OOM: Texas, 1888. Just outside Oakville

[the_gene_genie]

He's glad when she rides them out of town, away from where anyone might see this. It makes sense, of course. It'd be a bit stupid for her to be teaching him how to do this stuff in full view of the people who think he already knows how.

It feels weird to be back in the saddle after a few days out of it, though. Hurts, too. He'd thought these aches were going away but nope, they were only asleep. So it's a bit of an uncomfortable ride, especially coupled with the heat. He doesn't moan though. He'll be in trouble if she changes her mind about helping him here.

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[ikissdhimbck]

She's remained quiet all day, offering little that hasn't had to do with cattle, or the judge. She asks Gene what he had to say after they disappeared inside the courthouse. He'll start in the morning, bright and early. That doesn't give Kate much time.

The afternoon is spent wandering the stockyards so she can at least explain the basics. It's going to be hard teaching him anything without a herd at their disposal, but, as with most things concerning Gene, she'll just have to take this one problem at a time. She makes him get his hands dirty, repeat terms and phrases he'll need to know (despite his grumbling), and pay attention to what other hands are doing.

It's past supper now, and the crowned prince of Texas is laying his resplendent head down below the horizon. The earth is blanketed in his evening robes of gold and purple, turning the scrub and grasses of this lonely place to fire, limning cacti and saplings in his last winking light. Kate cranes her neck, spying out the pale shadow of a near-full moon.

Good.

"This is as good a place as any."

[the_gene_genie]

'For what?'

He waggles his eyebrows at her, more for form's sake than anything. His head is full of cattle at the moment, much to his displeasure. He never knew they smelled so much.

[ikissdhimbck]

She shoots him a look as she swings out of the saddle.

"I'm sorry, dontcha see the soft feather mattress?"

She ties Beaut up to one of the small trees, and slips on her gloves.

[the_gene_genie]

'Well, I'm not picky.'

Really. No mattress required.

...he can see his particular brand of charm isn't going to wash right now, so he sighs, and dismounts stiffly.

'Right. Fine. Go ahead an' teach me, then. But I warn you, I spent more time in detention than in lessons, when I were in school.'

(This isn't exactly true, but it's what he tells people if the subject ever comes up.)

[ikissdhimbck]

"Don't you worry. I got plenty experience teachin' naughty boys lessons."

She steps around Beaut, striding back into view with a coil of rope at her hip. She's working it into a standard lasso, both her coat and vest draped over Beaut's saddle so her body has more freedom to move.

[the_gene_genie]

...and provide him with a nice view, as it happens. He leans on Concession's saddle, lights up a fag and watches her appreciatively.

'Promises, promises,' he murmurs, with a quiet smile.

She had to expect that shot.

[ikissdhimbck]

She flicks her gaze up through her lashes.



"Try t'keep focused on the matter at hand, wouldja?"

She doesn't try very hard to hold back her answering smirk, however. As it happens, she likes feeling appreciated; and if a plain white blouse and a pair of worn slacks is what does it for Gene, she's not going to complain.

She takes the coil of rope from Concession's saddle and holds it against Gene's breast.

"Stub that out an' c'mon. You're gonna need both hands."

[the_gene_genie]

'Yes, mam,' he says, with added sauce, and ditches the smoke.

Then it takes the rope. It feels different than he expected.

'What am I practicin' on? You, I hope.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She snickers.

"I'll make you a deal. If y'can successfully rope me on your own, without hurtin' me in the process, then I'll let you take me t'your bed an' I'll give you anythin' y'like."

He'll never manage it. A lasso's tricky to learn, especially for someone with as little experience in such areas as Gene. For now, she's just teaching him the wrist work. If he catches on, then maybe they'll move on to cacti.

[the_gene_genie]

'Anythin'?'

His ears perk up immediately of course, before turning suspicious a split-second later.

'But if I don', we still go to bed only I don' get any special favours, yeah?'

Because he wants to be very clear that there must be bed somewhere in this equation.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Mmm."

She's certainly not giving anything away with that little smirk on her face.

"That all depends on how quick y'catch on, I reckon. We could be here a while."

She's making lazy circles with her lasso, glancing at him briefly from the corner of her eye.

[the_gene_genie]

'Always been a fast learner.'

Plus, he used to play cowboys every day when he was a kid. OK, so they could never quite make the lassos work properly, but it worked in his head. So that'll help.

Yeah.

Anyway, he looks around pointedly.

'No one around, though,' he points out, with a grin.

'Make as much noise as you like, out 'ere.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She sighs theatrically.

"I'm about t'get to hollerin', but I don't think you're gonna like what I have t'say."

His one track mind is even more narrow than usual. Which is to be expected after what happened this morning, she reckons. But it certainly doesn't make this any easier.

"We ain't got a lotta time right now, so c'mon. I want you t'at least sound like y'know what you're doin' tomorrow, so quit dillydallyin'. I'll have you out here every night 'til you can do this right."

There's hardly any playfulness in her voice; it's a threat she plans to make good on, even if that means no time for sex.

[the_gene_genie]

He sighs even more theatrically, and straightens up.

'Right then.'



...a pause, and then he's closing in on her with a grin, hands slipping to her waist.


'Give us a snog. Jus' one, then I promise I'll concentrate. Scout's Honour.'

He's serving a lifetime ban from the Scouts, but she doesn't need to know that. And they've been at this all afternoon. He's tired, and wants some fun.

Plus, he's very good at whinging like a schoolboy when he's denied something he was promised. D:, Kate.

[ikissdhimbck]

"You're impossible."

Her expression is as flat as a flapjack under a boulder. Just stating the facts.

She has half a mind to say no. First of all, she doesn't believe him for a minute when he says he'll buckle down and concentrate. Secondly, she wonders if he won't put a bit more effort in if he has to hold out for a reward. But Kate's never been one to dangle a carrot to get her students to do something, and as far as Gene is concerned he probably would spend the whole evening whining until he got his way.

So she turns, pressing up against his body, and curls her hand around the back of his head. She pulls him in and gives him a proper kiss; the kind that, with any luck, will shut him up for a good while.

[the_gene_genie]

It'll shut him up for a good long time, because he's not planning on letting her go for a good long time. His hands slide to her backside as soon as their lips meet, and he holds her to him tight, leaning in to her to keep her against him and also, hopefully, off-balance enough to have to hang on to him a bit.


It's a shame he has to come up for air eventually. Not far though; his mouth fnds her neck and stays there a bit, waiting for the inevitable push of her hands to make him get back to work.

[ikissdhimbck]

His wicked plan is met with some success, as her arm slips around his neck when he tilts her, drawing their chests even closer together. She moans.

He has her thinking about it. Just for a moment, when his mouth moves to her neck and she can feel the prickle of sweat forming on her skin. He exhales and she shudders, picturing his arms braced, their bodies haphazardly intertwined, quick and hot and lustful and — and she feels something sharp.

He shifts, and the edge of that shiny new badge cuts into her skin.



She gives a little nudge, and slides one of her hands to his backside and smacks him.

"All right, all right. Spend a lil' less time tyin' me in knots, and work on your rope."

[the_gene_genie]

He lets out a long, and reluctant, breath but he's still smug as all get out. She nearly caved there. Which means she will later, he's willing to bet.

But in the meantime, she does have a point about him needing to know this stuff. And the sooner he learns it, the sooner they can get back and...relax.

'Right then.'

He eyes the rope in his hand.


'What d'you want me t'do with it?'

[ikissdhimbck]

Oh, he opened himself up to that one. There are so many different ways she could answer. She shoots him a look that's nothing short of evil, but (reluctantly) gives a serious answer.

"First, y'gotta know how t'tie a honda."

She shows him her lasso and then steps in, taking him through the process with his rope. The knot isn't difficult to learn if he's paying attention.

Still, she's going to make him do it three or four times until he's got the habit.

[the_gene_genie]

'Honda,' he repeats, watching her closely.

It isn't hard, no, and he's always been good with his hands. But he's still frowning at it when he's done, picking at the stopper knot.

'You sure this'll hold? Looks like it'll fall out if I try an' pull somethin' with it.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She watches him as he works the knots on his own, making sure he doesn't fight the natural twist of the rope and end up with a crooked honda.

"Not when y'got your honda knot tight. Y'want some natural give. Dependin' on what you're ropin', y'measure out coils."

She demonstrates with her rope, making her lasso stretch from one coil, to two, and back.

"Y'hold onto this end when y'throw your loop, an' then pull t'make it snug. Your stopper knot here at this end of the rope catches at your honda an' keeps it from slippin' through."

She gives another demonstration, tightening her lasso around her forearm to show how it closes in snug without coming undone.

[the_gene_genie]

He watches what she does with a slight quirk of his eyebrows. A sort of silent okaaaay.

'Right.'

Beat.



'...can I throw this at somethin', then?'

[ikissdhimbck]

...Right.

"D'you want me t'show you how?"


When she gets back to the bar, she's going to be sure to tell someone to smack her the next time she considers inviting Gene out to Texas. What could go wrong? Ahahaha. Ha.

[the_gene_genie]

'Well, obviously.'

He hates hates hates people having to show him what to do. But, yeah. Playing at this as a kid is not the same as doing it for real, and he can't afford to mess it up.

[ikissdhimbck]

She's not about to abide his attitude, though Kate has ways of dealing with it beyond getting upset or making idle threats. Her hand curls around the front of his shirt and pulls him in, close to her.

"Well come on, then."

She gives him another tug, and walks a few paces from the horses to the wide open stretch of land she saw from the saddle. She doesn't turn from him, or break eye contact, until she's ready to stop. Keeping him close to her back, she holds the lasso out with her right hand.

"Y'wanna hold your rope like this, y'see?"