Players:
Summary: Brett stands up against Marlowe.
Date: January 12th.
Brett Takes a Stand
Boarding House
Marlowe's eye fixes on her, then he uncoils from the couch, "Ya want a cup uv thet coffee?" he asks, "Gonna git me sum." His head snaps around towards Brett, and the small smile disappears. "Maht be bettah iffen Ah drink it in thar."
Brett steps in to see if Supper was ready, as he ate alot of times here and he stops in his tracks, just as he pushed the door open. Not expecting Him to be there, if anyone had hated a man so, it was Brett, when he was that kid he thought he could get past it but he was older and it ate at him like a maggot. His gaze fell cold for a moment , but turns to Chiane. "Just comin' to see if you had anything in the kitchen." He'd come here to eat, it was a heap better than the cafe.
The 'breed's movements are slow and pantherish as he circles around the couch, his eye never leaving the youngster in the door, 'On second thought, mebbe Ah'll jest bring it back in heah..liable ta git orful close in the kitchen orful quick."
Making his way towards the kitchen door, and passing through, with every movement showing an eagerness to pounce, Marlowe disappears.
Chiane watches her husband stalk off to the kitchen, then back to Brett. Her gaze looks to the door as it swings closed. "Oh for goodness sake…" She just shakes her head in a bit of exasperation. "I do tire of this hatred…" She looks to Brett. "I have a plate of food in the dining room.. should still be warm at the least. Salted pork, beans, and cornbread. Simple, hot, and filling."
His icy gaze followed Marlowe to the kitchen til he disappeared into it and he turns to Chiane, not saying anything on the matter, that man took away his family and he's suppose to forgive?. "Thank you, how much I's owe you? " he digs in his pocket, he usually paid by the week. "'ppriciate it, one these days, I'll gits me a woman to do the cooking."
Chiane shakes her head and raises a hand to stop him. "This time.. it is on the house.. " She sinks back in the chair. "The food was gonna go to waste anyhoo.."
Brett taking his hat off and he steps closer to her. "You alright miss Chiane? You don't look so good, kind of peakish." He didn't hold anything against her and thought highly of her. "Want me to fetch the doc?"
Chiane shakes her head. "No.. I am just.. with child." She nods. "And the winter seems to be chillin' me. Other than that.. I am well." She offers him a smile. "Thank ya fer the concern though. Not many seem to give a rat's ass other than mah husband."
The 'breed pushes out of the kitchen in time to catch the last question, carrying two cups of coffee, and growls, "She ain't needin' no dayam fool doc. Ah kin take keer uv mah wahf jest fahn." Taking a circuitious route, he hands the woman her coffee, dosed up the way she likes it. Standing at the foot of the couch, he holds his own in both hands, without using the handle.
Brett smiled,though it brought another memory that too sadden him , Mary whom he misssed as much as he had his brother, though he shoots a dirty look to the half breed, cold dirty look. "I aint' said you didn't now did I?" cold words and he glances to Chiane "Glad you're alrigh' ma'am. " He was nothing but curties with Chiane. One these days he'd unleash on this man, be it only words but he'd unleash.
Chiane reaches up to accept the coffee. She liked it any which way she could get it. She brings it to her lips and sips from the hot brew. Commenting to her husband, "I sure did miss coffee…" Another sip is taken before she lowers it to her knee. "I am gonna be jus' fine. Got me a midwife any everythin'. Dun want no man doctor lookin' at me anyhow. 'Sides, mah husband can tend to me." she flashes a smile to Marlowe.
Slowly, Marlowe lowers the cupo to the table beside the couch and says in a low, gravelly voice, "Ya know sumpin' BOY, Ah dun much lahk yu. An' Ah dun much lahk yu comin' 'round heah. Mattah uv fack, next tahm Ah ketch yu in heah, yore gonna git carried out in a box, sabe?" He turns to his wife, "Ah'm goin' up them stahrs, an' yu know whut Ah'm comin' back down with..Mebbe ya best enlahten this pup."
Brett glares at him "Why Cause i remind you of someone close to me? Or maybe its cause his wife was with child and you left her a widow? " Oh he was releasing a heap amount of hate in a few words. "I Don't rightly like you either, so feelin's mutual."
A groan comes from the negress and she places the cup on the table in front of her. Placing her hands upon her knees, she pushes herself up. Turning to Brett, she gives an apologetic look, strategically stepping up close to him and placing herself between Brett and Marlowe. "Come on.. I will send ya some dinner to yer place.." She speaks softly to Brett.
"Nits make lice" the 'breed growls, "An' yore shore a louse, jest lahk yore fool uv a brothuh wuz..shoulda kilt ya day ya rode in, an' the nag ya rode in on." he turns and stomps, albeit quietly in stockinged feet, up the steps.
Brett stepped outside "And I should've kilt you when I had the chance." He slumped against the outside of the boarding house, he didn't mean that either, he was just a young man, missing the only family he had, had.
Chiane frowns. "I am gonna give ya one piece of advice kid." She looks to him in a motherly way. "Dun let the hatred corrupt yer soul as it did mah husband. Ya gotta let go and fergive… not fer him.. but fer you. I will send someone with yer dinner." She reaches up to pat Brett on the shoulder.
Brett motions to inside "He hates me as much as i Hate him, he's living, where did that get my brother ? Or his wife? And you tell that son of a bitch, I'm not my brother, Nor do i walk in his shadow. Forget it, I'll just eat at the cafe from now on, I don't want to cause rift between you nor him." He pulls from her and he starts to leave.
Chiane throws her hands up in exasperation and then lowers them down to her sides. She looks to him as he leaves then shakes her head, slumping against th e wall of the boarding house.
Brett glances to her "What you expect me to do? Get on my knees and groval at his feet no way in bloody hell." Yes he'd learn to cuss in those two years. "Look I like you just fine Chiane, But until he apologies or gives his blood, there's not gonna be any forgiving. I tried, I honestly tried and I can't sorry."
Chiane just waves dismissively to him. "Then go.. just go.. " She says in angry tones.
Brett folds his arms across his chest. "You tell him he needs to let go and I'll let go , how about that? This town is gonna have to be big enough for the two of us, whether he likes it or not."
Chiane shrugs. "I caint tell him nu thin' like I caint tell you nuthin'. The two of you will continue to hate. 'Till one of ya are daid. And I wouldn't put it past mah husband to kill a man." She looks coldly to him. "Do what ya wanna do. I know he is." She is just plain aggravated now. Sick of the high drama and just turns for the door.
Brett raises a brow "He already has, two years ago this past December. Maybe that's eating him alive like me hating him is doing me. I"m not stupid Chiane, I'm not that kid that stepped off the train two years ago. I'm sorry Chiane, ,regardless what is between he and myself, I still consider you a friend. You know where I live.. I wont' come around unless I know he's not here, better for us all. I made my home here in Silver Creek, I have a business here. And other than a whore now and then, I don't even chase women, I'm not my brother nor his shadow, regardless what He thinks."
Chiane is standing by the door, reaching for the knob as Marlowe opens it to come out, nearly colliding with her. She looks up to him. "He is jus' leaving!" She exclaims, looking to the weapon in his hands.
The door is opened, and the sound of the twin barrels snapping closed is unmistakable as Marlowe steps out, the double barrel leading, "He bettah be jest leavin'" the 'breed growls, "cuz Ah'm a fixin' ta ventilate 'im." He has strapped on the heavy Dance pistol as well, the red star in the worn walnut grips catching the light. Still in stocking feet, the man's eye glints malevolently, ""Course iffen he kin run fast 'nuff, he maht git away, ain't gonna git mah feet wet for his cahcass."
Brett still wore the holster that had bloodstains on them, twin autumn leave pistols, that once belonged to his brother. And he'd learn to shoot in that time. He wasn't the kid that would yellow at the sight of a gun any more. He gotten quite good at shooting. He eyes the shotgun and he looks the man in the eye, not once blinking or turning away. "Not every whiteman has done you wrong, no more than any indian has done me. We can call it even now or continue to hate, your choice." He looks to Chiane who remains between him. He has yet drawn his pistols but doesn't mean he wouldn't. "Chiane , Tell him."
Chiane could feel the tension suddenly build with the moment. She blinks. "Love.." She speaks quietly to her husband, knowing he could hear her. "He is not Thomas…" She licks her lips. "Let's let the past be in the past.. Let's let the anger.. and the hatred go… He didn't do anything to you except not cower…"
The right side of his mouth curls up into a feral snarl, but the muzzle of the shotgun doesn't lift towards Brett..yet.."He ain't gotta do nuthin' to me," he growls, "'cept breath the same air." Raising his voice he adds, "Ain't nuthin' fer you heah, boy, take yore nag an' haid back to Texas. Ah'll even give ya a runnin' staht."
No he wouldnt' cower, not to him not to anyone. "No I'm not going back to Texas, My home is here in Silver Creek." His voice didn't waver and remain calmed, and he stood there, not even shaking. Two years ago, yeah he'd done cowered but he wasn't the same kid that came off that train either, he'd grown. "This is my home as much as it is yours. He drew his hand from one of the pistols though the other remained fixed on it and he juts his hand out - the man would either take it or not but he still refused to back down.
Chiane simply looks between the two men. She was just speechless. She steps back to let the two men discuss things, surprised at the offering of peace the bold young man had offered to her husband. Now, the ball seemed to be in Marlowe's court, she turns to look to him and gauge his reaction.
Brett inhales and shakes his head "No" He remains calm. "I"m not afraid of you, I'm not Thomas and I'm not out for your woman. "
Chiane now steps up to Brett again. "We know that." She tells him directly. "Please.. go.. " She catches the gaze of Brett. "Now is not the time."
Brett looks to Chiane as she stepped to him. "Chiane, I respect you as a friend. For you, as that friend, I'll go but I'm not high tailing it cause I'm yellow, I'm leaving cause you asked me to. " He looks to Marlowe "I respect you in a sense, while I still have a lot of hate, I think now I can move on." He looks to Chiane for a moment.
Brett shakes his head "I'm not moving any faster than I came here. "Evening Chiane, Marlowe." He starts off and he doesn't look back, though he was sure word would fly that he stood up against Marlowe, if either one of them spoke.
Chiane falls quiet and folds her arms across her chest somewhat in irritation and somewhat to ward off the bitter cold. She watches as Brett leaves before silently turning in to the home.
Watching the back of the young man depart, Marlowe returns to the warmer climes of the boarding house.
