April 8 - Upstairs, in Milliways

[2020sight]

[The morning after this.]


It's a good thing Bar gave them a key to a room with a large bed.

('Cause Epimetheus is tall. You people have sick minds.)

The sun is already up and shining on the husband and wife by the time Epimetheus sighs, stretches one arm up behind his head and opens his eyes.

". . . Whoo."

Comments

[howling_laugh]

Coyote wiggles her toes, just to make sure she still can. Something crackles down towards the foot of the bed, and she toes it delicately onto the floor without looking. She probably wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers, but no sense in taking risks.

"Is that an exclamation, or an expression of surrender?"

She doesn't open her eyes.

[2020sight]

"Yes."

[howling_laugh]

"I win," Coyote says, stretching and stealing more than her fair of the blankets. She turns over to hide from the sun.

[2020sight]

"Hey, come back here with those!"

He rolls over, reaching for the blankets.

[howling_laugh]

"You cannot steal from a thief, Epimetheus!"

There is a brief wrestling match before Coyote suddenly sits bolt upright and stares at a shadowed corner by the window.

[2020sight]

"Yeah? Tell that to the magpies--"

Victory is his!

. . . Because she's staring into space. He props himself up on an elbow, eying her.

"Coyote?"

[howling_laugh]

"Pervert spirits," she mutters, because it's totally allowable when she watches someone. "Can't you fuck off-" Hahaha, get it? "-and bother someone else for a change? I am honeymooning."

She's a liar, Coyote is just lazy.

[2020sight]

Epimetheus blinks at her -- the corner -- her again.

"Beg pardon?"

[howling_laugh]

Coyote is too busy glaring furiously at thin air to respond. "What?! I was in Idaho for almost a month! Idaho. That is far worse punishment than anyone could deser-"

Pause.

"You are only jealous because I am actually solid."

[2020sight]

He frowns.

"Coyote? Hey -- Coyote?"

[howling_laugh]

She shushes him absently with one hand, waving him back. "It isn't as though I am in need of your permission to- I am well aware of what I owe..." Coyote trails off to glance at Epimetheus and grits her teeth.

"There is such a thing as 'burnout', you do realize!"

[2020sight]

Obediently, he falls silent.



. . . Maybe it's her mother?

[howling_laugh]

Coyote gesticulates furiously, sending something yellow (better not closely examined) flying to bang against the wall with a desultory squeak.

"Absolutely not! I have spent the last four months almost constantly-! You sound as if you are some sort of deranged hostage negotiator!"

[2020sight]

Epimetheus ducks.

"Woah -- Coyote!"

[howling_laugh]

"At least two weeks," she says in a firm tone, still apparently staring off into thin air. "Or perhaps I will forget I can hear spirits even when they scream in my ear while I am sleeping."

Pause.

"Good. Now go away and- YOU WHAT?!" She whips around to look at Epimetheus. "Where are your boots?"

[2020sight]

He jumps, startled.

"What?"

What the hell is going on?

[howling_laugh]

She narrows her eyes at him. "Do you still feel married?"

[2020sight]

". . . As much as I did before? What the hell, Coyote?"

[howling_laugh]

"...I am afraid I have some baggage that I did not tell you about previously. You may consider them annoying in-laws if you like. Or you may if we can find your boots, and they are not outside the door, causing us to be divorced. Along with your clothes."

Coyote sighs and brushes her hair back over one shoulder.

[2020sight]

"You have invisible in-laws who might have just forcibly divorced us and left me naked?"

And she thinks his family's weird?

[howling_laugh]

"The short version is 'yes'. The long version is being married does not fit into my schedule according to the spirits of those murdered by skinwalkers, because I must complete their unfinished business before they can move on.

And you have-" she makes a little gesture under her right ear, then decides to just lick the chocolate syrup off him.

[2020sight]

"Hey, now, I can't be that easily distracted."

(Except he totally can be.)

"So you're being haunted?"

[howling_laugh]

"Technically. It is a symbiotic thing. I was attempting to reassure the ringleader that I did not intended to abandon their cause completely. It is merely that I did not enjoy Idaho and wanted a rest. He agreed this was acceptable, but sadly they had preemptively divorced us."

Coyote considers this. "Perhaps I should recommend them to Lilly. This is one of my shortest marriages ever."

[2020sight]

"I've gotta second that."

With a yawn, he rolls over and swings his legs over the side of the bed, leaning down to check underneath it.

A sigh. "Yeah, no boots. Those are some pretty handy spirits you've got there."

[howling_laugh]

"'Handy' is not the exact word I would use." She eyes the corner carefully, but their audience seems to have made themselves scarce for the time being. "It is an unusual situation for all involved, as well as an unintended on. It also goes on far too long."

Apparently Coyote is chatty on mornings after.

[2020sight]

Blowing out a breath, he flops backwards and sprawls, putting his hands behind his head and eying her upside down.

"How long's it been going on?"

[howling_laugh]

"They first attracted my attention in January. I have been mostly busy since then. On the road. Perhaps I should take this bargained time to return to Arizona."

Coyote would never admit to being concerned about her house or her cat or the city she has lived in for years.

But.

[2020sight]

He whistles softly. "Hell of a long time to be haunted."

Not too long to be on the road, as far as he's concerned, but he's kind of a rambler.

[howling_laugh]

"There are fewer of them now." Even if Coyote hates being forced into the role of the hero, it does give her some kind of twisted satisfaction to screw the skinwalkers over once again.

(And to set free these people who didn't do much but be themselves. But that's beside the point.)

[2020sight]

"Still. What's this unfinished business of theirs entail?"

[howling_laugh]

"Each one is different. One wanted his girlfriend to know he didn't steal from her. Others merely wanted to be laid to rest outside the influence of those who killed them and used their bones for curse powder."

She glowers. "Some needed me to spend a month in Idaho." This is clearly beyond bearable.

[2020sight]

Mild: "Idaho's not so bad."

But then, Epimetheus is a farm boy.

"And how'd you get stuck with them? Are they all yours?"

[howling_laugh]

"I killed the ones who killed them. So yes, they are mine."

[2020sight]

"Ah, the bonds of revenge. That'd do it." He shifts, settling himself more comfortably. "Can you delegate?"

[howling_laugh]

Coyote eyes him suspiciously. Naked."To whom, exactly? I have had some help, but I owe favors to enough people at the current time."

[2020sight]

He shrugs.
Nakedly.
"Well, I mean. You're my ex-wife, and it's not like I'm gonna be paying you alimony."

Beat.

"Plus that was really fantastic sex. So. If you need a hand . . ."

[howling_laugh]

"...we did not sign a prenuptial for spiritual assistance in exchange for sexual favors, but I see no down side for me. Perhaps I will take you up on that."

She considers their surroundings. And the fact that they are both naked.

"So. Now what?"

[2020sight]

Thoughtful pause.

"Breakfast?"

Although this plan may be complicated by the fact that he's not sure where his pants are.

[howling_laugh]

"In bed? We did not use all of that syrup..."

Coyote climbs out of bed to fish around on the floor for her clothes. Naked.

"It might go equally as well on fruit or waffles." His clothes should be right outside anyway.

[2020sight]

"Mmm, syrup."

He bounces to his feet, grabs her hands, and gives her a quick spin around the room. Naked.

"Come have some waffles, Coyote!"

[howling_laugh]

She squawks in surprise, barely half dressed. "You are almost as weird as your brother."

Coyote shoves him back on the bed and pauses for a moment to admire the view before shaking herself out of it.

"Right. Breakfast." The door slams behind her.

[2020sight]

"Thank you!" he yells after her.



Right. Pants.

[howling_laugh]

The door opens a crack, and his pants come sailing through the air.

It shuts again.

[2020sight]

They hit him in the face.
OoooOOOOH.
Muffled: "Gee, thanks."

And he can't even be misogynistic at her any more!

Darn spirits.