milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Bill is downstairs after some breakfast. He sits down at the counter, and before he can even ask, Bar provides him with a loaded plate; eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, a short stack of pancakes, a cup of coffee and orange juice.

Bill grins at the offering, and is about to say thank you when a newspaper appears. Looking at the front page headline his smile falls.

Mardi Gras in Miami

It's not really the headline, but the part underneath that tells how the Saints defeated the Colts 31-17 in the Superbowl that's just killed his good mood.

Bill lifts the paper and shakes his head.

"Aw, c'mon, no. I didn't even know they were playin'."

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His features start to warm with the hug as he gets a stronger whiff of her fragrance, then near bright red when she brings up his Christmas present.

"Uh, yeah, I did. Thanks, it uh... was nice of you."

It does not help that she settles against him a bit, then whispers in a mischievous tone. "And don't I get an actual hug back, Sheriff? I don't bite, you know that."

Bill laughs at her comment and finally returns the hug.

After knowing her so long, Bill has gotten mostly used to being around her, though it still always takes him a minute to straighten himself out after she sneaks up on him.

"How y'been?"

"Very well, I must say." Good Bill... as he relaxes, she relaxes and teases less. "But I missed you."

Come to think of it, when she is not trying to be a pest, The Devil gives very nice warm hugs.

"It's been awhile." Bill nods, pulling back and resettling on his seat.

"I been here, but haven't been around a whole lot."

She takes the next seat over. "Busy with your girlfriend? Or has she decided to make an honest man out of you yet?" Of course she will play a bit.

Bill ducks his head, color rising again.

"I been with her. We been stayin' here, lookin' after Boo an' stuff. Gettin' ready t'head home."

He takes a drink of his coffee, then corrects himself.

"I'm goin' home, Kate's comin' with me again."

There's a mixture of relief and guilt with that, but Kate's assured him it's okay, and he hasn't brought it up again.

She nods, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. "I am glad things are going well for you, Bill."

"Thanks, I'm glad, too. This past year has been pretty rough."

That's probably an understatement, but he doesn't want to start thinking about everything that's happened. He's better off focusing on what comes next, that being going home and finally returning to his job.

"How 'bout you? How're things for you?"

"Oh, very well... just returned from a bit of vacation, met a few new people here, trying to be less scary."

"Some."

"Oh yeah, where'd y'go?"

Bill looks over his breakfast, then back to her.

"Can I get you somethin'?"

It would be rude to start in without offering.

"I am fine, thank you." The Devil smiles. "The mountains... a cabin in the Rockies. Spent a week there, doing... well, nothing serious."

"That sounds pretty nice."

He starts with his pancakes, drowning them in syrup.

"What time of year is it where you went?"

"Late autumn. We left back just after the first snow." Oh, look at the dreamy smile. "It was a wonderful time."

Bill smiles, glad to hear she had a good time with someone, knowing how lonely she's been.

He doesn't want to pry, so asks his next question in a way that leaves it to her how much she wants to say.

"Y'go with someone from here?"

"Weyland Smith. I don't know if you know him, he is a god of the forge, an artisan without peer. Most excellent company."

"Weyland?" His eyes widen slightly, not from finding out who she was with, but, well... "I didn't know he was a god."

Holding out his arm, Bill shows her his watch.

"Kate gave this t'me, said that he made it."

It's a simple watch, with a plain face and leather band, but it's obviously very well made.

"Everything he does is special... I am sure this watch will survive centuries working perfectly."

"I really like it a lot, think it suits me real well."

He draws his arm back and admires the watch.

"Gonna look great with my uniform when I get back."

Thinking about her words, he gives a small smile while touching the watch face.

"Maybe it's somethin' I c'n pass on if I ever manage t'have myself a family."

"I don't see a good reason for you to not have a family, Bill." The Devil smiles tenderly. "You are a wonderful man."

"Thank you, but y'sure there ain't a few reasons y'don't know about?" he says jokingly, trying to cover the slight anxiety buzzing in his guts.

He'd like to have a family, and while he may not admit it openly for several different reasons, he has had thoughts about Kate being the one he can finally start one with.

But, he doesn't want to rush it, doesn't want to inadvertantly do something that will take the chance away, or hope too much for something and jinx it as a result.

He also has personal fears about how well he'd do as a husband and a father.

And so, the joking, and a smile to go with it.

"Does she know you are fretting that bad, Bill?" Oh, she has been watching humans for so long... easy to spot the is-that-one-the-right-one? jitters.

"I have to say, if I were her, I would be having similar ideas..."

"I was just kiddin'," he says, shaking his head quickly. "I ain't frettin'."

He takes a drink of coffee, working out his words, then sets the mug back down.

"I feel like me an' Kate are in a good place, an' it's probably smarter if I don't get too far ahead of myself, y'know?"

"Are you two living together? And I mean living, sharing the same toothpaste tube and seeing each other's sleep-wrinkled faces in the morning? Anyone can sleep together, but sharing a living space for an extended period of time..." The Devil grins. "That, Bill, that is the test of affection."

Bill ducks his head slightly and nods.

"Yeah, we been stayin' together here, an' she's comin' back to Wheelsy with me. It wasn't exactly planned, she started livin' with me after-- after I got shot, but it's been great. She helped me get through that, an' we've been good together. I love havin' her with me."

He looks up with a warm smile.

They've had a few problems, but have managed to get through all the things that have come up. And they've each promised to make it work.