AU: Oakville, Texas - 1888 - Morning, with Gene

[ikissdhimbck]

**NOTE: This is part of a plot arc that was meant to occur in Milliways over the Spring/Summer of 2011 in Bar Time. It has since become an AU, and should be treated as a standalone plot not associated with any game, and not fitting into Kate's continuity. This thread was never finished.**



She wakes with a start.

The light streaming in through the window is cut by lace curtains, casting patterns against the far wall. Little flowering shadows fall on Gene's shoulder.

Her skin is damp, pasting down the hair at her temples. It's stuffy inside the room, but as she pulls herself to wakefulness she knows it's not the heat making her sweat. It's the hammering of her heart.

She's still wrapped up in Gene. His stomach is rising and falling in even intervals under her hand, and her bones hurt so she's wondering if she moved at all during the night. She can't remember moving, or screaming; she just remembers torches, and broken bottles, and suddenly her eyes were open and her vision was swimming with lacy shadows.

She takes a deep breath, and pulls away from him. Slowly, so as not to wake him. Cautiously, so the bed won't make a peep. She rolls onto her back and squints at the window. It's already bright outside, and she realizes with a curse that she must have slept in late. Bare feet touch sagging hardwood. She plucks the chemise from her dressing screen and pulls it over her head, creeping up on the window so she can have a look outside. The street is busy. It must be seven or eight o'clock already. Dagnabbit.

She's quick about dressing. She needs a bath to wash last night's stink off, so she only needs to look presentable enough to go downstairs and pay for one. And she needs to wake Gene up, or he'll be late meeting the judge and lawman. She emerges from behind the screen wearing a dress, simple white with a floral print, and lace-up heels.

"Gene."

She pulls her loose hair over one shoulder, twisting it into some order. Leaning over, she touches his shoulder.

"Gene, wake up."

Comments

[the_gene_genie]

He mutters, and rolls, finding he suddenly has room to move.

'Runny egg, luv' he says, obviously still mostly asleep. 'Crisp bacon.'

[ikissdhimbck]

"Gene."

She frowns as he presents his back to her. She doesn't want to call attention by raising her voice any louder.



Beat.


Smirking, she pulls the sheets back. Having a clear shot of his bare ass, she then gives him a good smack.

[the_gene_genie]

His eyes shoot open. There's a surprised yelp. Then he turns to look at her slowly, not looking pleased.






'...ow.'


That stings.

[ikissdhimbck]

She smiles sweetly.

"Good mornin'."

She looks every inch as innocent as an angel, with her tousled hair and clean dress, the morning light hitting her at just the right angle.

"Want me t'kiss it better?"

Of course, angels aren't typically so tickled by someone else's pain. Nor would they be dressed without their bloomers on.

[the_gene_genie]

She may look innocent, but he knows better. So his expression doesn't get any less unimpressed.

'You kissin' my arse? That'll be the day.'

She'd never do it.

He squints at the window, and then back at her.

'Time is it?'

[ikissdhimbck]

"Quarter 'til eight."

She leans down and presses a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Get outta bed, y'big ass."

It's said with affection.

She grabs a horsehair brush from the wash basin, and starts combing out her hair.

"M'gonna go downstairs an' ask for a bath. Shouldn't be gone long; they're gonna start lookin' at me funny for all the baths we've been buyin'. Anyhow, y'don't wanna keep anybody waitin', so y'better think 'bout rousin' yourself. I'll be back in a jiff, all right?"

[the_gene_genie]

'If it's quarter to eight,' he says, quite reasonably, he feels, 'why the bloody 'ell would I want t'get out of bed?'

He flops back to the pillow.

'Buy a bath for me an' all, would ya? I'll have it later.'

[ikissdhimbck]

"Because most everybody's already up."

She pokes him gently.

"I'm typically downstairs jus' finishin' up breakfast right around now. An' you will hafta sort out your own bath. Looks strange, me speakin' for you; besides, I mean t'go first."

And they can only manage one bath at a time.

[the_gene_genie]

'So?' he mutters into the pillow.

As far as he's concerned, only weirdos and freaks are up at this time of the day. Before this trip, he can't remember the last time he saw 8am, from the right side at least.

He does turn though, and fix her with an impish grin.

'Can't we jus' share? I'll wait 'til you're in, an' follow. No one'll notice.'

He's that inconspicuous. Honestly.

[ikissdhimbck]

Her eyebrow tics.





"Would that get you up?"

[the_gene_genie]

So does his.

'This is one of those things where I say yes, an' you leave me dangling, isn't it?'

Another thought breaks over his face. It's quite obvious.

'We could jus'...y'know. Stay in here a bit.'

[ikissdhimbck]

A second eyebrow joins the first.

She opens her mouth to say something, but all she can do is laugh.


"I've never known a more eager man."

She loops her forefinger through his gold chain, and tugs lightly.

"Wake up, an' we'll talk. But I'm gonna go have 'em get the water started."

She sets the brush down, and heads for the door. Gene gets one last look, and another soft laugh before she leaves the room.

[the_gene_genie]

'Mmm,' he says. It doesn't sound promising, but it was worth a go.

And as soon as she's gone, he contemplates just going back to sleep. But damnit, he's awake now, and hungry. So he lights a fag, and rests while he smokes it, then sighs and drags himself up. Just as far as pulling some underwear on. His clothes from yesterday are fairly disgusting, and he doesn't have any more clean. He'll need to get her to sort that out some time today.

He wanders over to the window to look out. It seems stupid to think, 'it all seems so real', but that's the overriding thought in his head. Ridiculous, but there it is.

[ikissdhimbck]

Well, the aches in Kate's body are certainly real enough. She isn't gone long, but before she can steel herself for the stairs she lingers outside her door, winding her hair into a braided tress and carefully stretching her limbs.

Lord have mercy.

She gets a surreptitious once-over from the keep while she's requesting the bath, but a little extra coin keeps his mouth shut. She's determined not to be seen (or smelled) by anyone else until she's washed up.

"You're up."

She sounds surprised to find Gene at the window when she makes it back.

[the_gene_genie]

He raises his eyebrows at her. If there's any possibility of more, did she really think he'd stay in bed?

Mind you, he still feels half asleep. But for the sake of show - and his ego - he'll make like he's completely up for it.

'Didn' bring any tea back, I s'pose?'

He lives in hope.

[ikissdhimbck]

Before she can answer, she has to look him over. It's practically reflex. The underwear they make in the future may never strike her as anything less than outrageously funny.

She reins it all in to nothing more than a smile, though.

"Thought 'bout it. But I still smell like you."

[the_gene_genie]

He stubs the cigarette out and wanders in her direction, a smile tugging at his lips.

'Hope you're not complainin'.'

Hopefully not, seeing as his arms are going around her again. Seeing as he still smells pretty bad, if she was hoping to lessen the problem, he's just put the kibosh on that.

[ikissdhimbck]

"There're nicer things t'smell like."

At least he'll fit in with the cowhands.

But, she doesn't push him away. In fact, she goes as far as to wrap her arms around him, resting her chin against his chest. She's trembling a little. It's hardly noticeable, but definitely there. If she let herself close her eyes right now, she might even fall asleep standing up.

"Are y'ready for today?"

[the_gene_genie]

'I'll be fine.'

This close to 'today', it's a little more real, but he's sure he can manage. He frowns at her though, looking down at the way she's leaning on him.

'Wha's the matter? Not still freaked by them tossers las' night, are ya?'

[ikissdhimbck]

She hesitates.

"I'll be fine."

Her lips twitch, punctuating the remark.

"Might even catch up on some sleep, if I've got you outta my hair."

[the_gene_genie]

'Oh yeah?'

He smirks, not looking the least bit sorry.

'You can't say you didn' love it, sweet'eart. No foolin' the Gene Genie.'

He leans down to kiss her, seeing as she's there, and all.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Did y'jus' refer t'yourself in the third — "

Her incredulity is cut short by the press of his mouth. She chuckles, sliding her arms up around his neck.

"Jus' wish it was easier," she sighs, once they come up for air. "For both of us."

[the_gene_genie]

His hand may have found her butt. He thinks he can hardly be blamed. And her comment just gets a shrug.

'It's still fun. An' you said it was gettin' easier, or were you jus' yankin' my chain?'

Beat.

'Metaphorically speakin'.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She rolls her eyes. She thinks she can hardly be blamed.

"I've only been yankin' one chain. An' only when y'want me to."

She rests her head against his chest. She figures sooner or later he'll gripe at her about this being girly, but at the moment she doesn't care. She'll enjoy it while it lasts.

"We've only been intimate like that twice. S'not a helluva lot to go on."

[the_gene_genie]

'Well.'

He pretends to think about a possible solution to this, but his hands appear to be way ahead of him. They're sliding down her backside, and starting to bunch her dress up, making it creep inch by inch up her legs.

'...we could always give it another go.'

He thinks he can hardly be blamed. It's morning. He's always randy in the morning.