alternativewriting | (no subject)

Entry tags:

alec,
sally

(no subject)

Alec is late. Unusual for him as he takes ridiculous amount of pride in being on time. Sometimes showing up a little bit early. So when he comes in about fifteen minutes late it's worrisome.

When Sally gets a look at him it'll be even more worrisome. He's definitely been in a fight and more than likely on the losing side of one. His coat, which he'd been taking fastidiously good care of was ripped and he had a bloody lip, bruise showing up around the eye and some other fun indications of injuries. From the look in his eyes, Alec was also burning furious.

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"Aw, shit, kid..."

No, she doesn't mince words, not ever, and she can tell that Alec's lost a fight, or at least, gotten pretty damn beat up. Too beat up to be a guy who'd won a fight, probably. She shakes her head at his appearance, immediately approaching him to assess the damage.

"You've gotta take care of this. This could swell up pretty bad if you don't get some ice on it right away."

"That bad?" Alec's voice is ragged and he coughs briefly. He hasn't looked in the mirror yet. He just knows he hurts a lot.

But he'll take Sally's word for it and go for the ice.

"Yeah, that bad. You're going to have some nasty bruises in the morning."

The bruises are already showing, actually, but he'll see that himself when he takes a look in whatever mirror he can find. She's not going to alarm him any more than she needs to, but he should absolutely be icing that.

"I wish I could say the other guy looks worse," he grumbles.

His hands shake as he gets the ice and drops it a few times. "Stupid. Stupid."

"What happened? Who'd you piss off?"

She offers him a cigarette, because, well, why the hell not? The kid could probably use one, after all that he'd apparently been through.

"Some of the other guys who live in the same place I do. I didn't say anything this time. They wanted my watch. Said I didn't need it because I could just buy another one. I wouldn't give it to them."

He takes the offered cigarette because... why not?

"Well, I'm glad you didn't give it to them."

She looks at his wrist not so subtly, trying to see if he still has his watch or not.

"Did they end up taking it anyway?"

Actually, he pulls out a pocket watch and sets it on the counter for Sally to see. It's obvious as to why someone would want the thing from the gold casing and fine etchings on it of a bird. The chain, however, is broken.

"No. They didn't." Smug? Yes.

"Well well. Aren't you full of surprises?"

She's actually pretty proud, considering she's never thought of Alec as being particularly good at fighting back. Apparently he'd been able to defend himself well enough to keep his pocket watch out of the hands of the guys who'd wanted it, though, and that's impressive.

"It's not that impressive. I just held onto it like the devil would take me if I didn't." It wasn't so much fighting back as keep away.

He spins the watch absently.

"Either way, I'm impressed. Must mean something to you."

A lot of people would have just given up their belongings to avoid the beating that would result from not handing over the item, but apparently not Alec.

"It belonged to my grandfather, who got it from his father, who bought it from a famous watchmaker in Prussia. He gave it to me when I started university - so I'd always be on time for my classes. He died a few months later."

Yes. It means quite a bit. Though he's glad his grandfather isn't around to see the fact that he dropped out of university and is well... where he is.

She nods. Just as she thought -- it has a great deal of personal significance. Things like that are usually more worth fighting for than expensive things.

"I'm glad you were able to keep ahold of it. Otherwise, I'd've had to go and get it back for you."

She's only kind of kidding.

The look of I am going to say something about you shouldn't do that because you're a girl flashes across his face but he manages to actually not say it. It's a close thing but he does shut his mouth in time.

"Me too. It's the nicest thing... only thing... he ever really gave me," he says. "I don't know what I would have done if they got a hold of it. But now... I don't know... I'm afraid they'll break into my room to steal it. As a matter of pride, you know? I got the best of them somehow and they can't let it go."

"They might try, but we won't let that happen, will we?"

"I hope not. But I barely got away from this time."

Alec is in serious doubt about his keeping the watch skills. And it's not like he can go to law enforcement. He really doubts they would do anything helpful for him in this instance.

"So we'll just have to teach you how to fight better next time, won't we?"

It seems reasonable to her. He's obviously not a practiced fighter. They can change that.

"And who would teach me?"

The tone of his voice indicates that he doesn't think that she would be someone who could teach him.

"You're looking at her, kid. I could handle you just fine."

She's not impressed by his implication that she couldn't do it.

The expression on Alec's face is kind of funny to watch. He's really, really, really, really, really, really trying hard not to say "but I can't hit a girl!"

"Mmhmm," is all she has to say to that expression, and then she shakes her head.

"You're going to have to get over that idea pretty damn quick if you want to survive down here in the swamp, honey. There're plenty of girls around here who could kick your ass around the block and back without even breaking a sweat."

"Yes... but...but... it's not proper!"

"And what have I said about propriety in the past, Alec?"

She sighs, long and hard. He just doesn't get it.

He's trying to get it. He really is.

"That it doesn't count out here."

"That's right. So do you want me to teach you, or do you want to be stubborn and worry about propriety?"

He bites his lip clearly conflicted.

"I'd like to know how to fight and you can teach me... but is there someone else I could hit?"

"Sure, go hit whoever you want."

And then enjoy getting hit back really hard because they don't understand what's going on. She grins at him after a second.

"We'll find you someone. Some guy."

Alec rolls his eyes and then winces in pain.

"I'm sure some day I'll be able to hit you."

"Well, good. We'll work our way up to you being able to punch me right in the face, how about that?"

"This discussion is turning rather surreal and uncomfortable."

He really doesn't like the idea of hitting girls.

"In the meantime, what am I supposed to do?"

"In the meantime, maybe you should store some of your valuables here. Nobody'll go after them then."

Because really, anyone who breaks into her bar gets a nasty surprise by being shot, so they don't tend to try it.

Alec stares at his watch and spins it around briefly before pushing it over to her.

"That's it really... I didn't have a chance to take anything else with me. Well... I spent it getting down here."

She takes it and nods once, very firmly.

"I'll keep an eye on it. You don't need to worry about it for one second."

"I need to fix the chain," he says. "Thank you."

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