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stand_unshaken

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From:

stand_unshaken

"You shoulda met him a couple years ago," he says, indulging a little in reminiscing. "You woulda liked him. Everybody did. He could charm hisself into any damn place, rob 'em blind and have them thanking him for the pleasure."

He isn't really reacting to what she's saying yet, because he knows she's right. He just also wants her to understand, why he loved him. Why he still loves him, at least that old version of him.

"Don't know what it was about him that had us all believing he'd get us out. And half-- half of us ain't even alive no more to agonize over things."

From:

dog_eat_dog

Tess feels tempted to point out the dodge, and she opens her mouth like she might, but she bites down on it. No sense in starting trouble again, especially by picking on a man’s loved ones.

But despite a firm belief in moving on quickly, there is something nice about hearing someone talk about the past with any measure of fondness.

“He sounds like he was fun,” she remarks. “And if he’d pulled it off in the past he probably could again... people always put up with a lot for the sake of family.”

From:

stand_unshaken

He nods, then covers his face with both his hands. He feels exhausted, suddenly.

"He did a lot of bad shit," he mumbles, from behind his hands. "But I still can't ever repay him for the good things."

From:

dog_eat_dog

She watches him for a moment. She thinks there isn’t a person in the world who could put her through so much loss and suffering and still keep her love. She gets to her feet and goes to him just to put a hand on his shoulder.

“You don’t owe him, Arthur,” she says. She can’t know that, but that’s how she feels. “I’m sure you gave him more than most people would.”

From:

stand_unshaken

Jesus. It's like she looked right inside his head and came up with the words he's thought a million times over. "I gave him everything," he says, his voice a small, defeated thing. His hands drop away from his face and land in his lap.

He doesn't look small. But he looks old. With her hand there, comforting him, he feels like he can finally admit to it.

From:

dog_eat_dog

“You did.”

She squeezes gently and lets her hand slide down to rest on his bicep as she crouches down to look up at him instead. He does look old, but it’s familiar. Every man she’s ever known has a little of that, a little extra weight of the world on his shoulders.

“And even if he never realizes he squandered everything you gave him, it’s still his mistake for taking advantage.”

From:

stand_unshaken

He lets out a soft, pained sound, but he accepts her words. He accepts her touch, too, even reaching up to clasp her hand in his own where it's resting.

"Thought you'd think me a fool for all of this, Tess."

From:

dog_eat_dog

Tess shrugs, maybe a touch defensive.

“I guess I like fools more than I thought,” she replies, lightly.

Better than admitting it’s nice to see a big tough guy with a big heart. To be trusted with that kind of vulnerability, too.

From:

stand_unshaken

He pats her hand again, now smiling just a little.

"So I'm a fool, but you can tolerate me at the very least?"

From:

dog_eat_dog

"Exactly," she informs him. There's plenty to be said about looking back and dwelling on what's happened when you can forget it and move on, but she leaves it. "And I am doing a whole lot of tolerating, considering the peace offering I came here with."

From:

stand_unshaken

"What kind of a peace offering is that?"

He can't see booze in any of her pockets.

From:

dog_eat_dog

"I was thinking we could go for a hike in the Enclosure or something."

Not her usual fare, but that's why it's a peace offering.

From:

stand_unshaken

He perks up a little and looks at her. He practically already has his hat on at the offer.

"You're right. That is quite the peace offering, miss. I got an idea for where we could go."

From:

dog_eat_dog

Tess gives an amused little huff, straightening up again.

"Figured you would. Where are we off to?"

From:

stand_unshaken

He gets up, grabs his belt, gun and hat, and goes to open the door.

"Same place we went last time, only now I want to see if you got a head for treasure huntin'."

From:

dog_eat_dog

"Sounds like a regular day," she replies, following him. Little less fun when it's for bullets, scrap hardware and contraband, though. "You're an expert treasure hunter too, huh?"

From:

stand_unshaken

"Expert? I wouldn't say so."

He locks the door, then makes his way to the Enclosure with her. "I just find maps, every now and then. Seems silly not to take 'em up on it."

From:

dog_eat_dog

"Closest I've ever done to that is rifling through paperwork in old houses to find numbers for safes or keys for lockboxes," she replies. That is a little quaint to her, though –– treasure maps. It sounds like something out of a storybook, or a pirate movie.

From:

stand_unshaken

"Well, that sounds familiar enough too. It ain't always good treasure to me, sometimes it's just stuff people left behind that was important to them."

From:

dog_eat_dog

“So you just collect people’s old trinkets,” she replies, amused.

From:

stand_unshaken

"Sure. Just, sometimes their 'trinkets' end up being valuable jewelry."

He points at his temple. He's no dummy.

From:

dog_eat_dog

Oh, she likes that.

"Their fault for not keeping their shit secure."

From:

stand_unshaken

"Knew I liked you for a reason."

He takes the steps down to the Enclosure's door and gives it the description. When he opens the door, the same pasture and river are there, familiar horses in the distance. But Arthur heads for the hills and the stone arches in the opposite direction.

From:

dog_eat_dog

Tess is still not particularly fond of the outdoors, but the fresh air is always a welcome change, and she lingers a moment just to look out at the pastures before following him.

"This treasure you found before, or can the Enclosure actually surprise you?"

From:

stand_unshaken

"Treasure I found before," he says, and then goes to a small rock that has a paper sticking out of it.

"So I'm guessing it's up to you." And he hands her the Jack Hall Gang treasure map. The rock formation is clear and right there before their eyes - she just has to figure out how to get the actual treasure, now.

"Did half the hard work for you."