watch_dogs / wynonna earp } { i been lost somewhere between heaven and hell

[stupetballs]

[The fog has been rolling in for weeks now. Curling up out of the trees, messing with people's minds, and while Waverly and Wynonna did go through a stretch of forgetting things, there's also things that she remembered too.

Things from somewhere else.

Things from Hell.

She doesn't know if Wynonna remembers, and she doesn't want to ask. She doesn't want to think that if for some reason she doesn't, her question is the thing that triggers the deluge of memories of the pain and suffering they spent there. So she keeps it to herself, toiling away with Jeremy and regular cases and hoping that one day, she'll be able to put it all behind them.

They get a call one day, about someone having been found in the fog. It's unsure how much of an affect it's had on him, but Jeremy manages to divert him back to Shorty's so they can get a better look at him. He doesn't have any ID, any phone, and he's definitely not one of the locals. But the moment they place him on the pool table to get a better look, Waverly almost drops the bottle of whiskey in her hand.]

Oh my god, Aiden.

Comments

[the_vigilante]

[Aiden turns, at that, actually giving himself a moment to take it all in. once he has, he turns back to Waverly, shrugging]

It's not what I expected, somehow. [a beat] Not bad, just ... [he's not sure how to explain it. he guesses he expected it to look more like Hella Shorty's]

[stupetballs]

I know. Doc actually classed up the Hell version quite a bit.

[But at it's heart, it was still the dive bar she knew and loved back home.]

At least with this one, you can be sure the booze is free of fun drugs and hallucinogens and the food didn't come from something that will make you want to puke.

[the_vigilante]

[Aiden snorts]

No drugs? Ray'll be disappointed.

[seriously, though. he's glad the food and drink here isn't tainted]

[stupetballs]

Oh, we have drugs. We just make you go out and purchase them yourself, rather than springing them on you like a fun surprise.

[She smirks.]

We very much believe in consent when it comes to narcotics.

[the_vigilante]

[and he makes another small, amused noise]

My mistake.

[a pause follows, and then a little more seriously, he tells her:] Still not sure I'm not already on the drugs.

[stupetballs]

Well. The fog we found you in definitely induces drug-like effects.

[She knows that's not the reason he's mentioning it, but she still feels the need to be concerned.]

If you start to feel too weird, let us know, okay?

[the_vigilante]

[he shakes his head a little]

This is mostly on me. [he's got a headache, and feels a little nauseous, sure, but] I keep thinking I'm gonna wake up any minute, here.

[stupetballs]

I've been there too.

[She offers him a smile as she leans in closer.]

But if you need me to pinch you every so often to remind you what's real, I can totally do that.

[the_vigilante]

[Aiden huffs out a breath of a laugh, at that, before wordlessly holding out his hand, palm down. go ahead and pinch him, Waverly. maybe it'll help]

[stupetballs]

[And she will do just that, pinching the top of his hand before raising an eyebrow when it doesn't all fade away and disappear.]

See? Not dreaming.

[the_vigilante]

Yeah, still weird.

[still, it's something of a relief that this doesn't all disappear, once she's pinched him. it's a relief to have made it out. he can only hope Ray's kicking around somewhere, too, now]

[stupetballs]

[She nods, moving on to next steps. They need housing and supplies.]

Well, there's rooms above the bar and I know the owner so if you want to crash here you can. I would take you back to the homestead, but I need to figure out how much Wynonna remembers first.

[She steps back and eyes his frame.]

We probably have spare clothes and stuff stashed somewhere that are about your size.

[the_vigilante]

[Aiden arches his eyebrows, though he's not sure which is responsible for his reaction -- that she and Wynonna don't own Shorty's or that she might have men's clothes lying around. probably the former, given that he immediately thinks of Doc to explain away the latter]

You don't own the bar, here?

[stupetballs]

[She shakes her head.]

Nah. Worked for Shorty for a while, but then he passed and he left the bar to Gus, my aunt. She didn't want to keep it, though, so she sold it to Doc, who gave it to Nedly.

[A beat.]

Older guy, great mustache. You'll probably see him a lot. Also a cop, but he's retired.

[the_vigilante]

Gonna guess he's on the level?

[he imagines the Earps wouldn't associate with him if he was crooked -- or if he was against a little lawbreaking in the name of justice. he also can't stop the kneejerk, unfavorable reaction he has to the very idea of someone being a cop, however]

[stupetballs]

He is. And he was smart enough to name Nicole sheriff, so if nothing else we give him a lot of points for that.

[Nedley wasn't always so much in the Earp girls' good graces, but he did the best he could with the threat of Ward Earp looming over him. And even when the strings of justice were being pulled in the wrong direction, he kept collecting the evidence just in case. He did the best he could.]

[the_vigilante]

[Nicole. god, how could he have forgotten about her? maybe because, as far as he's concerned, it's been longer since he's seen her than it has been since he's seen the Earps. he looks all at once somehow apologetic and wistful, both]

She remember anything?

[he hopes she does. the one fucking cop he's ever gotten along with]

[stupetballs]

[She shakes her head. Wynonna is one thing, but Waverly really hopes Nicole never does.]

She hasn't been caught in the fog yet, though, and I'm pretty sure that's what triggered it for me.

[the_vigilante]

[well, that's disappointing]

[he hums] Guess we'll have to start over, then.

[stupetballs]

Unfortunately. But on the upside, Nicole is still Nicole, so I doubt it will take long for her to warm up.

[And maybe, like Waverly, their memories will come back too. But before she can move forward, Jeremy and the other Black Badge agent return. "We swept the area. Didn't see any additional people."]

[the_vigilante]

Yeah.

[it might take longer for him to warm up, though. he'll go back to being guarded around her all over again on reflex. he and Natalia would have had the same problem, even, if she'd ever shown back up in Hell, and he was in love with her. cliché as it is, it's not them, it's him]

[but anyway]

Shit.

[so, Ray's not here. fuck]

[stupetballs]

Sorry. If I could guarantee they wouldn't claw their own faces off I would suggest subjecting them to the fog, but ... that stuff's got some crazy side effects.

[Jeremy looks at Waverly like she has two heads for that statement, but Aiden hopefully understands. But she does genuinely look sad about the lack of Ray.]

We'll keep an eye out. He didn't show up at the same time as you before, maybe it's a similar thing.

[the_vigilante]

[he shakes his head -- he really doesn't blame her for not wanting to willingly subject anyone to that. he doesn't look any less sour, however]

Asshole better not keep me waiting long.

[it was a month, last time, right? he'll hold onto hope for a month]

[stupetballs]

[Waverly's got her fingers crossed but given she doesn't know how Aiden happened, that's not something she can guarantee. Waverly looks over at Jeremy.]

Thanks for looking. We'll let you know if we need anything else.

["Cool. Wynonna just called about a demon thing, so I'll check in with you later."

Waverly makes a face as Jeremy walks out the door.]

Guess we'll find out what Wynonna remembers and what she doesn't soon enough. Either she's going to be happy to see you or come to interrogate you.

[the_vigilante]

[he snorts]

I'll try not to be too much of a dick to her, if it's the second one.