OOM sorta: Rooms, back door, stables, in the morning.

[ikissdhimbck]

She wasn't joking.

The next morning, Katherine shows up at Doc's door, bright and early.

(The sun might not even be out yet, but eh, details.)

She's bundled in high boots, a long coat, and a scarf--his scarf--in preparation for the chilly morning. One gloved hand reaches out, and raps lightly on his door.

If he doesn't answer, she will only take that as invitation to knock louder.

.

Comments

[ikissdhimbck]

She laughs the whole way back, clamoring up to the stables with a "yeeHAW!"

Her chest is heaving just about as bad as Nova's is, and she leans forward in her seat to rub his slick coat with pride and affection once they've stopped.

"Good boy! You're a fine fella, yes you are! I'll make sure you get an extra scoop of oats tonight, my champion."

Her face is all innocence when she looks to Doc, big blue eyes round and childlike.

[scurlock]

Well, hell. He can't be mad at that face.

Doc pulls up the reins as they head back into the stables and just resists the urge to smirk.

"Careful, now. Wouldn't do to let him get fat," he drawls, before he moves to dismount and tie the lead off to a rail. His whole body is humming with the adrenaline from the ride, as he moves to run his hands over Lionheart's neck, praising him for cooperating so well.

[ikissdhimbck]

"After a run like that, I think he can stand to have one extra scoop," she protests.

Because it's fine to spoil him when she's the one doing it.

Her hair is an absolute mess, falling in her face like broken wheat stalks, accentuating the 'I'm just an innocent angel' look she's currently sporting.

She's careful to pamper Nova after she dismounts, brushing him down real good and throwing a blanket over his shoulders while she cleans his tack and puts it away. True to her word, she makes sure he gets that extra scoop of oats, and plenty of fresh water, taking the blanket from him after he's stopped perspiring.

Only after he's comfortable does she look to herself, peeling her coat from her shoulders. The legs of her trousers are wet from the ride through the inlet, chilling her despite the fact that she's flushed from the hard ride back. Her face is red at her cheeks and the tips of her ears and nose.

"Well, shoot," she mutters with a lopsided grin, wringing the legs of her pants out best she can.

[scurlock]

"I think," he comments, after having done the relative same with Lionheart - a good brushing, blanket, cleaning and stowing the tack and getting him food and water - and then looking at her. "I think you and I should take that lunch and head inside, sit by the fire. Dry you out, and feed ourselves. Like a picnic."

A beat.

"Cept indoors, though I'm sure Bar'll give us a blanket if we'd like one."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Might need one," she remarks, shivering with a sudden chill. "Think that sounds good, though. I might even have an appetite for it, after this morning."

She glances about a moment longer, rubbing at her arms.

"There anything left that needs doin' before we head in, though?"

[scurlock]

"Nothin' that won't keep 'till I come out this evening. You and I ain't the only staff, you know," he says. "So I don't want you thinkin' this is something you gotta do every morning."

Plus, Doc just likes to sleep in once in awhile. Benefit of being the boss, and all.

He gathers up his things, organizes his desk a bit, quickly, before he nods his head and glances around. "I think we're set."

[ikissdhimbck]

"I know. But that don't mean I won't want to be around every morning."

She pauses, realizing just what she has said. It makes her tip her face away from him shyly, and she's suddenly glad for the windburn and the chill at her cheeks, because he can't see the way she's blushing.

She busies herself getting all her own things together, gathering up that packed lunch and clucking an affectionate farewell to the horses, and then she nods.

"All right then. I'll let you be the gentleman and lead the way on back. Unless, of course, we're still being outlaws 'n you'd rather cuss and spit some more," she smirks.

[scurlock]

Doc smiles at her comment, but when she tips her face away he chooses to stay quiet on it, even if it does make him smile quite a bit. He waits until she's gathered the basket and pulled her coat back on, before he wraps his arm around her shoulders as they walk.

He doesn't offer her his arm. Not if they're going to talk about outlaw things on the way back to the door.

"Too cold to spit," he quips. "And I ain't findin' anything that's rufflin' my feathers enough to cuss about, so I think you and I should just head on back and git us some grub. Eatin's important, you know..."

Doc laughs at the look that gets him, as they head inside.