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[dog_eat_dog]

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[dog_eat_dog]

"You weren't an asshole when we first met, so there's more to it than just me being there," she tells him, seriously, and she cups his jaw on her other hand, thumb stroking idly, carefully. "And if I'm allowed to have a dozen fuck-ups, you are too."

[stand_unshaken]

It's so nice. He closes his eyes and rests his sore head in her calloused palms, indescribably grateful for her care.

"But what if I go back home and do this? I shoot some fella 'cause we're both drunk as hell, and that's my second chance wasted?"

[dog_eat_dog]

"Then you just don't get drunk as hell," she says, with the slightest shrug. She has no idea how that works. She remains convinced that she herself will do the exact same, though less from drinking and more out of pure spite. "You know what kind of bullshit will start that, so you just... don't get yourself into it."

[stand_unshaken]

"You got a lotta faith in me," he murmurs, because she does, and because he doesn't believe he deserves it right now.

[dog_eat_dog]

“Turnabout is fair play, and all,” Tess says. “We’re doing this together, right?”

[stand_unshaken]

"Right."

Yes. Sure. But he can't square that with his behavior, all the time.

"Just... figured that weren't the way my role played out."

[dog_eat_dog]

Maybe not all the time, but Tess hasn't had high expectations for any sort of law and order for years. She just nods, still petting his cheek with her thumb.

"It's not like there are any guidelines," she replies. "I think you're stuck in your own head on this one, Arthur."

[stand_unshaken]

He lets out a long, slow sigh. "You reckon?"

He means it. Does she really think that's all this is?

[dog_eat_dog]

“At least a little, yeah,” she replies. “I’m not saying you didn’t do bad shit. I have too. I’m just saying if it’s cutting you up this bad, you’re a long way from evil. Plenty of people don’t think twice. They justify instead, you know?”

She feels like she knows something about that.

[stand_unshaken]

"Micah always did that," he agrees, hoarsely. He never talks about Micah. "Did something selfish, then said I'm doing it to help the gang, Black Lung, what are you doin' about it?"

He sighs again and raises a hand to pat hers.

[dog_eat_dog]

“Micah’s an asshole,” she replies, matter-of-fact. “And you’re doing what you can to keep Dutch from dragging everyone down with him, and that’s why you’re a warden. There are lines, and even if you cross ‘em sometimes, you know where they are. That’s what matters, Arthur.”

[stand_unshaken]

He tugs her hand away from his face, gives her a pleading look, and then tips forward. He doesn't know how to thank her for that particular faith, those particular works, so he just wraps his arms around her and breathes out.

He already said she's like family. Maybe it's more than that: she's a part of him that's outside of himself, looking right inside in turn. He can only hope she feels the same way, because if he ever tells her that she's going to tell him he's a big sap.

[dog_eat_dog]

When he wraps his arms around her, it occurs to her how unusual it is to have anyone be this vulnerable around her. It makes her feel both unnerved and deeply committed to protecting that moment. She get an arm around him in turn, and a hand to the back of his head, cradling gently.

"You're fine," she tells him, softly.

[stand_unshaken]

He shifts up a little, so he can feel like he's embracing her as well as the other way around.

"Thank you," he replies, voice a low rumble. "I thought... I thought you'd be disappointed."

[dog_eat_dog]

She gives a gentle huff.

"Yeah? I usually prefer unrepentant jackasses," she jokes, shifting with him comfortably. "But disappointed, nah. Everyone gets their shit wrecked sometimes, everyone does bad shit sometimes."

It's not like she has a leg to stand on, anyway, given how often she dives headfirst into that nonsense.

[stand_unshaken]

He finally pulls back from the embrace after that, but he sits up against the wall. If she wants, she can come lean against him, or the wall, or stay right there.

"At least I was punished for it right away," he says, wryly.

[dog_eat_dog]

She scoots over to join him. Why not?

"Yeah, that helps, it'll keep it from going to your head," she replies. "Like sticking your hand in a fire."

[stand_unshaken]

"Yeah. Thick enough of a skull, you need the reminder sometime."

He sighs and closes his eyes.

"You were charmin' on your ranch."

[dog_eat_dog]

Tess would know at least a little about thick skulls; she has one of her own. She nods.

"Yeah? It's weird, going native like that. I feel like I missed the whole port."

She would have loved to go shopping.

[stand_unshaken]

"It wasn't a good one. Not a bad one, but I don't know if it was good. Too much like home, too little like it too."

[dog_eat_dog]

"Makes sense," she agrees. "Too much temptation. Maybe I would have just made that worse. I'm a good enabler."

[stand_unshaken]

"Maybe. Besides, I had those powers. Like a flood and port in one."

[dog_eat_dog]

"There's that," she agrees. "What powers did you get?"

[stand_unshaken]

"I could make people feel more of whatever they was feelin'. And, uh, store some memories in metal. For later, I guess."

[dog_eat_dog]

Bizarre. Tess tries to imagine how that works, how good it would feel to bury anything she didn’t want to process in a hunk of metal. Maybe chuck it into a lake, if she was feeling particularly spiteful.

“Did you like it?”