177th page

[curseshit]

Rough day, eh? Time to head home to your loving spouse or to the inn to meet with your best mates. Anyway, the day is done. It was a long one too so make you sure you have a good night's rest because tomorrow is not going to be any easier. The duke wants the town to look absolutely perfect for the festival.

If you don't feel like sleeping just yet I hear the inn is running a small darts tournament. The food is bad and the rooms are small, but at least the alcohol is good. Apple cider all around!

[ mission: so about that curse! in order to break out of your curse you'll be needing three triggers or one big one. more information & examples here. hold your horses though, you aren't supposed to break free in just one night. ]

Comments

[sawedoff]

[s





2









g]

[you got off work early you have no excuse. hasn't even had time to change out of the priest shtick yet. heatheri is out tutoring amber into the long hours of the night. answers door with the tightest smile.]

Sheriff.

[recurred]

[looks him over and smiles right back]

[answers the door alone. still in collar. mental notes]

Father.

[that didnt sound wrong at all. she's not a church gal. clears throat]

Bad time?

[sawedoff]

I just sent Aaron out to pick Heather up.

[shakes head no and opens door for her to come in. ya homewrecker]

As long as you don't mind waiting a few minutes.

[recurred]

[excuse. Ernest needs to keep that shit to himself.]

Not at all.

[heads on in and looks back at horse. stay horse. good horse. turns back to look at the foyer a moment. inspecting.]

[sawedoff]

[got somethin u want to get off ur chest there sheriff?]

You want somethin to eat?

[dont worry he didnt make it. closes door behind her. there's a horse on his front yard. okay.]

[recurred]

[ nnnnope. and she...parked the horse appropriately though it might be eating his apples srynsry]

You as good a cook as your husband?

[because anyone would be afraid for that kid if she had to eat daniel's cooking every day]

[armedarchaeologist]

Oh no, he's the cook at home.

[jogs up to the door looking apologetic.]

Hi, sorry, sorry, I know, but Amber needed a little extra time with the lessons for tonight.

[meets john's eyes over janet's head like, that girl needs a whole mess of tutoring, amirite?]

She'll be along when they're done, but she sent me on ahead to... Apparently not quite make it in time still. Sorry.

[sawedoff]

I get by.

[daniel. get ur cheating butt home. pronto.

in the meantime let me introduce you to my smoked ham. plates some along with some bread and shit for her like a proper kitchen bitch and hands it over, leaning against the back of a chair and crossing his arms]

Your new partner seems like a good guy. After what happened to the last one...

[well. ominous allusion to gory end for deputy redshirt before eddie]

[sawedoff]

[oh thank god]

[recurred]

[mid breadroll to mouth to awkward explanation. she's not sure if she should eat or not.]

Nice of you to join us. [you know what fuck it. she's eating]

[armedarchaeologist]

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

[he's sorry. he also kind of smells like bread.]

Hi, John.

[yeah this is not a pet name marriage. walks over to john and lays a hand on his back, leans in to kiss him demurely on the cheek. as you do. totally married. for reals. so in love.]

[sawedoff]

Hi. Honey.

[ya fuckin breadfucker. smacks his butt harder than necessary and smiles at sherifflara.]

We ready? [can we get on with the thing]

[recurred]

[rlly dean]

[holds finger up as she chews ham and roll and gathers herself back up]

Right, sorry. Let's. How about you start by showing me around. Explain what it's like day to day for Heather.

[armedarchaeologist]

I'm ready.

[quickly eyebrows at john, because to him this feels like laying it on a little thick, to be—

jumps when john smacks his ass, and briefly looks kind of startled and kind of furious. laughs awkwardly a little too late.]

Right. Well this is, this is the kitchen. I tend to get breakfast shifts at the inn so it's usually John who makes breakfast unless he also has a service, in which case I'm here and he's. Well. Obviously. He's performing the service.

[trying not to let his panic show on his face because he hasn't even lied yet and he's already babbling like. well. him.]

[sawedoff]

[that's what you get for being late. gives him passagg angry eyebrows, mouthing something bitchy and incomprehensible when senorita layne's turned to look at the kitchen while he rambles but is quickly smiling again when she's looking back at them. clears his throat.]

That's the gist.

[recurred]

[gives the kitchen a look around, glancing back at them as daniel babbles and dean just stands there and looks pretty. turns and moves on to the next room]

Go on.

[armedarchaeologist]

[gives john a half-second of anguished expression whilst the sheriff's back is turned because he can't stop talking and he's a shitty liar.

oop she turned back around.]

This is, this is the living room. These are our books. Lots of, of religious texts, clearly, and linguistic texts, which are mine, and Heather mostly keeps her books upstairs, in her room, which is... Upstairs. Here are the stairs.

[begins to ascend the stairs, walking maybe a little briskly for someone expecting to be followed by tiny legs.]

[sawedoff]

[mouths 'here are the stairs' to himself in the most mocking way, trailing after clara. really daniel. aaron. danaaron.]

[finishes showing her around with relatively little incident. turns on him as soon as she's out the door and it's closed behind him]

Really?

[armedarchaeologist]

[normally he'd be a little less raring to fight but this is important to him because of heather in a way it doesn't seem to be to john, so he throws his arms open and glares back as good as he gets.]

Look, I said I was sorry for being late, and I am, but at least once I got here I tried. Do you even want to keep Heather? Because you know how I get when I, I prevaricate, and yet you just sat back and, and, let me motor on!

[pauses long enough that maybe john might think he can get a word in edgewise but he'd be wrong.]

And what was with slapping my ass? Because I obviously have no idea how you act around someone you actually want, but believe me, I am not— I don't— Don't do that!

[sawedoff]

Oh, I'm sorry, I'm the one that doesn't want to keep Heather? When you're showing up ten minutes late to the one date that decides whether we get to do just that?

[walks forward with accusey pointy fingers going every which way]

You're so busy screwin around with the freakin baker, I bet you just forgot. Did you even stop to get her on your way back from lover's lane or was that a load of crap too?

[don't you self righteous me i can self righteous right back]

[armedarchaeologist]

[stares defiantly back at john for like a few more seconds, then drops his head and slips his glasses off, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. not great at sustained fights. especially when he knows he fucked up.]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yes, I did go by the Joys, they were finishing up. She said she'd be home soon.

[i just want to be the alien mermaid's papa.]

This isn't going to work. We're done for, we can't— I can't do this.

[sawedoff]

You know when we agreed to this you knew what it was gonna take. You don't see me shacking up with anyone that looks at me twice. You ever think you should just call it off? What's more important to you, her or breadroll?

[not yelling anymore but his voice is still tight with annoyance. like how hard is it to keep it in your pants. you have two hands for a reason. you desperate housewife.]

[armedarchaeologist]

[well maybe if you were less in denial and reminded me less of my dead platonic bff i don't even remember right now, then this would be less of a problem]

I know, I know.

[don't think he doesn't know how many people look at him twice, too. when john lays down the ultimatum though aaron slides his glasses back on, squares his shoulders, and looks john in the eye.]

Well I guess we're going to have to get used to full-price pie again, because. Her. Always her. You're— You're right. And I swear I'm only going to say this once more but I do mean it: I'm sorry.

[it's not just that he's the only one in town who understands her signing, or that she so clearly needs someone to look out for her, but watching over heather is pretty much the only thing he never questions.]

[sawedoff]

We can make it work.

[steps another step and drops a hand on his shoulder in the most unmarried couple way. bropatting. most of the hostility has drained away now that the biggest threat to their cover being blown is deep sixed]

You know, come hell or high water, whatever. No one's gonna take her. And if they stop paying out, well, screw it, we'll deal with that too.

[armedarchaeologist]

Yeah. Yeah, we will.

[smiles thinly at john. yeah that's why you're the priest and he's the line cook. you're a bro.

too bad he's not even slightly interested in sleeping with you, and vice versa.]

Hey, maybe Heather can hook me up with a teaching job?

[this is a joke. it's a slightly flat joke. but he's trying.]