assassinwithahairpin | (no subject)

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Texas was blistering hot, in a way that Park Bokyung had never known in Korea or in western Washington. He'd been traveling for four days, exhaustion starting to set in. The horse he had was a skinny thing--bought from an Arapaho tradesmen when he'd crossed through Colorado for more than Bokyung had really been able to spare, but it was a resilient thing. He could commiserate with that.

He came into a small town, unsure what it was called or where he was on the map. It didn't really matter. He wasn't near enough the Rio Grande to really orient himself. Just passing through scrub and sand and a hundred miles of blue skies in every direction.

People were staring. Bokyung was used to that, and so he paid it no real mind. He approached the boarding house and left his little Arapaho mustang at the post as he went in and inquired for room. The matron at the front said there was none but to try and saloon, as it might be more to his style. He highly doubted that, but unhitched his horse and went over to the saloon instead.

It was an effort to ignore the stares. Hadn't any of these men ever seen an Oriental before? There were rail tracks laid not too far from here--he knew from crossing them--which meant they must have seen some variety at some point. Unless it was a rare track laid by Irish and Germans. But Bokyung doubted that.

The music in the saloon did not stop when he stepped in. Nothing did. That was certainly preferable.

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"Oh I see how it is," he said to thin air before he nudged his mare to catch up with the little mustang. The ground was flat, enough that he felt safe letting her have her head. And maybe he stole glances at Bokyung as he rode; at least he had the pretense of trying to beat him, even if they had no destination.

Still, he pulled his mare up after a mile or so - Goodnight would rather not walk to town if she got tired before then.

They slowed, and rode more sedately into the town. It was, in fact, something approaching a town, though on the frontier, that didn't say too much to be sure. But there appeared to be a boarding house and a hotel. Almost like civilization.

Bokyung let his chin go down again, tucking his face behind his dark hair and in the collar of his jacket. If they were trying to be unobtrusive, it would probably be better if he just stayed quiet.

"Hallelujah we have found the promised land," he sighed happily when he realized this was more than just a dream of a place that would be. "I don't know about you but I am going to have a bath. We can worry about restocking tomorrow."

Bokyung allowed himself a smile snort of laughter. He let Goodnight lead them so they could hitch the horses. When he slid off, Bokyung let himself be stiff for a moment. Sleeping like he had hadn't made riding do him too many favors.

"I can get supplies," he said, shrugging. He doubted they would get service for a room if he went in with Goodnight. After all, that was why they'd had to make a mad dash from the last town--among other things, like Bokyung's current captivity. He could at least make himself useful.

Goodnight made a bit of a face and looked longingly at the little hotel. Probably their better option, given that he had no intention of staying for more than the night. But maybe they should resupply first.

"Alright," he said. He should give Bokyung a chance, shouldn't he? Hadn't run off yet, but that had also been under apparent threat. But still. Good night dug into a saddle bag and passed over a few bills. "Get whatever food strikes your fancy and will last us. We'll need something for the horses too in case the scrub gets too thin."

He dismounted with a grunt. "I'll get the horses settled and get us a room."

Bokyung took the bills and fished out a couple of coins from his own pockets as he walked away. He tried to think of quick excuses, if he needed to. How many people knew his face was on a warrant sheet? He kept his head down for the most part.

The general store was small and not particularly stocked. He got a few things, angling toward things they could eat or make quickly that the horses could have as well--a lot of oats, mostly, but some other things as well. And, because they were there and only a few pennies, he got a few apples as well.

As he walked back to the hotel, he pulled a whittling knife out of his pocket and started to shave bites off one of the apples.

Goodnight was waiting for him out on the porch of the hotel, looking quite comfortable in a rocking chair. "I got us a room," he said. "Figured I'd make sure you got to it." He had no idea if anyone might give Bokyung problems, but Goodnight was not in the mood to even humor the idea. He might actually have a chance to relax, bathe, and sleep in a bed. He was not going to lose it over some ass thinking they had something to prove against a Korean.

To find Goodnight waiting for him was a little surprising. Bokyung put down the sack of supplies he'd brought from the general store at his feet, handed over the change, and then leaned against the porch railing to fish a cigarette case out of his riding coat.

"...a room?"

"Apparently this is a popular place to stop," he said with a shrug. Also it stretched the budget, which Goodnight was inclined to do until he had a more ready source of cash. "It's got two beds," he assured.

Bokyung shrugged. He didn't actually care if there were two beds, or one bed, or no bed, frankly. It was inside. There was a roof and walls. Maybe there was even liquor.

He tilted his head back and exhaled a long sigh of smoke.

Goodnight lolled his head back, enjoying the moment to relax. "What did you pick up for us?" he asked, peeking one eye open to watch Bokyung against the rail.

Bokyung let the cigarette cling to the corner of his mouth and resumed shaving away chunks of the apple he'd started on the way back from the store. He alternated puffs of the cigarette with bites of apple.

"Oats," he said. "Salt pork. Some extra salt, so we can hunt. A few apples."

"Good," he said, approving of Billy's choices. They could split the oats with the horses if the grazing got bad. "You ready to go up? Figure they see you movin' around with me once should be enough to let you come and go after that."

"Oh, I'm allowed to come and go," Bokyung murmured, sarcasm laced and looped through every word. He put out his cigarette and focused on the apple, following Goodnight into the hotel and focusing on the backs of his knees so he didn't have to look at all these white people staring at him.

Goodnight gave him a weary look. "I'm trying to work in a system, here. It's not a good one - it's ridiculous, even - but it's what there is." He kept his voice down as they walked; he fixed a few people with a look on their way to the stairs. The door to their room was open, a maid just preparing to leave.

He broke into a bright, charming smile.

"Merci mon cher. Je ne peux pas penser à une vue plus belle," he crooned, sending the poor girl into a fit of blushes on her way out the door. The thing to provoke his praise? A tub of steaming hot water on the far end of the room.

The French--Bokyung was fairly sure if was French--went completely over his head. He nodded politely to the girl, looking her over quickly for any signs of rough use. Sometimes, people didn't know that their servants weren't just there for their amusement. But she seemed well enough, and so Bokyung ignored her as he claimed one of the beds. He at least had the decency to keep his boots off the blanket.

Goodnight continued to murmur his sweet nothings, apparently directed at the tub now. He leaned on the wall to get his boots off and promptly started undressing. Bokyung did not have to look, but he was not going to waste any time in sinking into that hot water. He'd made due with rivers or nothing at all for far too long, thank you.

And maybe, maybe, he moaned when he finally sank into the tub. "Oh goddamn," he sighed.

Bokyung was more focused on the apple for most of the time of Goodnight undressing, though he was not unaware of it happening so near him. The occasional flash of skin in his peripheral vision, more than anything else.

He did notice when Goodnight made that damnable noise. Something like heat trickled down his spine, and Bokyung screwed up his face at his whittling knife.

He refused to be moved.

Goodnight scrubbed his face with water for the moment. He'd wash up properly soon enough, but he wanted to just soak while the water was still hot. Let it sink into tired bones. He rubbed damp fingers through his hair and relaxed back. "The road isn't so bad but damn I miss this luxury."

Naturally he was feeling talkative.

Bokyung wasn't going to stand this. And he didn't have to, he realized. This wasn't a river bank or something. He wasn't being kept in this room. Goodnight himself had said he could come and go.

So, slicing off another piece of apple, he got up off the bed. He headed to the door of the room without looking at Goodnight--and maybe that was a little pointed. But he was not going to look at this man and possibly put himself in danger if the warrant officer decided he didn't like how Bokyung was looking.

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