(no subject)

[scurlock]

The change in the weather and the trees should have been the first thing he noticed, but it wasn't. Half-asleep in the saddle, it's not until Cortez picks up the pace at the sight of the barn that Doc realizes that he's no longer riding through Washington Territory.

"Well, I'll be a son of a bitch," he mutters. "About damn time."

He shakes a layer of snow from his hat and coat after dismounting from the horse; once he's made certain that Cortez is situated with fresh water and feed in a dry stall, Doc shoulders his bags and heads for the bar. He's not bathed in some time, his hair is shaggy and his beard hasn't been tended to lately either.

Lighting up a cigarette as he drops into a booth near the fireplace, he motions for a waitrat.

"I want dinner," he tells the rat. "Real dinner, none of that shit I've been eatin' the last six months. And a pot of coffee -- good coffee, if you please."

Doc drops a worn banknote on the rat's tray as it scurries off. He figures it won't hurt to tip from the get-go, after how long it's been since he's haunted these parts.

Comments

[will_scarlett]

After his tending shift ended, Will spent the night at Milliways and has spent the day enjoying the nicer weather.

He's considering what to have for dinner when he sees Doc and walks over, asking the rat for another dinner, then saying for a smile, "Richard's returned an Robin's a lord again. I'm learnin' 'ow to be respectable."

Life is moving forward though there's worry in his eyes, he's waiting for it to disappear.

[scurlock]

"Well I don't know if I'd go so far as t'say you're gonna turn out respectable, Will Scarlett--" Doc drawls with a grin, dropping his smoke into the ashtray on the table so he can hop to his feet and wrap his friend in a bear hug.

[will_scarlett]

"Nay, dinna think I e'er will," He laughs at the hug, no one's chasing him anymore.

[scurlock]

"I'd hate to see you get all gussied up and forget 'bout us outlaw fellas," he replies, slapping Will on the shoulder before he drops back into the booth. He doesn't motion for Will to join him because he doesn't have to offer - it's a given. Will is a trusted friend who he hasn't seen in months.

"Though I will say, you're lookin' good. Bar's been feedin' your sorry ass, at least."

[will_scarlett]

"Been eatin' at Locksley. John an I are Robin's stewards, we're makin' sure folks are gettin' fed an cared for. 'ad to go around to court cause the king likes Robin, that was awful, isna meant for me,"

He sits back down with a shake of his head, its all good and strange.

[scurlock]

"Little bit of high society never hurt nobody," Doc admits. "But you're right. It ain't really meant for me neither. Took awhile to figure that out, but now that I have..." he shrugs. "...you won't see me complainin'. I'm happier for it."

Sure, it would be grand to have property, a home with wooden floors and whitewashed walls, maybe even electricity again. But for the time being, Doc is content with what he has - a horse, a bedroll and a tent, and a direction of travel.

"Seriously speakin', though. I'm glad t'hear that your King has returned. What happened with the Sheriff? He get his due?"

The rat returns with the pot of coffee and two mugs.

[will_scarlett]

"Aye, 'e did from the king. Nay, it doesna but glad to be in Nottingham an makin' it better,"

They're doing what needs to be done, now just with the king's approval.

[electro_kinetic]

"Is the food where you came in from really that bad?"

So asks the girl who's got neon-blue hair in a mohawk and who is busily splitting her time between eating (ramen and gyoza) and leafing through a book on engineering.

[scurlock]

"Not if you're in a decent town," Doc replies. "But I ain't seen one of those in a couple of weeks."

Her hair is...interesting. But he's polite enough not to stare.

[electro_kinetic]

"Mind if I ask where it was you came in from?"

That answer he gave is enough to have her looking up from her book, hair laying over one side of her head as she takes him in. Definitely not from New York, this guy. Nope. "Remind me never to go."

[scurlock]

"Middle of the woods, Washington Territory," Doc replies cheerfully. "Unless you've a fondness for smellin' of pine sap, I don't recommend it."

He will never understand why people settle in a place where it rains so often.

[electro_kinetic]

"Never been that far west," she says. "I got to Colorado a while ago, but a couple of my friends are from around Washington. I'm gonna guess way after you, since it's a state. What year are you, anyway?"

Nori's okay with New York City; she's more comfortable in large populations where she can hide and rely on the skills she's got.

[scurlock]

"Eight-seven," Doc says. "Eighteen eighty-seven." He smiles, though it's wry. "Oregon's gone on and made themselves a state already. I don't doubt Washington will do the same once it gets divided up by the politicians."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Dogmeat's out back somewhere, rolling around in the local stinky things. Ellen's fine with that. He can take care of himself. There are no deathclaws here. She's just going to step in and get-

"Oh, hey. Hi, Doc."

[scurlock]

"Evenin', Ellen," Doc says - standing automatically from the table. Some manners just don't fade, even after a decade of the outlaw life.

However, he'll refrain from grabbing her for a hug - he knows these clothes need washing, and even though he's smelled some of the things she's killed in her world, she doesn't need to get up close and personal with him in his current state.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen grins. "Long time no see," she says, dipping her head in greeting. "You look like you've been busy for a while. Just get in?"

She's in her Brotherhood green uniform, the one with '101' on the nametape. It's dusty and probably smells a bit itself, seeing how the Wasteland doesn't have what you'd call the best of laundries- still, she appreciates the thought.

[scurlock]

"Short while ago, yeah," he tips his head towards the back door. "Should've noticed when it stopped snowin' that I wasn't where I thought I was, but I've been so damn tired the last couple'a days that it took awhile to figure out what'd changed 'bout the surroundings."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Exhaustion will do that to you," Ellen says. "I'm guessing you'll be staying here for a while to get caught up on sleep, or at least to get out of the way of things for a bit, huh?"

[scurlock]

"Yeah, I could use the chance to sleep, get cleaned up, stock up on some supplies and the like." Doc nods. "The Bar does have a habit of appearin' when I need it to."

[notabricklayer]

"Goddamn." That's pretty much McCoy's idea of a warning shot as he ambles into view and helps himself to a seat on the bench opposite. "Where you been, boy?"

[scurlock]

Doc drops his boots off of the bench prior to McCoy helping himself to a seat - and the cigarette he was smoking gets snubbed out in the ashtray.

(But he's not trying to hide it - that ship has sailed.)

"Hell if I know," he offers, with a shrug and a smirk. "I just ride the damn horse, it ain't like it came with one'a those fancy 'Gee-Pee-Es' systems installed on it."

Though given the current state of his haircut, beard, and clothes, McCoy will likely be able to tell that Doc hasn't seen anything near 'civilized' in weeks.

[notabricklayer]

Bones picks his battles - at least Doc appears to be decently fed and in one piece, and he's had the good sense to not go on smoking in front of him. He can let it go for now.

"You doin' alright?" Hey, Spock's not around and he hasn't seen Doc in an age - there's no reason to not let his accent loose.

[scurlock]

"Overall?" Doc thinks about his answer for a moment, pulling a drink from his coffee mug while he considers. "Not half-bad. I ain't been shot at since I last saw you and I ain't fallen off my horse either, so I got that goin' for me at least."

Bones has earned his respect, and therefore, Doc is willing to be a little more forthcoming with his answers.

"I wish this place'd turned up 'bout a month ago - I could've used the chance t'supply up 'fore I set out last. It's been a rough couple'a weeks, but...yeah...I'm doin' alright."

[notabricklayer]

McCoy's gaze is considering, but he nods. He can get more persistent later if he feels the need, but Doc seems to be in good enough spirits at the moment.

"Good. Care if I join you for a meal?" Look, Bones can learn tact - that's so much more graceful than 'you are going to eat a proper meal, right?'.

[scurlock]

Contrary to the previous times that Doc has found himself unexpectedly in Milliways, he's not bleeding out onto the floor and he's not being chased by a gang of pistol-wielding lawmen out for his head. He has reason to be in good spirits. Even if he hasn't seen the inside of a bathtub in weeks, or a hot meal in just about as long.

"Don't mind at all," Doc replies. "I've already ordered, though if you want somethin' other than ice cream you may have to track down your own rat."

(He's joking about the ice cream, but his delivery is deadpan.)