(no subject)

[not_his_pa]

Sometimes William really hates Milliways for all its nice folks who try and help make things clearer. He likes Miss Barlow and knows she's not as law abiding as she might be, but he doesn't know how to not be angry at Ben Wade.

Its one of those things that keeps him going along with Mark's coughing and his Ma's crying and all the nice in Milliways won't change the truth. Wade didn't shoot his father and didn't mean him to die but Charlie Prince shot his Pa to please Ben Wade.

Outside he's found a place to sit leaning against the forge and he wants to do something but there's never enough he can do. The lands theirs by a fingers width and one bad season and its gone, he doesn't even have a gun for target practice, so he stares at the stars he doesn't know and tries not to cry.

Comments

[katyafeline.livejournal.com]

Katya has long been of the mindset that bad things just happen. There's nothing really to be done about it- they happen, and life goes on. There's no talk of fairness. Sometimes of vengence, but not of fairness.

This would be why there's now a large, muscular, fuzzy tiger crashing down to flop down beside him. Ignore the fangs and claws, William. They aren't for you.

[not_his_pa]

William jumps and then says as he carefully rests his hand on her head,

"Oh hello, Katya."

Hopefully in the dark the bruise on his face isn't too obvious.

[katyafeline.livejournal.com]

If she were simply using her eyes, then no, it wouldn't be obvious at all. The shadows hide it very well from human eyes. But she is a creature of the shadows, and they fail to hide anything at all.

"Silly boy. What have you done?" She tsks, pushing her head against his hand as a not-so-subtle clue as to what he should be doing there. She'll get around to sorting that bruise out. Maybe. After all, some pains are earned, and need to be dealt with.

[not_his_pa]

He starts petting her and tries to figure out what she likes,

"Nothin'. I just wanted some quiet."

[katyafeline.livejournal.com]

"And so you walked into a fist, mmm?" She's a fine one to talk, considering the size of the fights she tends to land herself in, but that doesn't change her tone at all.

And clearly, that spot riiiiight behind the right ear is a winner. That's good. Very good.

[starrydome]

Elrond has been walking outside while the sun set and the stars rose. Now he is making his way back and slows his pace as he comes upon young William.

"It is a beautiful evening," he says, quietly. "Even if the stars here are strange and makes me long for the heavens of my homeland."

[not_his_pa]

William looks over and tips his hat, he hadn't expected anyone else to be out here,

"It is, sir. They ain't the starts I know."

[starrydome]

"May I?" Elrond asks, indicating the spot next to William with a small gesture.

He looks forlorn, the young one. So company may be good. Or it may not, in which case he will leave him be.

[not_his_pa]

"Course, there's plenty of space,"

He shifts over and tries to manage a smile but it doesn't reach his eyes.

[adamantiumloner]

It's a cool evening out, with a nice breeze blowing.

William may or may not notice the glowing end of a lit cigar, or the smoke trailing from it, but the man smoking it nearby knows he's there.

He's not really inclined to pay the boy much notice, but probably won't run him off if William decides to acknowledge Logan.

[not_his_pa]

He does notice the light since he used to watching the darkness and nods in the general direction of the light. Best to be polite to whoever else is out there.

[adamantiumloner]

The nod is returned, marked by a dipping of the dot of light, and a puff of smoke.

Logan can be polite, too.

"Wanna beer?"

See?

[not_his_pa]

The question makes him stare for slightly too long before he says,

"Um, no, sir, thank you."

[ostro_goth]

There is a strange human sitting by the forge, so the forge cats come to investigate, carefully, staying out of arms reach and looking at the human from bushes and stacks of wood.

[not_his_pa]

William notices their eyes first and watches them as they're a change from the sky.

[ostro_goth]

There is a tabby cat on top of a stack of wood, watching his every move.

She might be thinking she's a tiger, and he's legitimate prey, the way she looks at him.

[not_his_pa]

He offers his hand to the cat, "Don't have any food for you."

[architekt]

Annabeth is just leaving the Outside for the Bar after an evening jog, walking past the forge, when she sights William.

She pauses before she approaches, watching him for a moment.

(Admittedly, she had mistaken him for Percy again, until the cowboy clothes made themselves clear.)

Except - he doesn't look too good.

"Hey ..." she says. "You okay?"

[not_his_pa]

"Hello, Annabeth. What are you doin' out so late?"

He tries to make his voice sound like he's fine, but it doesn't really work.

[architekt]

She crouches by him, on the balls of her feet.

"I was just heading back to the Bar, actually," she says. "I was jogging for a bit.

"Are you okay, William?" she repeats.

Because she feels like it bears repeating.

[not_his_pa]

He touches the bruise on his face which is healing and tries to manage a smile,

"Just tired of the crowds inside was all."

SO incredibly belated, but TAGGING YES <3

[filemyclaim]

Dixie's promenading. She does that, sometimes, out in the starlight, mainly because she likes the sound of her own voice singing now and again.

And she stops cold in her tracks at the sight of William.

"Child, what's happened?"

[not_his_pa]

Her singing reminds him of the mermaid before he realizes its her and tries to look like he's not near crying,

"Hello, Miss Dixie."

[filemyclaim]

She sees the tracks of his tears in the moonlight. "What happened?" she repeats herself.

[not_his_pa]

The bruise on his face is fading but also there and he tugs his hat down slightly,

"Nothin'."