosthonorable]

"You know," he says, conversational as can be as they approach the bar's back door, "you don't look half-bad in that. We may have to see about gettin' you one of your own, that'll actually fit."

[ellectrical]

If she didn't forget, the look she gets, with her eyes moving upward and her mouth curling into a faintly surprised expression, is not an unconvincing one.

But she still doesn't hand it back; instead, she quickens her pace, then cuts across to stop in front of him.

"It'd stand out in my world." Elle sounds just a little regretful about it.

[almosthonorable]

"Even if you're on a horse?"

Assuming Elle has access to horses at home, and actually rides.

[ellectrical]

Elle bites her lip.

(She's done cars, vans, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and even, because her father absolutely made her, a motorized boat. Thus it was for two people whose abilities didn't include teleportation or flight.

But even with all that preparedness, horses had never come up.)

[almosthonorable]

After a pause, "You've never been on a horse."