Post by Seek on Apr 27, 2013 3:37:20 GMT 10
Title: Pigeons
Rating: G
Word Count: 526
Pairing: Beka/Rosto
Round/Fight: 1C
Summary: Reversal!verse. Rosto and Beka and pigeons.
Warnings: None.
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Beka spreads out handfuls of cracked corn and breadcrumbs for the pigeons each morning in the side-alley, tells me there’s not enough room in her lodgings to feed them. I remember that it takes being a rusher for some time to get paid well enough to rent proper lodgings. Where Beka lives, likely as not folk would sup on pigeon pie. And then where would we be?
I buy fresh pastries from Mistress Noll each morning to crumble. It seems only fair. And because Mistress Noll is always willing to offer some extra wares to Dogs, I offer her an apple-raisin pattie, and tuck two away in a napkin for Mattes, simply because he’d never forgive me if I had fresh apple-raisin patties from Mistress Noll and never saved him any. It seems Mattes has trained his young Rat to like apple-raisin patties, as I hear nary a word as Beka accepts it from me and starts eating.
I make a mental note of that. She’s a messy eater, I notice.
The pigeons descend soon enough; I wait, my eyes on Beka. Surely she’ll tell me if any of them carry a ghost that says something of import.
She frowns, clearly listening intently. And then she says, “Curst little.” The frustration in her voice mirrors what I’m feeling. Perhaps she can tell that, because she says, “It’s not easy, listening to the pigeons. They don’t always carry the speakers you need. And they don’t have any notion of time or place. You’ve got to put it all together, and that’s the curst problem.” She strikes her clenched fist against her thigh in frustration. “Pox take this Shadow Snake! There might be something in this we can use. There mightn’t, but I can’t tell what it is!”
I unfold another apple-raisin pattie, shove it at her. “Eat,” I order, because it’ll shut her up. And I doubt she’s aught for breakfast and the fact that she wolfs this one down proves me right. Mattes can have just the one pattie, I can buy him more patties, none of this matters now. I say, “It ain’t just your task, Beka Cooper.”
She gives me a glare with the ghost-eyes but I don’t back down. “It’s my job, and we’re going to need good, solid Dog work to hunt down the Shadow Snake for once and for all.” I realise I’ve said we. She can’t have missed it, even though she watches me, unblinking.
I add, “You’ve given us the biggest advantage we’ve had all this time chasing the Snake. Don’t be beating yourself up over them Birdies, understand? Good Dog work takes time. Whatever it is, you won’t find it in a single day.”
Beka accepts that with startlingly good grace, but says, “Then you’d best hope that we find something we can use in time, Master the Piper. Because I’m afeared that we’ll not track down this Snake afore he strikes again.”
I exchange a long glance with her. What I don’t tell Beka is that I know he’ll strike again. And that maybe the best thing we can do is to be waiting when he does.
Rating: G
Word Count: 526
Pairing: Beka/Rosto
Round/Fight: 1C
Summary: Reversal!verse. Rosto and Beka and pigeons.
Warnings: None.
-
Beka spreads out handfuls of cracked corn and breadcrumbs for the pigeons each morning in the side-alley, tells me there’s not enough room in her lodgings to feed them. I remember that it takes being a rusher for some time to get paid well enough to rent proper lodgings. Where Beka lives, likely as not folk would sup on pigeon pie. And then where would we be?
I buy fresh pastries from Mistress Noll each morning to crumble. It seems only fair. And because Mistress Noll is always willing to offer some extra wares to Dogs, I offer her an apple-raisin pattie, and tuck two away in a napkin for Mattes, simply because he’d never forgive me if I had fresh apple-raisin patties from Mistress Noll and never saved him any. It seems Mattes has trained his young Rat to like apple-raisin patties, as I hear nary a word as Beka accepts it from me and starts eating.
I make a mental note of that. She’s a messy eater, I notice.
The pigeons descend soon enough; I wait, my eyes on Beka. Surely she’ll tell me if any of them carry a ghost that says something of import.
She frowns, clearly listening intently. And then she says, “Curst little.” The frustration in her voice mirrors what I’m feeling. Perhaps she can tell that, because she says, “It’s not easy, listening to the pigeons. They don’t always carry the speakers you need. And they don’t have any notion of time or place. You’ve got to put it all together, and that’s the curst problem.” She strikes her clenched fist against her thigh in frustration. “Pox take this Shadow Snake! There might be something in this we can use. There mightn’t, but I can’t tell what it is!”
I unfold another apple-raisin pattie, shove it at her. “Eat,” I order, because it’ll shut her up. And I doubt she’s aught for breakfast and the fact that she wolfs this one down proves me right. Mattes can have just the one pattie, I can buy him more patties, none of this matters now. I say, “It ain’t just your task, Beka Cooper.”
She gives me a glare with the ghost-eyes but I don’t back down. “It’s my job, and we’re going to need good, solid Dog work to hunt down the Shadow Snake for once and for all.” I realise I’ve said we. She can’t have missed it, even though she watches me, unblinking.
I add, “You’ve given us the biggest advantage we’ve had all this time chasing the Snake. Don’t be beating yourself up over them Birdies, understand? Good Dog work takes time. Whatever it is, you won’t find it in a single day.”
Beka accepts that with startlingly good grace, but says, “Then you’d best hope that we find something we can use in time, Master the Piper. Because I’m afeared that we’ll not track down this Snake afore he strikes again.”
I exchange a long glance with her. What I don’t tell Beka is that I know he’ll strike again. And that maybe the best thing we can do is to be waiting when he does.