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

She nods.

"Right."

They're still in the stables. She had momentarily forgotten.

"Most are still feeding, but you just let me know where you want 'em and point me in the direction of the tack room, an' I'll get them on leads and help haul 'em out."

Two months in Milliways, removed from her schoolhouse, has played hell with her diction. Especially since she mostly ever talks to Ben Wade and Doc, whom, she finds, rub off on her ever so easily.

You can take the girl off the ranch, but it's like pulling teeth to take the ranch out of the girl.

"Ain't in no hurry," he says. "They are still eatin', after all."

For all the proper New York schoolteacher Doc can play, underneath that is an outlaw used to saloons and whores, rough around the edges, and under that is a southern drawl that creeps in, too. It's an interesting combination.

He's an interesting man.

Doc leans back just slightly.

"I got a feedin' station set up at the edge of the woods, couple'a the free range beasts we got use it in the winter. I should take a look at it, perhaps take a bucket of grain out...you want t'walk with me? Give these fella's time to finish breakfast."

She has seen that proper New York schoolteacher in action, heard and felt that gentleman's subtle drawl, even met his younger self, and seen ghosts of that hardened outlaw, spitting blood and shining iron. For all the care he takes around her, she knows there's plenty left of Josiah "Doc" Scurlock to be seen, but each side no less fascinates her than the last.

She smiles softly.

"Of course," she nods.

"Handful of folks got...well I wouldn't call them owned, really," he says, as they move to walk to the store room and he grabs a bucket and scoop. "A few beasts don't take shelter indoors, durin' the winter. Unicorns, actually."

Doc fills the bucket with a good amount of feed.

"One a'them gets groomin' help occasionally, she'll hang 'round and let you know..."

"Let me help," she encourages, watching him fill the feed bucket. She isn't sure if maybe she can fill another one to carry for herself, or simply assist in some other way.

But all such thoughts flee her mind in an instant, blue eyes turning to meet his.

"...Of course, that shouldn't surprise me. What with winged men and dragons, and fire-breathing bunnies and freshwater squid."

But it does. You can tell by the excitement on her face.

Doc can tell. He hands her the feed bucket he's filled and then begins in on another.

"It's certainly an interestin' place."

He smirks a little.

"But, I think the variety and the folk, and the strange things, that's part of what keeps me comin' back, time and time again. Don't get winged men and dragons out in the territory, after all."

"No," she chuckles in agreement, both hands curled around the handle of her bucket. "No, you certainly don't. I can't help but think on all the things I would have missed out on, had the door here never appeared."

There's a hint in her voice, though she elaborates to include more the science and technology aspect of her 'new education.'

"My children are going to learn and experience so much in the coming years. Things about space and flight and automobiles... breakfast cereals," she smirks, though there's a soft sadness in her eyes thinking on her children back in Green Lake.

When he's finished filling his own bucket, she steps out of the room to grab her coat again, shrugging it back onto her shoulders. Though, she doesn't bother with buttoning it, or pulling the scarf back around her neck.

"Just 'cause the sun's up don't mean you won't freeze your ears off," he protests, the bucket going down on his desk as he reaches past her for that scarf and drapes it around her neck, wrapping it once. "Several people here would have my hide if I let y'freeze to death on the first day."

Scarf secure, he picks up the bucket again and nods.

"Much better."

Satisfied, he leads the way out of the barn itself and starts on the walk towards the far paddock, the one nearest the woods. There's a bit of a shelter assembled and a feeding station as well, just inside the tree line, and that's their ultimate goal.

"You know it's interestin' to think about the things our children will learn, and our children's children...some things are just...too much for me to even comprehend."

The corners of her mouth turn in a soft smile as she watches his hands work the fabric around her throat, eyes sparking at him when he's finished.

"Daresay that's the truth, though I wouldn't be surprised if'n you're just using that as an excuse to get your fingers close again," she taunts, hiding her wicked smirk as she follows his lead out.

"I know what you mean," she comments softly, stopping once they've reached the feeding station, lifting her bucket and filling the trough evenly. "Had a nice conversation with Captain Kirk 'bout that very subject, last night. By his age, they will know such things..."

She trails off, shaking her head and shuddering in a sudden, cool wind.

"Can't even wrap my mind around the thought some of those things exist."

"It is awful strange."

Doc fills the feeder as well and then sets the bucket down, before moving to inspect the shelter. It's a simple structure, with a break for the wind and roof to keep the rain or snow off, and he circles the piece entirely, checking it like he would a fenceline.

Which means kicking it with a foot and checking the solid attachment of the roof.

She watches him quietly, eyes scanning the structure helpfully.

"Might could do for a bit of thatching," she remarks, gesturing to a small section that looks like it might be getting the beginnings of roof rot.

"Remind me of that if I don't write it down later," he asks, as he nods in the affirmative and then checks a few other places, before he stacks the two empty buckets together and glances towards the woods.

No sign of the unicorns today...

"I got a few spots on the roof of the stables that need work as well...I know what I'll be doin' this week."

"Ah," she tips her head back, eyebrows high on her forehead and teasing smile on her mouth.

"Doctor, teacher, poet, stable master, outlaw, ranch hand, farrier, and thatcher," she lilts.

Then she lets loose with a truly amused chuckle.

"Soon I'll be makin' lists of the things you don't do, to save on time," she teases, nudging him gently with her elbow.

"I ain't a very good thatcher. Most of Tunstall's buildings had tin or shingles."

Doc shoots her a playful look.

"You'll let me read over those lists first, make sure there ain't nothin' you're missing?"

She ducks her head and laughs, a few blonde curls falling in her face.

"For accuracy's sake, right?" she asks, smile in her voice.

"Wouldn't do for me t'be getting myself a reputation, now."

Doc's grinning, as he nods his head back towards the walk to head back for the stables. There are a few horses already out in some of the paddocks (some of the stallions that even he doesn't touch in their own areas) and he's making mental notes of who should go where.

"Wouldn't want that," she clucks, with eyes that could look right through you. She follows the incline of his head.

With Doc carrying her empty pale, she absently tucks her hands into her pockets, for lack of anything else to do.

"Maybe I'll git started on it tonight. Lesse... you don't captain a spaceship. You don't play music. You don't... spin cloth."

She turns so she's walking backwards, smirking at him as she thinks.

"You don't race perfectly respectable young ladies back up the path to the stables..."

"I don't know how to knit," he continues, for her. "And I ain't a very good cook..."

Doc shifts the buckets to one hand and smirks a little.

"And I certainly don't race perfectly respectable young ladies back up the path..."

A beat, a step, and then he grins.

"But I will give friends a two step head start before I beat them there." A wink. "Because I'm a gentleman."

There's something in his grin that makes her own smile grow, and she bites at her lip for fear of it splitting her face.

Katherine's all about fairness and equality, here.

"And because you're a gentleman," she begins, a singsong quality to her voice. "I'm sure you'll agree to buying your competition dinner, when you lose."

(However, she's also not opposed to taking a cheat when offered to her.)

There are perhaps three more quiet steps as she smirks at him, eyes glinting, before she laughs, turning on her heel and bolting up the path, arms swinging free from her coat pockets.

"I would buy you dinner regardless, and you know it!"

This is hollered at her as he gives her that one-two (three-four-five) step headstart before he bolts after her. Halfway to the stable he ditches the buckets near the fenceline and really goes for her.

She'll win, of course

This time.

She knows it.

She's laughing the whole run, which might not do for optimum speed, but she really doesn't care if he catches her. When she hears the buckets clattering behind her, she even does the unthinkable for anyone wanting to win a race.

She looks back, over her shoulder.

If she can just make it to the door before he catches up, she'll be happy.

Also, the victor.

:D

When she turns around to glance behind her, Doc laughs (it's a somewhat wicked and evil laugh) and then sprints the handful of yards to close the gap and catch her...

"Oh no you don't!"

Before she can touch the wall, Doc lunges the last step to hook his arm around her waist and spin her, catching her in his arms as he turns. His right side slams into the wall with his momentum carrying him forward (it would hurt if he wasn't laughing so hard) and she ends up pressed against his chest.

"You," he laughs, as he then sets her back down. "Are faster than you look!"

She knows she's sunk when she hears that laugh. Suddenly, his voice is in her ear and his arm is on her waist, and she yelps through her laughter as that wall disappears from in front of her fingertips.

She clutches his arms as they spin, laughing too hard to keep her eyes open to the scenery streaking past her vision, before they slam into that wall.

She's still clutching his arms, chest heaving as she struggles to catch her breath amidst her giggles. She tilts her head back against his chest to look up at him, cheeks rosy from the cold and the exertion and the utter joy, a broad grin on her face. Her hair is a little messy from the wind.

"'I may be little, but I am mighty,'" she quotes, breathing hard. Her blue eyes are bright. "Can give the best a run fer their money, when the heels come off."

"So you can," he breathes, his own chest rising and falling at a rapid pace, heart pounding hard against his ribs. With a little bit of effort, he matches his lungs to hers, and closes his eyes, and tips his head back against the wall. "So you can. You don't get a head start next time," he tells her.

After another few minutes, he looks down at her again. His arms are still snug around her, but he moves one hand to tuck some of her hair behind one of her ears, adjust that scarf around her neck a bit.

"Y'almost had me, there," he tells her. Impressed.

Doc grins.

"But I'm still buyin' dinner, later."

She giggles at the retraction of his 'friends get a two-step head start' statement, shaking her head. "Won't need it," she taunts.

She closes her eyes briefly when his hand moves lightly over her skin, catching his wrist and pulling his arm around her, letting his hand rest at her throat. It's an awkward embrace, her head resting against his breast, as she looks up at him.

"S'only fair," she murmurs softly, expending great effort to calm her aching lungs. "I did buy lunch, after all."

There's a contented little smile on her face.

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