RDR2 AU

[dog_eat_dog]

Comments

[dog_eat_dog]

She grins a little at that.

“Try me,” she says.

[stand_unshaken]

"Would you believe me," he starts, "if I told you I ran into a fella who told me his dangerous predators had escaped? A tiger and a lion?"

[dog_eat_dog]

"I guess I'd have to," she replies. Maybe they're on their way to one of those World Expositions they do up in Chicago, or something. "And I thought lawmen and robbers were all we had to look out for on the roads."

[stand_unshaken]

"Oh, you'll believe that? How 'bout when I tell you I went after his damn tiger, and it turned out be a dog with painted-on stripes?"

[dog_eat_dog]

"People in this state are stupid enough to pay money to see that?" she replies. She knows people in every state are stupid enough to pay money for it. "You shoot it?"

[stand_unshaken]

"Oh, it was already dead when I got to it. I went back to that fella and told him to quit his bullshit, but he begged me to go after his lion, too. I figure, what can it hurt, it's going to be another damn dog, this time shaved butt-naked."

See what's coming, Tess?

[dog_eat_dog]

“It a barn cat or something?” A grin. “A cougar in a fur collar?”

[stand_unshaken]

"I fuckin' wish. I get to the farm the fella told me about, and I don't find out what it is until it's killed a farmhand. That dope had gotten his hands on an actual, honest-to-God lion."

He shakes his head and slaps his knees, brushing more dust off.

"Killed it, but too late for that poor man."

[dog_eat_dog]

Tess laughs in disbelief.

"Christ, really?"

She tries to imagine a lion in the flesh, the kind of creature that could take on an elephant. Something bigger than the drawings in picture books.

"You're lucky you're not dead. Those things are huge, aren't they?"

[stand_unshaken]

"I can tell you without losing any pride over it, I damn near wet myself. That thing was enormous. Deadly."

[dog_eat_dog]

"Wish I'd seen it. Might've been worth risking getting spotted."

[stand_unshaken]

"Wasn't no hiding on that farm," he does point out. "Not from that cat or from your daddy. Best not risk it."

[dog_eat_dog]

"Real funny to hear you talk of risk when you're the one who went after that cat," she teases.

[stand_unshaken]

"Well," he says. "Someone's gotta do it. And I been lucky so far. There any food left?

[dog_eat_dog]

“Pearson’s got a stew going,” she replies. “There was still a fair bit left an hour ago — I’ll go with you, I haven’t eaten yet either.”

[stand_unshaken]

"Should eat while you've got the chance," he points out to her, before going to walk over to the pot with her. "What'd you get up to, huh?"

[dog_eat_dog]

She gets up to go with him.

“Chores, mostly. The girls are fun. Real gossip hounds, some of them.”

(As though she the worst of them all.)

[stand_unshaken]

"Always those damn chores. Not like I don't help out when I can, but I admit I'm happy when I can contribute otherwise."

[dog_eat_dog]

“Yeah, I could leave ‘em too.” Hire other people. “You don’t mind all that time in the saddle?”

[stand_unshaken]

"I love all that time in the saddle. I wouldn't trade it for the world - the time to roam around and go where I want to go, that's my reason to stay alive."

He gives her a crooked little smile, then helps himself to some dinner.

[dog_eat_dog]

Sounds nice, put that way. It’s never been her favourite time, but it’s tolerable. A necessary thing.

“Pretty big tether, coming back here. That must be nice too.”

[stand_unshaken]

"You're damn right it is. I been alone, and it's nothing to appreciate for too long."

He goes to sit down near his own bed, and pats the space next to him - come and join him.

[dog_eat_dog]

She sits down with him, resting her own dish on her knee.

“No kidding. I hate even making a couple days’ ride on my own, if I didn’t have friends to get back to, I’d lose my mind.”

[stand_unshaken]

"Precious thing, that. People you can come home to."

He eats a bite. Mulls that over.

[dog_eat_dog]

“People you like going home to, too.”