Self-doubt was never something the Courier had to worry about, even in her worst moments. She knew exactly what she was- a flirt, a tease, the sort of woman who narrated torch songs. She didn't bother concealing her nature from men, and still they fell for her; if they were going to offer her such an advantage, who was she to refuse? It might not have been nice, but it couldn't be considered worse than any other sort of attack.
But while she knew who she was and how she operated, she couldn't say the same of her gunslinger. She knew he'd been a soldier, had a falling out, lost his wife, and dedicated his life to revenge. Oh, and she also knew that on two separate occasions he'd lashed out violently at her when he thought she'd tricked him, only to gnaw at himself with guilt afterwards.
She probably couldn't trust him to take her alone into the mountains. But then, it was nice for the Courier to know one man she couldn't predict.
"Canyon 37. Do you know what happened here?"
The Courier surveyed their destination, a picturesque spot of red rock indistinguishable from any other picturesque red rock.
"The Khans say one thing, Manny says another, Bitter Root says something else. I know a lot of people died."
"Women, kids, the elderly. They ordered us to fire until we were out of ammo, thinking we would come across the main force. We followed orders, and no one stopped to admit the mistake until it was too late."
The Courier sat down on a rock, biting her lip. Boone continued, looking out at the ground below.
"It's easy to know what you shouldn't have done. It's harder to say what you should have done instead."
"I hear you."
Boone turned back to her, examining her face as if looking for judgement of some kind. The Courier offered him a shrug in return.
"I'm not a soldier, Boone. I don't even obey half the shit House tells me to do. If you're looking for someone to tell you that it was or wasn't your fault-"
"-It shouldn't be you. I get it. That's not why we're here."
Boone dumped his backpack on the ground with a sigh.
"I thought if I could have it all together in one place, it might start to mean something. You, me, Bitter Springs, anything. I thought it might make sense if I put it together."
"Not sure I follow."
"You don't have to. There's more I need to-" Boone broke off and started unpacking his things. "I need more time to think, if that's okay. I'm staying the night. I won't make you if you don't want to."
Damn that boy, always cutting himself off when he started to get interesting. The Courier unrolled her own sleeping bag, wondering why he'd even bothered giving her a choice.
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timeasmymeasure
Torch Songs 13/?
Date: 2011-12-24 08:12 am (UTC)But while she knew who she was and how she operated, she couldn't say the same of her gunslinger. She knew he'd been a soldier, had a falling out, lost his wife, and dedicated his life to revenge. Oh, and she also knew that on two separate occasions he'd lashed out violently at her when he thought she'd tricked him, only to gnaw at himself with guilt afterwards.
She probably couldn't trust him to take her alone into the mountains. But then, it was nice for the Courier to know one man she couldn't predict.
"Canyon 37. Do you know what happened here?"
The Courier surveyed their destination, a picturesque spot of red rock indistinguishable from any other picturesque red rock.
"The Khans say one thing, Manny says another, Bitter Root says something else. I know a lot of people died."
"Women, kids, the elderly. They ordered us to fire until we were out of ammo, thinking we would come across the main force. We followed orders, and no one stopped to admit the mistake until it was too late."
The Courier sat down on a rock, biting her lip. Boone continued, looking out at the ground below.
"It's easy to know what you shouldn't have done. It's harder to say what you should have done instead."
"I hear you."
Boone turned back to her, examining her face as if looking for judgement of some kind. The Courier offered him a shrug in return.
"I'm not a soldier, Boone. I don't even obey half the shit House tells me to do. If you're looking for someone to tell you that it was or wasn't your fault-"
"-It shouldn't be you. I get it. That's not why we're here."
Boone dumped his backpack on the ground with a sigh.
"I thought if I could have it all together in one place, it might start to mean something. You, me, Bitter Springs, anything. I thought it might make sense if I put it together."
"Not sure I follow."
"You don't have to. There's more I need to-" Boone broke off and started unpacking his things. "I need more time to think, if that's okay. I'm staying the night. I won't make you if you don't want to."
Damn that boy, always cutting himself off when he started to get interesting. The Courier unrolled her own sleeping bag, wondering why he'd even bothered giving her a choice.