OOM: Room #100, for Tommy Gavin -- The Morning After

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate wakes with the dawn ... generally speaking.


This morning, however, is different. The light coming in the windows is warm and golden rather than pale blue. It's a nice day outside, and the cowgirl is still abed.

You can blame that on the bourbon.

She's curled around Dug, blankets twisted around her legs from a restless night of tossing and turning. The comfort of the dog snoring beside her chased the worst of her nightmares away, but it's been a hell of a week.

The good news is she probably won't remember most of it.

Comments

[gavin62truck]

Tilting his head in a nod, it makes sense to him. "That must be why we'll get along fine," he chuckles.

He then twists his upper body around a little and tries to see what he can see. Which isn't much, except for the edge of the bandage.

"Nah, 'm fine. Thanks."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Well, y'got nowhere t'go from here but up."

She's never seen Dug hurt a soul before. She'd have some serious reservations if he and Tommy couldn't get along, even with the blood between them. They must have been making one hell of a ruckus when he walked in.

She clears her throat softly.

"What will y'tell the guys at the firehouse? That you're breakin' in a new pair'a bluejeans?"

Oh, she does remember some things from this past week. There's a definite note of gotcha! in her quiet voice.

[gavin62truck]

Once she's done, he tugs his shorts back up, careful not to dislodge the bandage, and puts some more appropriate space between them as he pulls up his pants and zips up.

In mid-buckle, he arches an eyebrow at her at her suggestion.

"How'd you--?"

Lou.

A smirk twists his lips. "Mm, I don't think that one's gonna work again. I'll come up with something -- either that or I'll just try not to sit so much. Feels a lot better, though."

He takes her empty glass and refills it with cold water, offering it back to her. "How're you feeling?"

[ikissdhimbck]

This is the face of innocence.

If innocence were run over by a Pony Express the night before.

She nods once when he says he's feeling better, and accepts the glass of water. After a few grateful sips, she tosses a wry smirk back at him.

"I'm not sure I can get back up."

She has been sitting pretty still since she first came in. No sudden movements.

[gavin62truck]

Narrowing his eyes a little with mock-suspicion, he can't help the crooked grin.

"Is...that a request for me to carry you a third time?"

[ikissdhimbck]

"Absolutely not."


A third time? Oh ... fiddlesticks. She'd forgotten. It seems he has a few chips up his sleeve as far as who's winning this game of ultimate humiliation.

She frowns petulantly, dropping her gaze to her knees.

"The splittin' headache's startin' t'ease a bit, an' my leg don't hurt so bad. I'm jus' gonna — sit. A while. Here."

She doesn't need to be carried around like a swaddled babe, thank you very much.

[gavin62truck]

He knows he got her with that one.

"Alright," he says with a shrug.

He then sticks his hands in his pockets.

"Well. If you're gonna sit, then...I guess I should go."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Oh. Yes, y'don't hafta — "

She shakes her head.

 — stay.

She smiles tightly, combing a hand through her hair. Good manners demand she show him to the door, but that might take some effort.

"Y'gonna be all right?"

[gavin62truck]

He stayed the night. And maybe some part of him wants to keep staying. But maybe that other part of him wants to let go, promise fulfilled.

So he takes a step backwards, nodding.

"Me? Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, I'll be fine. Don't worry 'bout me."

Another step.

"You gonna be okay? I mean, if you want, I could, like, send up some breakfast or some coffee or something."

[ikissdhimbck]

Her smile grows a touch wider.

"Thank you. However, I think I'm jus' gonna take a long, hot bath, lie down, an' hope I die of embarrassment."

And maybe drink the entire bathtub dry in the process.

[gavin62truck]

Hot bath. NO, Tommy.

There's a beat before he chuckles. "Sounds like a good plan. Without the dyin' of embarrassment thing, though, heh. Seriously, you didn't do anything that was embarrassing. --Well, not that embarrassing. --Well, nothing that didn't happen just between us. --And by that I mean the whole tryin'a walk up the stairs thing, but even that wasn't so bad, 'cause I got to carry you up anyways--"

He stops himself. Jerks his thumb at the door behind him.

"--Uh, yeah, I'll go now."

Another step.

"Thanks again for-- uh-- y'know." Again with the gesturing at his posterior.

[ikissdhimbck]

She blinks when he stops himself.

And then she grins, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, and starts to fiddle with the taps.

"You're welcome. Again."

She gets the right temperature water flowing.

"An' Tommy?"

Keeping her face turned away until the very last second, as if filling a bathtub requires all her focus, she smirks.




"Y'have a pretty cute caboose."

[gavin62truck]

Blink.




"...I have a--? Ow!"

He's just backed up into the doorknob.

"I'm okay! I'm okay."

Opening the door, he slips through it halfway before turning to her, smiling a bit sheepishly.

"Uh-- yeah, heh, thanks. So. Uh. Feel better soon, and, uh-- guess I'll see ya 'round. Oh! If you still wanna go ice skating, y'know, that's totally still on. Whenever you're up to it. Anytime. At all. So. Yeah. Okay." He holds a hand up. "Bye."

And he ducks out the door and closes it.

Yep, that went well.