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[assassinwithahairpin]

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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[assassinwithahairpin]

Bokyung shrugged, and continued to sip the misery-coffee. He was often simply ready to go. He had to be. So the extended time around the campfire was a bit strange to him. But he didn't know where they were going, what the plan was. He couldn't get them going when he wasn't the one taking the lead here.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

Goodnight eventually served up breakfast and ate quietly; for a moment it seemed like he could well go back to sleep where he was. Once they'd eaten and the morning chill had burned off, he got up to clean their dishes. "Kick out the fire, will you? Let's get moving."

His aim was west, to California; but he was hoping they would hit a town before the end of this day. Tacking up the horses was a quiet affair for him, as much of the morning had been.

[assassinwithahairpin]

Bokyung was much more relaxed in the quiet. He ate, dealt with the fire while Goodnight washed the pots and dishes clean, and then tacked up his little Arapaho mustang.

He was much swifter about it than Goodnight, likely due to having much less complicated tack and no extra accessories--bedroll, camp gear, and that sort of thing. He sat astride his horse, staring at the horn of his saddle.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

Goodnight was quiet through the morning, only perking up once the sun was higher. Not quite noon, but certainly not early anymore. "Do you cook at all?" he asked, breaking the long stretch of (perhaps companionable) silence.

[assassinwithahairpin]

They were back to speaking. Bokyung was going to miss the quiet. "Better than you," he said mildly, still looking down at his saddle.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

He huffed a laugh. "Well alright then. That's your job, now. We'll restock when we hit the next town and see what you got."

[assassinwithahairpin]

Bokyung bobbed his head in ascension, because there was no point in any objections. He didn't care, either way. It was simply a fact. And if they managed to get something beside salt pork and biscuits and beans, he would definitely do better. There was only so much you could do with those three.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

Goodnight became his more talkative self as the day went on. He talked about books he read, recited poems he could remember, and just generally filled the silence before succumbing to it again. And when he was quiet, he seemed... alright. He didn't attempt to prod Billy into conversation if there was a lull; maybe he'd just accepted his traveling companion's silence.

They passed other riders at some point in the day - not close, and Goodnight was fine with keeping his distance. But it was a good sign, like seagulls.

"We might actually get beds tonight."

[assassinwithahairpin]

As other riders began to appear, Billy actually started to perk, a little. He didn't look at anyone directly, in case there were other people like Goodnight looking for someone with his face--or who just didn't like his face--but he put on a look of confidence that seemed to fill out his oversized riding coat.

"I'd ride until we did," Billy said, nodding a little.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

"Well look who showed up," he chuckled, taking a good look at Bokyung as he sat up, looked a little more lively. "You wanna pick up the pace and see what we find?" Goodnight had kept them at an easy-but-ground-eating pace all day, letting the horses rest as much as they could. They could stand a little run.

[assassinwithahairpin]

Bokyung looked at Goodnight, then at his horse. Then, without a single word or warning, he dug his heels in against the mustang's sides and let the horse leap forward from a long walk into a speed, ground-chewing canter. They rode well, for all he was exhausted and the horse was thin. And, maybe, he was teasing a little bit.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

"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.

[assassinwithahairpin]

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.

[goodnight_robicheaux]

"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."

[assassinwithahairpin]

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_robicheaux]

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."

[assassinwithahairpin]

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_robicheaux]

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.

[assassinwithahairpin]

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?"

[goodnight_robicheaux]

"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.

[assassinwithahairpin]

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_robicheaux]

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.

[assassinwithahairpin]

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."

[goodnight_robicheaux]

"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."

[assassinwithahairpin]

"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.