[LOCATION: MAIN STREET]

[friar_trip]

[Trip liked his alcohol. That much everyone knew. Rarely a day went by when he didn't have a drink of some sort. But given the responsibilities of both of his jobs, he rarely got drop dead stinking drunk.

At last call tonight, he'd passed that 5 beers ago. Everything, from Mal's admission then avoiding him to the usual feeling in the pit of his stomach that was somehow made worse by the situation, had come to head and he just hadn't been able to stop.

And now he was walking home through the deserted street, abet slowly and with many detours, so as to avoid the disappointed looks from Leo and Felix. Everything was funny and nothing hurt. For the moment.

And that telephone pole looked fun to swing around right about now.]

Comments

[pettythief]

You know I'm not one of the kids from your youth group, right?

[ Chris scowls, making another jerky motion to keep his hand away. It's instinctive, the want to take care of himself or only allow family to have it — even if Trip is the closest thing he has to a friend, that doesn't mean the barriers aren't there. ]

[friar_trip]

I know ya aren't. They're better behaved.

[Despite the annoyance, Trip does manage a quirk of a smile to show Chris he is kidding. Mostly.]

You two sure ain't used to people bein' nice to you, are ya?

[scarlock]

[Well, it looks like it's time for a distraction, so he picks of a bit of sausage with a fork and holds it out for Chris.]

Christopher, I need you to taste this for me.

[He almost laughs at what Trip says just because it should be obvious why they aren't used to people being nice to them.]

Well, he's a criminal and the people here think I'm one, so we're not exactly the favorites of the townspeople.

[pettythief]

And our personalities don't exactly sparkle, either.

[ Chris acts before he thinks and raises his hand to take the fork and try the food. It pretty much gives Trip the perfect opening to gank the burned hand and do his thing. ]

[friar_trip]

[Trip does just that, snatching the hand with practiced ease and starts tending to it, all while frowning softly.]

No, neither of ya make it easy. Why not? I don't think people dislike either of ya as much as you think they do.

[scarlock]

[Looks like that was successful, though Mal has to frown right back at Trip for what he says.]

Clearly you haven't been paying attention to what they say about us and how we're generally treated.

[pettythief]

What—hey! [ Chris first glares at Mal, but then decides to direct his ire toward the current source, Trip. He grits his teeth against the fussing with the burn and instead snaps, ] You happy?

Doesn't matter what you think, anyway. What matters is how it is.

[friar_trip]

[Trip ignores Chris' protests and just finishes up.]

I think ya'll would be surprised. 'specially you, Mal. Everyone I asked 'bout ya said you were a good man, Archer rumors aside. Good man, just closed off.

[He didn't mention what he'd heard about Chris, since the source had been a certain father figure of his, but it had been about the same.]