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theo ([info]londonaftrdark) wrote in [info]oldwest_rpg,
@ 2008-05-07 01:57:00

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Entry tags:delilah darby, theo ellwood

the cheater.
Who: Theo Ellwood and Delilah Darby (CLOSED)
Where: Just outside of the Inn.
When: May 4th, 12:00pm
Status: Complete
Summary: Theo gets into a fight/Reunites unintentionally with one of his sisters after 14 years.

The Inn's lobby: a place unlike any other. It was like a high-class saloon to even the ones with money, only much smaller. Everyone seemed to want to carry themselves properly if they haven't done so already. In the air a sense of the ol' west still clung tightly, waving itself through the crowds; even soaking in the patrons fancy-styled drinks such as champagne flips, Tom and Jerry's and even the greatly appreciated Mule Skinner's and Cactus Wine's. Of course, this place was only a lobby, so there wasn't much to do there but check-in and check-out. But boy was the room something to look at. New Shelby was really getting back on its feet, that was for sure. Yeah so the floors were still wood and weathered from all of the feet tromping through. Ok so the tables weren't that fancy; only tarnished by someone who obviously only gave it a lick and a promise. It smelled sweet. It felt cozy. And the lights were always kept dim at night. Theo loved it this way.

Rocco seemed to be having a tough time trying to keep a good ear to Theo's orders, trotting in the opposite direction or not moving all together. It was frustrating, but Theo would never do anything to hurt the dumb animal. Even his spurs couldn't do him justice, being as worn as they were. "I really ought to get new ones," he said to himself, "Now come on, Rocco. I'll walk home! I'll walk home an' leave ya!" The horse inched closer to the Inn, but then stopped once more. He was fed up. Throwing his hands up he simply kicked himself off and walked away, like being the first one to leave an argument that had no point. He really just wanted to get into bed and stare at the ceiling for the next couple of hours before drifting off, if time would let him.

In a distance, Theo could hear the soft clapping of the horse but ignored it. He knew that this would happen. He was so stubborn. The two of them weren't even that far to begin with, so Theo could have just walked and lived. But he supposed he was just as hardheaded as Rocco. Three, two, one. The Inn was there. The light barely made an exit through the uncovered windows and glass part of the door. And just as Theo began to climb the stairs a hand smacked onto his shoulder, tossing him back flat on his ass. "What the he.. YOU!" Theo's introductory curse turned into a raging one-worded statement.

"You're still pissed that you think I cheated, ain't ya?!" He yelled, not bothering to get up.

"Perhaps. Mister you did cheat an' you be owin' me some money!" Said the perpetrator, spitting sideways a glob of brown goo more commonly known as tobacco. This guy, surprisingly, was just the right size for Theo to whoop his ass. But he wasn't going to do it. No. He'll wait until he's attacked again in any sort of way.

"I don't owe you shit. Hell, even if I did, I wouldn't get it from my horse's ass." Theo stood, brushing himself off. He wasn't wearing his hat today, and that was both good and bad. Good because it was always in the way. Bad because he wanted this to be the time to toss it off in a dramatic sort of way. Not like hat-tossing was intimidating.

"You.. I.. You will pay, Rabbit. I don' care who you be thinkin' you is 'round here. You cheated all of us folk at th' table, but seems like I'm the only one willin' to try an' take you down," the man was waving his arm around like a bird having a stroke. He looked like a damn fool, and this made Theo laugh.. A little too loudly.

"Oh?! Oh?! You think you can make me pay, boy?! Go on then, make me pay," he said, waving his arms around to mock this idiot standing before him. He started to strut back and forth, putting up his dukes and hopping like a madman, "I fight. I got a few tricks up my sleeve. Somethin' you won't see at the poker table. Somethin' you can't bare to imag.. OW!" It hit him as hard as it would feel if an ant were hit with a pebble. The man had taken a swing, clocking Theo in the nose but not hard enough to knock him down. Theo immediately stopped, placing a hand on his bleeding face then waving a threatening finger. "That fuckin' hurt, Cub. I wasn't even ready. What's the matter with you? Hitting me when I'm not ready. Shit it's bleedin' good now."

WHACK! Another blow to Theo, this time doubling him over. It wasn't to the face. Oh no. This one was straight to the gut. Theo coughed and sputtered, holding up one finger while pinching his eyelids closed and clutching his aching gut. "N.. Now that.. Was just ladylike, Cub. Just down right ladylike," he said through gasps before rearing up and uppercutting the fat man. Cub's head whipped back, followed by a loud 'Oh!' and a few curse words. Theo didn't take a chance. Just as Cub leaned over grasping his face he swung his knee into his hand, which in turn hit him in the face. "See now technically I didn' hit you in the face that time. Your hand did," he said, wiping his face but only smearing the blood slowly dripping from his nose like a small waterfall. Laughter couldn't help but escape his lips. Cub, on the other hand, wasn't laughing. While Theo was busying himself with his new fit of giggles, he charged, tackling him and sending both he and himself to the ground.

They wrestled like two children in the schoolyard: throwing punches and pulling hair; fish-hooking the mouth and driving fingers up each other's noses. Cub, as  fat of a bastard as he was, was given the upper-hand here. "Ok, OK!" Theo threw up his hands, lying flat on his back in the dirt smack-dab in the middle of the road. Cub stood and held out his left hand. "Take the damn money you fuckin' fat bastard," he handed it over with grace, but Cub had one more thing to do. He lifted a leg and stepped down onto Theo's ribs with a swiftness. "Ooh, Jesus Christ all mighty.."

"Next time, Rabbit, maybe you won't cheat when I'm at the table," said Cub, then sauntered away.

(( Holy hell, I just wrote a damn novel here. ))

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-07 04:49 pm UTC (link)
The clouds overhead suited Lilah Darby's mood today. Her feelings weren't so much thunderous, but her head was pounding mildly from the remarkably hard slap Bill Decker had struck her with yesterday. Her face was still bruised; she was glad that there was no school today, since she was certain that talking for too long would make her face ache. Lilah had tossed and turned incessantly the night before, her dreams and thoughts tangled and interrupted by green eyes and pieces of truths. The events of the previous day had left her entirely off-balance, and it wasn't a sensation she was particularly enjoying.

The fact was, she was grateful for the cloud cover - at least she could hope that the overcast light would provide some camouflage for the purple bruise that had blossomed across her face. It was an annoyance - it looked worse than it was, she knew it, but she had always bruised with ridiculous ease. It would have been her preference to stay indoors, at her house, all day, and possibly tomorrow as well, to give her face the chance to heal a bit before going out and being seen. Unfortunately, she had to see James and talk to him about this before he heard it from elsewhere. Beside that, something really did need to be done about Bill Decker - this was not an isolated incident of violence against women, and his behavior shouldn't be tolerated toward any woman. It was just that this time, he'd made the mistake of assaulting a woman who wasn't related or married to him.

And so she was out of her house, making her way through the town toward the Sheriff's office, where James was already well into his work day. It so happened that the Inn was directly on her way from her house to the Sheriff's office, and she witnessed, from a distance, the tail end of what looked like a brutal beating. Lilah didn't gasp, but her hand went to her lips for a moment. The second fight she'd witnessed in two days (though thankfully, she wasn't at the center of this one), Lilah was beginning to worry about the state of things in New Shelby. As Cub lumbered away from his victim, Lilah rushed over to the man who'd been brought low in the middle of the road, kneeling down even though the skirts of her dress were getting a heart serving of dirt this way.

"Sir - sir, are you all ri-" and it was then that her eyes widened, as through dirt and bruises and general disheveledness and fourteen years, recognition began to dawn.

"Theo?" she asked - no, it was firmer than that. Nonetheless, her voice was faint as she looked at her long-lost brother.

Really, she didn't know whether to cry, hug him, or slap him.

((Are you kidding? I LOVE novels! :grin:))

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-07 05:25 pm UTC (link)
The coughs spitting from his mouth made him sound like an old man trying to get rid of a large ball of phlegm. His ribs ached, but none were broken; they didn't even feel cracked, but he was no doctor. A rib or two had been broken before during a robbery he had committed in Oregon: He took the stairs instead of the door after taking the money, and was forced to jump from the roof only to land on his horse sideways instead of on his ass (which probably would have hurt equally the same).

Theo sighed. He did cheat and he did lie about cheating. So therefore, he was a cheating liar. Something that hasn't changed since childhood. But Theo was a good man if given the chance. Even the birds would sing for him once in a very rare blue moon.

As he lay there, he was unable to pick up the footsteps quickly coming near. He was too busy babying his ribcage and blocking the sun from his face with squinted eyes. Before he could do anything the steps stopped, followed by a woman's voice. Although it had a slight familiarity to it, he did not jump for joy and swing the stranger around. There were a few people around here that when he overheard them blabbering, he could have sworn that it was a member of the family. Once he had thought he heard his father, and even though he was deceased, Theo still swung around so quickly it caught him off balance and made him crash to the ground.

He froze, unable to see the person's face but only her silhouette. She too looked to be just as stiff as he. Silence at times was a blessing to have, but this was just down-right awkward. If he could only see her face then maybe would he would be able to say something. His lips parted. He wanted to speak but something was holding him back from doing so. Her presence was almost something he had felt before...

There it was. His name. Her voice. Her presence. The strange silence. All coming together like a difficult math problem finally being solved. "What?" He said, so damn confused that he obviously wasn't the one solving this math problem. "I mean.. I can't see your face, darlin'."

Theo began to stand and soon her face was painted before his eyes. Lilah. Holy hell. It was Lilah. He could literally feel his heart sink into his stomach. He looked scared. No, he looked sad. Maybe he looked excited, or even relieved. Any of these facial expressions could have been planted on his face, but even he couldn't tell which one was chosen.

"Lilah," he said in almost a whisper, but loud enough for just the two of them to hear. His eyes shifted. From the look on her face, she was also giving off mixed emotions, unsure of what to do. Once again they were thrown into an awkward silence. One that he couldn't break.

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-07 09:43 pm UTC (link)
It was Theo. It was Theodore London Ellwood, and he was here, in New Shelby. Did James know? Did their other siblings? Fourteen years. When she was fifteen, she'd thought she'd never forgive him. She'd been just a girl, left to take care of everything and everyone, or so it seemed. It had been insult to injury after their parents had died, after they'd struggled so hard. Something inside her was still that hurt and angry girl - hurt and angry not only at Theo, but at her parents, at God, for having given them the lot that had torn them all apart, inside and out. But there were other things, too. The knowledge that even though she'd made sure the younger ones had been taken care of, she'd left too, as soon as she'd had a way. The knowledge that the loss of their parents had hit them all so hard that then, it wasn't clear how they'd all make it. The knowledge that Theo had always had to go his own way, just like she had - and that even though their paths were very different, they'd always had this in common.

The silence drew itself out as she looked at him, every thought she'd had of him in the past fourteen years relentlessly racing through her head; and then, of course, the past fourteen years in their entirety. So much time had passed; she had been through so much, and from the looks of it, he likely had been, too. Did they even know each other anymore? Could you look at someone that you hadn't seen in fourteen years - half her lifetime - and still have a bond?

The answer in her mind was an immediate and unequivocal "yes." Theo was still and always would be her brother, and he was clearly in some kind of trouble. No matter what pedestal she'd had him on from which he'd jumped down when he left, blood was blood, and she remembered. Remembered laughing with him as a girl; remembered him not talking to her like a child, but like a real person who could understand things; remembered him teaching her things and telling her secrets with that half-grin full of a mischief that was patently Theo.

But she didn't hug him. There was - there was so much. So damn much. Not turning away from him when he was bleeding in the street didn't mean forgiving him. It meant... it meant she was human, it meant she would help him like she would help anybody else, it meant...

It meant that this entire situation was completely surreal and she didn't know how to deal with it other than to take charge in her slightly Napoleonic "nursing mode."

"All right," she said, taking a breath, pulling herself together. "All right. Come on - my house isn't far from here, and I want to take a look at you and make sure you're all right."

Lilah couldn't begin to imagine how the conversation that was about to happen was going to go, but she was certain she didn't want to have it in the middle of the street. There could be crying. Or yelling. Or tearful yelling. Or hugging.

Regardless, better that it happen indoors.

Taking his arm matter-of-factly, so that it could have looked as though a gentleman was escorting his sister home, rather than a sister helping her battered brother walk to her house, she began to lead him to her modest little home.

"So," she said as they walked slowly, looking straight ahead at the road.

"Where've you been?"

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-07 10:02 pm UTC (link)
The huge lump in his throat taunted him like a bully. He couldn't get rid of it even if he tried. Swallowing numerous times wasn't the antidote, but he mustn't give up. He had to say something. It was failure. Failure that brought on this large rock of pain pounding against his heart. He had never thought of how he must have hurt the entire family when he left so many years ago. At the time he thought saying his 'goodbyes' and giving hugs and kisses was enough; clearly it wasn't. He could see the pain in her eyes, which in turn made his own much worse. Yet still he could not speak.

His knees were becoming weak against the ground as his eyes tried to search for something. He could still see her as she was those fourteen years back. Hell, he could see them all - both saddened and angry with forced smiles and lazy waves as he trotted away on horseback. To this day he wouldn't have the answer as to why he left in the first place. Perhaps it was all of the talk about Oregon's gold. Hardheadedness got the best of him when he proposed that he would find this gold by the pound. But Theo took a wrong turn, friending the wrong people and robbing banks for fun and money.

He lowered his gaze as she spoke, being guided by the arm to his feet. Her home. Oh god. What was he going to do? What was he going to say? Part of him wanted to run but the other wanted to cling to her like a child and beg for forgiveness. He did neither, his legs unable to listen to his mental orders.

"Oregon. Nevada," he mumbled, looking anywhere but in her direction as he clutched his ribs. "That's it. Just them two states." He felt so nervous, not wanting to say the wrong thing here. Theo fell silent - it seemed like the best thing to do for now.

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-07 11:11 pm UTC (link)
"Hmm." Lilah wasn't sure what else to say. Not that there weren't other things to say - there were an infinity of things to say, and at least triple that number of ways to say them. The walk was short, but the going was slow. As the shock of seeing him began to wear off, the emotions were beginning to unpack themselves, and they would overwhelm her with their intensity if she didn't keep her eyes ahead, if she didn't keep steadily walking. She was acutely aware, however, of the way he was clutching his ribs, and that - that was a much safer subject than the last fourteen years. No matter what that was about, it was still safer. Carefully moving all the tumult in her heart to the back of her mind, she cast her brother a sidelong glance.

"Well, I suppose there's a lot of both of them to see," she offered. Lilah had never been to Oregon, though she'd been through Nevada on the train to New York and back. God, did Theo even know she'd been married? She'd written to him - somewhere she couldn't remember - telling him about her engagement, but hadn't heard from him. It had been possible that she'd gotten the address wrong, or he'd been at a new one by then... but in those first few years East, she hadn't been at her most forgiving.

They were nearly there now. "So what have you gotten yourself into? Are you all right?"

She couldn't help the concern that crept into her voice.

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-07 11:37 pm UTC (link)
Theo wriggled his nose slightly. A big boy shouldn't cry, but he couldn't aid it. He managed to blink back the small tears with a heavy susurration. Never in his life has he felt like such an asshole. If she wanted to patch him up then never talk to him again he would completely give in - although it wouldn't be easy not to turn around and beseech her.

Each step hurt. Not because of his new internal wounds, but because his heart was growing larger with guilt. It made his whole body almost completely numb.

"Right. Lots. Gold, people, things like that," he said, looking at her for a split second before shifting his gaze to what lies ahead. "Of course, I never saw an ounce of it.. The gold, I mean."

He didn't want to bring up the letter. He received it just before he moved, but "forgot" to reply in all the chaos that is his life. He was to "busy" playing cards, cheating people, fighting, drinking. It wasn't like him to just forget about a letter from his beloved sister. One thing that a lot do not know is that he carries it still, tucked away in his left boot. It was the only piece of family he had at that point. Now it was different. Now he had Lilah. Or so he thought.

He sighed softly, not sure of how to answer her question. Truthfully, in all honesty, was all that came to him. He couldn't bring himself to lie to her.

"I cheated a group in cards. Cub there was the only bastard who came after me," he said with a snort. "His fat ass would have sat on me until I was as flat as a flapjack had I not given up," his voice grew louder as his eyebrows raised. It was true. All Cub had to do was sit on someone to damn near kill them. Even if Cub was considered a friend in Theo's book, the fat man wouldn't stop to kill if he had a good reason for it. Cheating and taking ones money was good enough for him. Who knows if he would ever speak to Theo again. It was the third time it has happened; you'd think he'd learn by now.

"I would be lying to you if I said I was ok, Lilah."

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-08 02:02 pm UTC (link)
Shaking her head, Lilah led her brother into her house. It was a small, humble place, but bright, with windows allowing the sunlight in and ocean blue curtains that went well with the maple furniture. It was modest but clearly cared for - well-kept, clean, with many shelves containing all manner of books. Her gaze slid to him again. Not much had changed in fourteen years, she could see.

"Oh, Theo," there was resignation, a touch of chiding, and a trace of nostalgic tenderness in her tone.

"Haven't you learned by now not to cheat people who can take you in a fight?" Her words were only half-joking. Lilah didn't approve of her brother's lifestyle, though it was less of a moral issue than a practical one. For her part, Lilah was a straight shooter - always had been. But she knew that Theo wasn't a bad man, for all his flaws. But he put himself in dangerous situations, and by now, she'd reached a point of age and wisdom to understand that Theo's life prevented other paths from being open to him. It made her wonder what he was running away from.

"Come on then," she said, leading him to the kitchen table, where she directed him with a gesture to take a seat. With concise and economical movements, she retrieved a kit containing iodine and cotton from a cabinet. As though it were routine (and maybe it was becoming so), Lilah poured water into a bowl from a pitcher she had on her counter, and brought it over. Then, she dipped a strip of cloth into it, and drew another chair close to Theo's, sitting near him and reaching out to clean up his face.

"Well, he did make a mess, didn't he?" she murmured.

"So talk to me," she said, not brusquely, but not sweetly. "Why did you come home?"

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-08 06:52 pm UTC (link)
The house was easeful. Had it not been Lilah's then it most likely would have been occupied by an elder, loving couple. It was almost like stepping into a swarm of hands, massaging the body at every angle. It was soothing and genuinely made the corner of his mouth curl up into a small smile. Lilah always kept things clean, tidy, and organized; it was just an undiluted fact. Only then did the rumination make him think of his nippy, darkened room at the Inn. No matter, he enjoyed it.

Theo kept his movements carefully precise. He was afraid that he might break something despite how clumsy he was. He viewed the books from a distance. He wasn't much of a reader, but was overwhelmingly glad he wasn't illiterate either. It was easier to know how much your worth on a Wanted poster as well as for what reasons you're wanted for when you knew how to read. Thankfully, Theo had no posters here in Shelby. The Sheriffs and Deputies must have ran out considering they are plastered everywhere he went in Oregon and a bit of Nevada.

Lilah's voice shamed him faintly as he dropped his head. It was obvious he hasn't learned a damn thing about cheating and the consequences that follow. It was more of a habit than just a blue moon fraud. Sometimes he just couldn't help himself when he knew a lot of money was going to be bet.

"Hm. And to think Cub and I call each other friends," he said with a small whole-hearted laugh before following to the kitchen table. "Well, acquaintances now, most likely."

He took the seat she had offered and went back to coddling his ribs with a rubbing motion from his left hand. The vest he was wearing was constricting his breathing a little, so it was obvious to him that his chest might have begun to swell. Then again, the vest was tight all around to begin with.

"You.. Worked as a nurse, right?" he asked, mentally re-reading the letter she had sent him. God, he shouldn't have even brought that question up. Theo didn't even write back. 'God damn it I'm such an ass,' he thought, leaning his head back.

Lilah brought his head back down to start and clean up, and it was a good thing she inquired another question. He craved that this would cover up his own. Theo took the time to look at her; to really look at her. She was still the beautiful sister he once knew. Theo didn't deserve her hospitality. He deserved to be left on the road where he was when she found him.

"I.. I'm wan.." Theo quickly paused, unsure if he should really bring up the fact that he's Wanted in both Oregon and a small town in Nevada. Coming back to California was his only choice, or chance, really. He didn't want to go the opposite way like New York, Indiana, Kentucky. He missed Shelby. Secretly, however, he hoped that he would run into her (Lilah), or into James, or into the others.

"I'm uh, I jus' wanted to. I missed it here. Lotta memories, y'know," he mumbled, trying to cover up his half-lie with a small cough.

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-08 10:15 pm UTC (link)
Lilah paused in wiping his face and neck (just like when they were younger) to put her hands on her hips and arch a brow at him.

"Theo Ellwood, don't you try to sell me that load of bunk," she frowned at him. Only her brother could draw the farm girl out of her so quickly. She'd caught that slip of his. "The least you could do for a body is be honest, for goodness' sake."

She shook her head, though, and resumed cleaning him up, her hands still gentle as lambs. Her rebuke of her brother almost made her smile at herself - it was funny how you fell back into old habits. But his previous question - that needed answering. The war... the war was such an enormous part of her life. So many ghosts. It was where she'd become a ghost herself, in her way.

"And yes," she said quietly. "I was a nurse for the Union. I served with Silas, on the battle fronts and in Union hospitals... wherever they needed us."

It was strange to talk about it - almost as though it had happened to someone else, even though she could dress a wound and heal the sick as automatically as taking a breath these days. But that time had belonged to her and Silas Darby, as terrible and blood-soaked as it was, they were what she had to remember him by. It still surprised her, how much it still hurt. But this wasn't the time for that.

Once most of the blood was gone, she noticed the way he was clutching his ribs, and said,

"Come on now, unbutton that vest and let's take a look at those ribs."

Then, after a pause.

"So what are you wanted for, big brother?" There wasn't judgment in her tone so much as curiosity and concern. Schemes and tricks had always been Theo's trade... she just hoped that he hadn't gone down a darker path than that.

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-08 10:53 pm UTC (link)
Theo pursed his lips and nodded.

"Yes ma'am, I apologize," he said, sounding like a child obeying his mother's rules. At least part of what he said was true, even if that didn't make it right. That large lump that was invading his throat had shrunk a great deal since they've been sitting here.

Once she had finished cleaning the remaining bits of blood from his face, he wriggled his nose and raised a hand to pinch it. It wasn't broken, his nose just bleeds fairly easily.

"Nurse for the Union! Hell, I forgot about that part of the letter. Should 'ave read it more carefully. Say, that Silas fellow," he leaned back in the seat with a cocked brow, "Where in the sam hell is he?" He really shouldn't have asked, but shit, he didn't know. Soon enough he might feel like even more of a jerk than now.

Unbutton his vest? Nah. "I'm fine, Lilah. Just a little... Y'know..." he folded his arms sharply, only increasing the pain and in-turn giving in to her orders, "Ow! Yeah, I'm not fine." Slowly but surely he stood and began to undo his vest, contemplating if he should even answer her last question or not. It took him a long time to come to a conclusion.

"Well," he said with a heavy sigh. His arm randomly moved upwards against his mouth, trying to blur his voice and distort it, "Armed robbery."

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-08 11:16 pm UTC (link)
Theo's apology made her press her lips together to tamp down a smile - an expression he'd remember. Theo'd always let her be the little mother hen she wanted to be, even when he'd been almost twice her age, a man in the world, and she just a girl who was dealing with an impossible situation the only way she knew how. She didn't know if he'd done it just to keep her content or because he'd sensed she'd needed it, but either way, he'd never been mean or ornery, even when she was being a bossy little thing.

She nodded as he tested out his nose - it had looked all right, once all the blood was cleaned up. It was his ribs that she was concerned about... but then he asked.

The part where he'd admitted getting the letter didn't even matter anymore - something in her understood that, understood Theo well enough to know why he hadn't responded, even if it had stung at the time, and maybe still stung (just a little bit) now. And she didn't even frown a little when he started to refuse to undo his vest. But his question about Silas... it shuttered her up as she watched him undo his vest, her eyes distant and a bit blank.

"Still buried in New York, I imagine," she said almost lightly, except for the hollowness in her voice, and the ache that echoed through the emptiness. Then, less with less horrible glibness, "He was fatally wounded in the last battle of the war. Died right around when President Lincoln did."

Her voice was quiet, then she forced herself to start functioning again, her crisp, slightly bossy tone returning.

"Now finish taking off your shirt - I'm afraid you might have cracked ribs, and if you do, we need to do something about that."

Then a pause, as what he said began to dawn on her.

"Did you say - armed robbery?" Her eyes widened and her eyebrow arched incredulously. For a moment she was silent, her mouth slightly open. Then, her expression eased.

"Well, at least it wasn't murder."

Another pause, then her tone became more cautious.

"You're not up to murder, now, are you, Theo?"

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-08 11:41 pm UTC (link)
His eyes were adverted purposely. The first question might have been a bad choice, but he couldn't hear her begin to weep. That was because she wasn't weeping. Theo glanced up, quietly removing his vest and tossing it on the chair he was sitting on only moments before.

No, she was not crying, but her voice told him that she may have wanted to. Such a terrible tragic loss for her. Theo's arms hung loosely at his sides as he tried to find the words to console her and make-up for a question he almost wished he'd never asked. He could not begin to imagine the loss of a spouse. Love had never crossed Theo's path and it was almost unfortunate with him. The winding roads in his life wouldn't allow it. If he were to give-in and rob here in Shelby or any nearby town, then he'd probably have to move.. again. Every pit of power in him would force the opportunity away now that he knew he had his family here.

"I am so sorry, Lilah," he spoke quietly, his expression showing the utmost sympathy, "Had I known I wouldn't have said a damn thing. Shows how much of an ass I am, eh?"

He wagged his head side-to-side slowly and started on his shirt, only having to undo the first three buttons before pulling it off. With the vest and shirt piled on the chair, he looked down at the left side of his ribs. Bruised, of course. Just what he needed. With the random scars scattered along his torso, a bruise was just another addition, even if it would eventually go away. Nothing to be upset about.

"Huh? Robbery? No, I said... Farmed," he waved his hand, "Farmed uh... Ok yes, armed robbery. I couldn't help it though! Those banks asked for it, the sniveling bastards with their slicked hair and fancy clothing." Theo was really beginning to get worked up over this. It all stopped at her next question.

"Murder, no. I don't think so. I mean my gun went off at one point but I didn't stick around to see if the person died or whatever," he blatantly looked back down at himself, "I don't even know if th' bullet hit anyone."

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-09 12:04 am UTC (link)
"Language, Theo," she said gently, without real rancor - in fact, she wore a bit of a wan smile. It was just something their mother would have said - Marybelle Ellwood didn't want her sons cussing in front of ladies, even their little sisters.

"There's nothing to apologize for," she said softly. "You didn't know."

Her attention turned to his ribs, which she was examining in addition to the scars on his torso with a frown.

"Good lord, Theo," she frowned, worry lining her brow and glittering in her eyes. The last fourteen years hadn't been as kind to him as she would have hoped. More and more, she was becoming convinced that Theo needed to stay in New Shelby, and needed to talk to James. He needed family as an anchor, to keep him out of trouble - he'd been adrift for too long, and it was going to get him killed one day, if the current state of his ribs and his collection of scars were any indication - and she bet they were. It occurred to her that she knew someone else with bruises and scars who needed taking care of, but wasn't family at all.

That thought got pushed aside very quickly indeed.

"You couldn't help it?" Lilah looked at her brother incredulously. "Theo!"

She shook her head and felt at his bruise less gently than she might have, glaring up at him, though she was relieved to hear that he hadn't resorted to murder. There were times when a man had to kill another man to defend himself or others. Lilah understood that. But wanton murder was a terrible thing, and she was glad Theo hadn't gone that far.

With a slight - just a slight poke - into his bruise she frowned at him.

"Your ribs aren't cracked, but I think your head might be. Robbing banks? You could be killed!"

Looking at him earnestly, with narrowed eyes. This required some thought. Theo was wanted for armed robbery, and now he was back home. Now, this could mean he was just looking to take refuge - but it also could mean that somewhere, deep down, Theo wanted... to change. At least a little. At least to the point where he didn't have to spend his life running.

(Of course, Lilah's first thought was that Theo needed to meet a nice girl. But first things first.)

"Have you seen James yet?"

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-09 12:34 am UTC (link)
"Ah, well!" he mumbled. His foul mouth hadn't gotten him in trouble for fourteen years (aside from insults and threats), so a few curse words now and again were bound to slip out. "I'm sorry," he furrowed his brows, "I'll.. Try to keep my mouth clean around you an' th' ... ladies."

Theo raised his arms for her to have a better look. It had been years, years, since he'd been taken care of by a woman (even if it was his sister). All of his previous wounds were tended to on his own or by a friend.

"Good lord what?" He looked at her, then looked at himself. "Oh, that. That there scrap you witnessed wasn't the first. Been in quite a few, to be honest. Half of 'em fight like Kilkenny Cats makin' it hard for me to even get in a good shot or two."

Her squeeze, although unintentional, pressed upon his bruise rather harshly. He instantly smacked her hand away with a grimace. "Ow! Alright I could help it, but at the same time I really couldn't. My adrenaline has never pumped so quickly. It was a rush. A damn fine rush." He nodded matter-of-fact to his words, lifting his arms again so she could finish her examination. No cracked ribs. That was a good thing. A real good thing.

"You're right. I could 'ave been killed. Whew, like that bullet that hit me in the leg! Had that shootin' banker aimed a little higher, might 'ave been my head," he lowered his arms and rested his hands on his hips with a laugh. "Never thought about that..."

All joking (and quite sadly non-joking) aside, Theo looked at her squarely, narrowing his eyes only to widen them like he'd just figured out the missing piece to a puzzle, "James? James is here in Shelby?"

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-09 07:26 pm UTC (link)
There was mild horror in Lilah's expression at him getting shot in the leg, and at the fact that he was laughing about it. The scars on his torso were like a map to places she'd never been, and didn't much like to think of him visiting, either. He didn't even realize - he didn't realize that one, being shot and stabbed and scarred was something to be shocked at, and two (and this was a major realization), that there were people who cared about what happened to him, that would have been worried sick about him all this time if they'd known about what he'd been up to.

The next thought was that maybe that's why he'd been out of touch.

It boggled her mind, it pained her heart - so much of what they'd all been through over the past decade and a half had been on their own. They hadn't had each other - for care, for concern, to help them through the worst of it all. Even though she'd come back to Shelby, Lilah still hadn't known how to take help from James after being away for so long - had chosen not to live with him, as any woman on her own probably should, if only for safety's sake. Lilah had wanted - needed - to live on her own, because she couldn't go forward as a burden, as an appendage to someone else's life.

But he was asking now about James, as though it'd never occurred to him, and she had to half smile, which made her wince, because the movement hurt her bruised and swollen cheek. Putting a hand to it tenderly, she nodded.

"Yes, of course," she said, a bit of amusement in her tone. "James is the Deputy Sheriff of New Shelby, Theo.

"I was actually on my way to go see him about this," she motioned to her bruised face, "when I... ran into you."

She arched a brow at him and tried another smile, this one smaller. It still hurt.

"You should come with me - he'll want to see you; so will the rest of the family, I'll bet."

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-09 10:03 pm UTC (link)
The thought of laughing only occurred to him to try and lighten the subject. However, it came out completely opposite and made him sound like a fool. He should have - during his robbing days - taken into consideration the family he had left and how this would affect them if and when he were ever to see them again. It was a sore contemplation, one in which he never gave full consideration to.

He felt bad. Really bad. But there was nothing he could do about it now. Unless there was some time machine sitting in the middle of the desert just waiting for him to go back in time, Theo could not undo the past; and he was deeply sorry for it.

His eyes shifted over and over before once again looking at himself. The scars were each a memory located in his lifetime: from childhood to present. It made Theo wonder why he was the way he was. Why their father thought he might have been crazy at one point, and why he could not stop himself before he started. These were not rhetorical questions, just questions without answers.

During this short reunion with Lilah, he had not once touched her. He wanted so badly to hug her; to kiss her forehead, and as his calm glare met her face he drew himself nearer.

"Who did this to you?" he said through slightly clenched teeth as he extended a finger at the bruise on her face. He was as serious as ever. Not a bit of humor located itself on his features.

It would be true if he said it: That whoever had hit Lilah would die; or perhaps Theo would just attempt to kick his ass no matter what the size or strength of the opponent. Either way, some damage needed to be done to this person.

"I'm not goin' t'say that I'll kill 'im, but I'll fuckin' try," he lowered his hands to his hips, forgetting about his language just this once.

Yes, he did want to go with her to see James and the rest of them, but couldn't bring himself to say anything about it.

Bringing his hands up and over his head, the pain in his ribs stung like a thousand bee stings. However the pain was the last thing he needed to worry about. Theo rested his hands on the back of his neck and began to slowly pace the kitchen. Should he go? Should he wait another day? Would there be another day? And who was the asshole that hit Lilah?

Frustration was creeping up on him and taking its toll.

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-09 11:35 pm UTC (link)
Her brother's change of expression wasn't lost on Lilah - she'd seen it before. Little Delilah Ellwood couldn't come home with a scrape or a bruise without Theo wanting to make sure that whoever was responsible was paid back three times as hard in kind. (And despite having grown up to be a 'proper lady,' Lilah's roots were in Shelby just like everyone else's in the family. When she'd been a tiny girl, she'd been known to get into the occasional scrap, standing up to bullies on behalf of those who were picked on. And Lilah had always had a problem knowing when to keep her opinions to herself.) But Lilah didn't want more trouble, especially not on her behalf. She was already shaking her head.

"It's all right, Theo - well, maybe not all right," she corrected herself, looking at her brother. "But it will be."

Pushing a loose curl behind her ear, she explained, "A parent from the school - I teach there now - was angry, and - we exchanged words. And then he hit me... but someone came to my aid, and gave him more than a taste of his own medicine."

Lilah couldn't quite help the flush that crept into her cheeks, both at the cringing thought of the fight she'd seen yesterday, and at the thought of William, the man who'd defended her, and had protected her from Bill Decker's full fury.

"Anyway, I wanted to talk to James about it, since I thought it best if I let the law handle matters."

Lilah thought it would be best. Bill Decker would go to jail, Susie Decker could go to college, and justice would be served without any more blood being shed.

"So yes, I think you should come with me, if you can."

Lilah gave him a tentative smile. It would be good for them all to see each other - the "older ones." Lilah had achieved that designation just by being the eldest girl, and almost by her own insistence.

Then, she was too struck by the knowledge that they hadn't touched since they'd seen each other - and now that Theo was patched up and she was certain that she wouldn't hurt him by hugging him, she put her arms around him and gave him as tight a hug as she could without hurting his ribs.

"Oh, it's good to see you, Theo," she sighed, closing her eyes.

Having him here made things feel more like home than she could have expected.

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-10 02:49 am UTC (link)
It was true. Theo had always wanted an unblemished story about each and every wound any of his siblings would receive: even James. Sadly for the others, it was more-so with Lilah. He knew (and witnessed once) that she could hold her own and strike back without hesitation. But it wasn't her character, really. He still wanted to be the protector like any big brother should act.

He didn't even want to know what might have happened once he left. He didn't know her life or what had happened to her all these years. It was almost like he was meeting her for the first time.

"No. It's not alright. That fu.. That jerk needs.. Wait, you said someone came t'your aid?" He stopped, folding his arms over his chest and nodding slowly, "Well, it should 'ave been me. At least someone got 'im for the time being."

The law. Pshh. Sure it was an attempt to keep things in order, but Theo preferred to just duke it out rather than reason with someone and/or lock them up. It just didn't seem like enough punishment. With this case he decided to stand-down to let Justice take over. It wasn't his choice to be making.

"If I see so much as a splinter on you," he said, waving his finger but said nothing more.

The room stood quiet. This was the time to say something. The time to do something. To show just how much he had missed her.

"Lilah I...," he started, but it was too late. She had wrapped her arms around him so quickly it almost caught him off balance. The pain in his ribs at this point was non-existent. He wouldn't care if every bone in his body was broken.

The return gesture was tardy he was so shocked. A few seconds ago he was trying to plan out how to knock down the wall between them. Or at least the wall he kept imagining that was holding him back. He was just afraid of rejection. That she wouldn't want to receive a hug from a wanted man, even if it was her brother.

The two embraced, his arms hugging her tightly as he placed a hand on her head and the other against her back, gripping her to him. It felt nice to know that she loved him just the same; that nothing has changed the love between them. Theo placed a kiss on her head, not wanting to let her go.

"I am so, so sorry, Lilah. I should 'ave never left you. I should have never left my family," he whispered. "I feel so guilty. Every day even for a second I beat myself up for it. Honest," he wanted to be sure that she knew it was true. That he did have this enormous weight on his shoulders about leaving them behind. But he kept it under lock and key.

"Hit me, kick me, whatever you want and I'll take it. I deserve it."

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[info]the_prodigal
2008-05-11 09:39 pm UTC (link)
"Oh, Theo..." she said it so softly that it could easily have been missed. So much time had passed, and so much had happened. If they'd met again ten years ago, her response might have been different - she'd been so resentful then. Even now, she might not approve of his lifestyle, but she wasn't angry. It wasn't uncomplicated - rebuilding trust would be a slow process. After all, he hadn't said he was staying - he hadn't said anything. But at this point, the prominent emotions were just relief, nostalgia, happiness, and some sadness at how much time they'd all been away from each other. Perhaps not regret - she wouldn't have traded her time with Silas for anything - but perhaps a wish that they all could have had things be a little different.

Lilah didn't protest to the extended embrace. After fourteen years, she was almost afraid to let him go - afraid he would disappear again, this time for good. When he told her to hit him, kick him, she laughed into his shoulder, shaking her head.

"I'm not going to hit you, Theo. First of all, it's not ladylike." A bit of a grin played at her lips for that. "Second, it looks as though you've been knocked around enough without me adding to it."

She took a breath and sighed.

"Don't beat yourself up, Theo," she said quietly. "I don't... we don't have to talk about it right now."

Lilah didn't know what to think or how to feel about it. On one hand, when he'd left, Theo'd been a man. Getting by on their own hadn't been easy - it had seemed like there was never enough money or food or anything. Lilah and James had to grow up very fast, taking care of Helene and their brother, all the while dealing with the pain of their parents' deaths. It had been so hard - just thinking about it now made her close her eyes against the tightening in her throat. All these years later, and she still missed her Ma and Da.

But on the other hand, Lilah thought that people were just made of what they were made of. Theo was good, she knew that in her heart, and would defend him fiercely to anyone or anything. But maybe he hadn't been made of the stuff that a body needed to take care of four children who'd just lost their parents, especially after losing those same parents yourself. And she believed he was sorry - she truly did. Theo wasn't hard-hearted, not when it came to his family, and she bet that of all of them, he was the one who wished things could have been different the most. Lilah could argue in her own head for hours about it, and still not come to a conclusion.

"Anyway," she said, pulling back a bit, "I'm glad you're back."

Then she smiled a little. "And someone did help me out, though I appreciate you wanting to come to my defense, Theo. I promise to stay out of trouble from now on."

Now she was grinning a bit - of all the Ellwood siblings, Lilah might seem like the least likely to get into trouble; and truly, Lilah never meant to start trouble. But she never had been good at letting things lie, or standing for injustice, or intolerance, or unkindness, or any sort of business like that. Lilah was a fighter, through and through - it was just that her fights didn't generally reach the physical level.

"But come with me to see James - if he hears about me having a bruise on my face from some town gossip, I'm sure he won't be happy with me at all."

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[info]londonaftrdark
2008-05-12 12:10 am UTC (link)
Although Theo preferred to say that he was going to change, he wasn't going to make a promise that most likely he would break. Then he would really feel like a let-down.

It was a healthy relief to know that she didn't even want to inflict any sort of pain upon him. He felt that he deserved it, but he wasn't going to argue her decision. She was right; he had enough bruises, scabs and scars that he didn't really need any more. It wouldn't have made any difference anyhow.

He let her go and leaned back against the counter just behind him before folding his arms. Theo hadn't been affectionate towards anyone in a very long time. Even in a hug. He wasn't going to admit the times he'd try to be caring towards a female, that she would screw him over and find someone else. All-in-all, he really just wanted to give up on the female gender all together, but that was never going to happen. Ever.

"Well, if you happen to get into trouble sometime in the future, y'be sure to let me know," he said as he now moved to the chair holding his clothing. "That is if you can find me, which I'm sure shouldn't be a problem."

He began to slip on his shirt, buttoning it, then his vest, buttoning that as well. No hat, no coat or jacket. There was no point in his opinion to wear them all of the time.

Adjusting his belt, he idly rested his forearm on the butt of his gun. "See James? Well, I can't really say no. Seeing as I don't know any other time that would be better than now," he laughed hearing her last words, "He may not be happy with you, but I'll be there. My presence will overthrow that."

Theo sighed greatly, chewing on his lip before nodding, "Alright well, I'm ready when you are."

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