[voice test]

[assassinwithahairpin]

Even at night, Rose Creek was a city of desert heats this time of year. Billy had shucked his jacket in the room of the boarding house and excused himself from Faraday and Vasquez's increasing revelries in favor of a cigarette. Though the heat still lingered in the clapboards and railings, the night had a breeze that carried mining smells in from the east.

Billy leaned his elbows on the railing of the balcony, cigarette pinched between his fingers, and considered. This was not his sort of a play, if he were perfectly honest. He was here because he was Robichaeux's man, because he needed him; and Robichaeux was here because of--a debt? A promise? An inescapable and inexplicable need to right his past? And what about the others? Money, connection, promises. He and Red Harvest seemed the odd outliers which Billy could not explain.

A door opened to his left, but he didn't react to it. He knew who it was. He brought the cigarette to his lips and looked up at the moon, wan on the horizon, providing no real light to the evening.

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[goodnight_robicheaux]

"Mm, there was that pond out there as well, but this is neither the time nor the place to make a bareass run for it." When they were alone together, out in the wilderness it was no thing at all to rush from their tent to a nearby river or pond or lake. But here? Goodnight was not keen on it at all. "You want to get dressed long enough to get there?"

He laced his fingers with Billy's, content to maintain that entwined touch. He lifted their joined hands to kiss Billy's knuckles. He could still smell gunpowder on them and he frowned.

"Why'd you tell Faraday the rifle was jammed?" he asked softly.

[assassinwithahairpin]

"I do not want to put any of my clothes back on, thank you," Billy said, rather cheerily considering he was letting his eyes slide blissfully shut. He made no sound when Goodnight laced their fingers together, sighed only softly when he lifted their hands and kissed his knuckles.

He was quiet for a moment. They had, all three of them, been looking at the gun when he'd said it. But his voice had brooked no argument, and Billy didn't expect one from Faraday.

"For your pride," he murmured. It was a thin excuse for what he'd done. He tilted their hands away from Goody's mouth and kissed his knuckles in turn.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

A pained look crossed his face and his fingers briefly tightened around Billy's at the touch of his lips. "You didn't have to do that," he said quietly. And he was ashamed, deeply so, that Billy felt the need to make excuses for his hesitation... his cowardice. The shot had been good, easy.

Not once in the entire shoot out had he been able to pull the trigger.

[assassinwithahairpin]

"Of course I did," Billy said. He looked at Goodnight then, and the words were all unspoken. Billy would lie and bluster for Goodnight, would protect the shreds and shards of his dignity with his life, because that was who they'd become. How many nights had Goodnight woken with nightmares and had Billy there to sooth him? How many times had it been in reverse? Too many, for both of them.

"And, anyway," Billy continued, shrugging, "it's none of Faraday's business."

[goodnight_robicheaux]

"It's gonna become his business," he said, maybe a tone harsher than he needed to be. "Because if I can't-- if we're working this thing together, all of us, and I can't--"

Goodnight couldn't get the words out. Someone could have died because of him. There had been enough of them today that it worked out, others making up for his slack. But Bogue wasn't going to send a dozen men next time; he'd come with a small army.

He tried not to let himself get too agitated.

[assassinwithahairpin]

"You can," Billy assured, speaking over Goody's worry and doubts. He squeezed Goody's hand and looked at him, firm and assured. "I know you can. We will work this thing together. But that doesn't mean it's Faraday's business."

Billy was firm on that front. He didn't like how Faraday looked at the two of them, didn't like Faraday's glib tongue and judgmental eyes. He was only a few years younger than Billy, but he acted like a boy in comparison. And it was none of his business, Goodnight's afflictions. Those were Goodnight's, and by extension Billy's.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

Goodnight had managed to get by without violence for an impressively long time, considering. He rested on his reputation, and later on Billy's ability to scare the shit out of most challengers.

But he didn't think it would be an option now. He feared, inevitably, he would need to raise his hands in violence again. He met Billy's gaze, seeing reflected in them a confidence he longed for. He wondered if Sam knew, if he realized. He had to.

He tried to take a deeper breath and let it go slowly, but it came out in a huff. "Let's hope he finds other interests to occupy his time." But Goody knew disdain when he saw it.

[assassinwithahairpin]

Billy leaned over as Goodnight continued to huff and vibrate with his agitation. He kissed his lips, his chin, across his jaw and down his neck. If he could not make Goody believe that he could do this, than he would carry him through it. He knew what Goody was capable of, was confident in him. It filled in his chest.

He hummed, vaguely. Billy was sure that Faraday would certainly try and find plenty to occupy his interests. Drinking, maybe a couple of women. Vasquez and he kept glancing at each other so heatedly that Billy wanted to laugh at them both.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

Goodnight tried to relax, especially when Billy leaned over, lip brushing along his skin. He turned his head toward him, kissed his forehead, his hair. "Mon cher," he murmured. "I'll be to rights in the morning."

Or he damn well hoped so.