the first time bounty hunters came to emma's door, she wrote it off as an unfortunate circumstance, that they'd just been unlucky and careless. the second time, when the men dragged vasquez off of emma's property and kept him trussed up for a bullet in the head, emma was left unsettled, looking for an explanation for how easily they found vasquez.
the third time, emma realizes that something is wrong.
it isn't a catastrophe like the first two incidents, because emma spots the men when they're still in town, kicking their feet up in the imperial with a painted lady or two keeping them company. she's wary of anyone who passes through rose creek these days, any unfamiliar faces, and as soon as she spots them, she ducks into the general store to get teddy's attention.
as always, teddy has a shy but warm smile waiting for emma as soon as she walks in, straightening up when she approaches him and trying to look at least somewhat polite.
"afternoon, miss emma. somethin' we can do for you?"
emma shakes her head. "those men in the saloon — any word on who they are?"
teddy glances out the store's front window towards the aforementioned saloon, then back to emma. "more'a those bounty hunters that've been around these parts lately. lotta them keep passin' through, huh?"
emma schools her expression into something impassive. "they have, haven't they?"
damn it.
looking back to teddy, she offers him a small, somewhat strained smile. "thank you, teddy. you have a nice day now."
teddy starts a bit, blinking at her in surprise — like he's not expecting her to be heading out so quickly. "you, uh, you don't need anythin' else?"
"can't say that i do, but i'm sure i'll be in again soon."
a wave, and then emma is heading out. she catches sight of the men in the saloon, laughing and drinking and all she can think is, good. stay there. this time, she doesn't run home, doesn't want to draw attention when she goes to find vasquez. lord, she's grateful her land is on the other side of the valley, out near the mountains where passersby can't just trot past without purposefully going that far out. (at least that means travelers are less likely, but when they do show up, these days, it sets emma on edge.
for good reason, this time.)
she finds vasquez out of the house in the fields, and unlike the first time the bounty hunters came knocking, she isn't rushing around with the same level of panic. she's anxious, uncertain, but also disgruntled — because this is the third time, and at this point, it's ceased to be coincidental.
that concerns her a great deal. ]
Vasquez.
[ calling out for his attention as the light wind whips her hair across her face, makes her tuck it back behind her ear. ]
emma needs to stop being surprised by this shit
twice is coincidence.
three times is goddamn enemy action.
the first time bounty hunters came to emma's door, she wrote it off as an unfortunate circumstance, that they'd just been unlucky and careless. the second time, when the men dragged vasquez off of emma's property and kept him trussed up for a bullet in the head, emma was left unsettled, looking for an explanation for how easily they found vasquez.
the third time, emma realizes that something is wrong.
it isn't a catastrophe like the first two incidents, because emma spots the men when they're still in town, kicking their feet up in the imperial with a painted lady or two keeping them company. she's wary of anyone who passes through rose creek these days, any unfamiliar faces, and as soon as she spots them, she ducks into the general store to get teddy's attention.
as always, teddy has a shy but warm smile waiting for emma as soon as she walks in, straightening up when she approaches him and trying to look at least somewhat polite.
"afternoon, miss emma. somethin' we can do for you?"
emma shakes her head. "those men in the saloon — any word on who they are?"
teddy glances out the store's front window towards the aforementioned saloon, then back to emma. "more'a those bounty hunters that've been around these parts lately. lotta them keep passin' through, huh?"
emma schools her expression into something impassive. "they have, haven't they?"
damn it.
looking back to teddy, she offers him a small, somewhat strained smile. "thank you, teddy. you have a nice day now."
teddy starts a bit, blinking at her in surprise — like he's not expecting her to be heading out so quickly. "you, uh, you don't need anythin' else?"
"can't say that i do, but i'm sure i'll be in again soon."
a wave, and then emma is heading out. she catches sight of the men in the saloon, laughing and drinking and all she can think is, good. stay there. this time, she doesn't run home, doesn't want to draw attention when she goes to find vasquez. lord, she's grateful her land is on the other side of the valley, out near the mountains where passersby can't just trot past without purposefully going that far out. (at least that means travelers are less likely, but when they do show up, these days, it sets emma on edge.
for good reason, this time.)
she finds vasquez out of the house in the fields, and unlike the first time the bounty hunters came knocking, she isn't rushing around with the same level of panic. she's anxious, uncertain, but also disgruntled — because this is the third time, and at this point, it's ceased to be coincidental.
that concerns her a great deal. ]
Vasquez.
[ calling out for his attention as the light wind whips her hair across her face, makes her tuck it back behind her ear. ]