All You Have to Do is Breathe [Part 3]
Jul. 21st, 2015 10:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonFandom: Noblesse
Summary: There's a new guy in town, an inventor, and if Tao can steal a few interesting things from him, he'll be able to eat for a few days, maybe longer. He might even be able to get out of the town!
Tao's wish comes true, just not in the way he expected.
Rating: PG-13
Contains: Racism
Notes: I've been using carriage, but for me that's synonymous with wagon. If that's confusing, I can change it.
Genre: Steampunk? Friendship
Word count: 6,035
Total word count: 15,396
Status: Work in progress
"Doctor Lee? Doctor Lee?"
Tao turned his head at the shouts filtering through the walls. Dammit, of course the townsfolk would have heard that.
Boss patted him one last time, then stood up. "I'll be right back."
"Ah… Yeah." This time he would stay where he was, out of sight from the window – if the townsfolk saw him there, Tao knew they would blame him for what happened, or assume he was there to steal from Boss. Or had already stolen from him, and Tao had a pouch filled with money in his pocket. That wouldn't look suspicious at all.
Tao didn't move when Boss left, focusing on his tea again. The shouts halted, murmuring replacing it. He strained his ears, chewing his lip, but it stayed at that volume, not getting worse.
By the time Tao calmed down and finished his tea, Boss returned, looking as unruffled as he usually did.
"They've been mollified," Boss said. "Come." Boss held his hand out for Tao. "I'll prepare Dark Spear - please collect the food and everything else around the house."
Tao nodded, taking Boss' hand and he was pulled to his feet. "Got it."
* * *
Tao carried the last of the suitcases filled with Boss' inventions to the stable.
"Is that everything?" Boss asked, securing Dark Spear's straps as Tao avoided looking towards the demolished wall and everything else around it. A crowd hadn't gathered, which relieved Tao; he didn't want to be stared at.
He slid the suitcase in the back. "I couldn't find anything else we might have forgotten." It was weird saying that. 'We'. Tao would have smiled, if the images of the dead bodies didn't flicker at the back of his mind every time he thought they were gone.
Boss smiled at him, petting Dark Spear's flank. There wasn't any blood on her and Tao was glad for that. Had Boss washed her that fast? Or could she clean herself if she could shed her skin?
"All right. Do you want to say your goodbyes?" Boss asked, getting up into the driver's seat.
Tao snorted as he clambered into the wagon. "No-one to say goodbye to." The only reason the townsfolk would care was if they worried about what he was doing when they hadn't seen him for a while.
Boss looked over his shoulder at him as Tao settled amongst the luggage, deep in the wagon so he would be harder to see from outside.
"Don't you want to sit here?"
"No." Tao started to shake his head, but then stopped, bringing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. "Well, I do. But it's better for you-" And for himself. "-if the townsfolk don't see me leaving with you."
"Ah. All right." Frankenstein faced forward again and with a click of his tongue, Dark Spear started moving.
It also meant Tao wouldn't see the bloodstains as they left, so long as he didn't look back and he closed his eyes to make sure, feeling the sway of the wagon as it went over uneven ground.
"Do you need to collect anything as we leave?"
"No." He didn't have that many spare clothes anyway. He could try to buy something in the next town over. He wanted to be away as fast as he could.
The constant rocking and the sound of Dark Spear's hooves soothed Tao and he didn't pay attention to Boss' conversations as they passed people, not caring about hearing where they were headed for the third time in a row.
Tao hadn't been in a wagon since coming to the town years ago. A lot had changed since then and he sighed, bowing his head and tugging at a lock of hair.
This time it would be better, even with the danger. It couldn't get much worse - not without dying. This time he had a secured job and a lot more money in his pocket.
It didn't take long to reach the outskirts and Tao watched the lights of the town get smaller into the distance, the knot in his stomach easing. He was away from them. He was free.
"You can rest if you wish," Boss said, and Tao turned his head to blink at him. Boss was still facing forward. "We'll be riding through the night to put as much distance as possible between us and them."
"I'm okay," Tao said, loosening his arms and stretching his legs out with a sigh. That felt good. "I'm not going to fall asleep for another couple of hours." He didn't tend to sleep until later in the night. And he didn't want to sleep - he was going to have nightmares when he did, so it was better if he stayed up for as long as possible.
"Mm, all right." Boss paused, then looked over his shoulder at him. "Do you want to sit here now?" Boss asked, and Tao smiled.
"Yeah." He clambered through the gap and sat down, looking around at the empty horizon. It was the same as the last time he'd stared at it, but he wasn't surrounded by buildings now, couldn't hear the bustle of people around him.
All he could hear was Dark Spear's hooves, the wind, and the wagon trundling over rocks.
Tao settled down for the ride, a small smile on his face.
* * *
"How do you feel after your first night of travelling?" Boss asked, heating water over the fire.
"My butt’s sore," Tao grumbled, rubbing it. He was sitting on his haunches instead of the foldable stools Boss had brought out, because there was no way he was going to spend more time on his butt if he could help it.
Boss chuckled, collecting some cups from a suitcase. "You’ll get used to it in time."
"I know," Tao said, sighing. He had before, but it had been a long time since then. He would buy something of his own the first chance he got. A cushion seemed a good idea if it meant he didn’t have to deal with this every night.
"You can use something of mine if it helps," Boss said as he poured some water into the cups.
"No, I'm fine." He owed Boss for too much already.
Except... He peered at the sunrise. "Did we get turned around?" he asked, looking at Boss. "I thought we were going west?" The sun was rising in the wrong direction.
"Ah..." Boss held out the cup for Tao. "We're not going there. Since I'm being followed, I needed to give them a false trail to track."
"Oh... So," Tao said, taking the cup, "is that why you were telling everyone where you were going?"
"Exactly." Boss smiled. "We won't be staying at the first towns we come across, to make it harder for them."
Tao nodded. His butt could last until then. "But..." He stared into the flames, pressing his fingers to the cup. "If you're trying to hide, maybe it wasn't such a good idea bringing me with you. I grab attention." Boss had to know that. And there wasn't much Tao could do about it; he couldn't change his face.
"It's all right," Boss said with a shake of his head. "I don't tend to stay in places for very long anyway - and I enjoy travelling, seeing new places and people."
Tao glanced at Boss. "Do you normally employ them?" There had to be others. What happened to them? Who would want to leave after meeting Boss?
"No, I don't," Boss said, looking over to Dark Spear, "but you're one of the few people Dark Spear has liked. She can be rather particular and impossible to work with those who she doesn't like."
…Oh. That made sense.
* * *
Tao woke with a gasp, something grasping his shoulder.
Something loomed over him and Tao scrambled back, trying to get away, the mangled and bloody bodies reaching out towards him, screams echoing in his ears.
"Tao-"
Wait. He knew that voice. Tao stopped and the image rearranged itself into Boss, his clothes clean and unbloodied. "You were having a nightmare," Boss said, crouched next to the spot Tao had been sleeping on.
It felt like it. Tao fisted his hands, trying to stop them trembling as he worked to get his breathing under control, trying to take in deeper breaths rather than sharp ones. Even as he did that, the reality of the nightmare faded away to almost nothing. He didn't do anything to try to remember it.
"Thanks, Boss," Tao mumbled. His heart still thudded in his chest, but it was calming down.
"Would you like some tea?" Boss asked, and Tao nodded, sitting up.
"Come," Boss said, going back to the fire, and Tao did, pushing himself to his feet. He looked around, grounding himself in what was real. The sun was high in the sky and Dark Spear was standing next to the wagon, her attention on him. Their camp was how Tao remembered it, though the fire was lower until Boss prodded it.
It didn't take long to prepare the tea and Tao curled his fingers around the cup. Most of the effects of the nightmare was gone by then.
"I was thinking of working on one of my projects," Boss said, "if you would like to join me?"
Tao nodded. "Yeah." It would be good to do something to get his mind off what his brain had reminded him of.
Boss smiled at him and then stood up, walking towards the wagon as Tao blew on his tea, savouring the smell.
Boss brought out a sheet and flicked it so it settled in front of the fire. Oh, so that's how they were going to make sure they didn't lose any pieces.
"Hey, Boss…?" Tao said, watching Boss take out one of his inventions.
"Mm?" Boss looked up, his full attention on him.
"How come you're a doctor, but you work with machines?" Shouldn't he be doing something with humans?
Boss chuckled, setting an invention down on the sheet and taking out one of his journals. "Being a doctor doesn't necessarily mean one specialises in humans. But," he said, "I earned my title a long time ago; nowadays, I am more interested in the workings of machines."
Boss indicated the workspace with a sweep of a hand and a smile. "Shall we?"
"Yeah." Tao set his cup down, intent to throw himself at the challenge.
* * *
They'd gone through two towns, changing direction each time, and Tao's butt had gotten used to the wood. Though that might have been because Tao had managed to buy a small cushion. He'd also bought a wide-brimmed hat to help hide his face; it was a nice protector against the sun too. It felt weird though, having the constant pressure around his head after so long without one.
"How do you feel about staying here for a while?" Boss asked as they approached the third town.
Tao looked away and shrugged. "I don't mind." After being alone with Boss for so long, someone who treated him and looked at him like a person... He didn't want to go back to seeing townsfolk distrusting him on sight.
Boss didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Would you prefer to stay outside of town? We can camp here instead and I can go-"
"No! It's fine." Tao shook his head hard enough to almost dislodge his hat. "Really. I don't mind." He didn't want to bother Boss more than he needed to. If Tao seemed unwilling to do things, Boss could decide he was too much effort and leave him behind.
"If you're sure..." Boss said, a small crease between his eyebrows.
"I am." Tao smiled, hoping it would help convince him.
Boss studied his face and then nodded, turning his attention to the growing town in the distance. "We should be there in an hour."
Tao leaned back on the wagon. He would be fine if Boss didn't ask him to do things that involved going outside, but that wasn't going to happen.
It would only be for a few days. He could handle that.
* * *
Tao listened to Boss through the bonnet, determined not to show his face around when Boss was dealing with the proprietor. He was sure the proprietor would refuse Boss a building if she saw him.
"The building isn't too far from here," Boss said as he climbed back into the driver's seat, Dark Spear moving before he'd told her to.
"Boss…" Tao said.
Boss turned his head towards him. "Mm?"
"If you rented the last building, what happened about the wall Dark Spear kicked down?" Tao knew too well about landowners who wanted their property kept in pristine condition and would demand money for anything out of place. Taking a wall out was huge damages to pay. The proprietor would have been pissed Boss had ran after that.
Maybe that was another reason why they'd gotten out there so fast.
"Oh, I paid for the damages," Boss said with a shrug, "as well as giving extra, to account for the period where he wouldn't be able to rent it out."
…The way Boss said that, it was like he'd paid for a loaf of bread. He'd had that money on hand? How rich was he?
"Now then," Boss said when they arrived, slowing Dark Spear. "There are two bedrooms in here, so choose which one you like the most."
Tao nearly stumbled over his own feet as he whirled around to stare. "What?"
Boss' eyebrows quirked up. "Is there something wrong?"
"I get my own room?" He'd misheard that, right?
"Of course. Where did you expect to sleep?" Boss said, his eyebrows raised.
"The floor." Maybe a couch if there was one, but he hadn't thought he would get his own room.
"No." Boss shook his head. "There are two rooms here, so you have a choice."
Tao hesitated, while Boss started to undo the straps securing Dark Spear to the wagon. "Shouldn't I help with unpacking first?" he asked. "And don't you get first pick?" He was the Boss, after all.
Boss shook his head again, smiling at him. "I have no preferences, and I don't think choosing a room takes that long, does it?"
"No…" Tao nodded. "Okay!" he said. "I'll go choose." He went inside and it wasn't hard to find the rooms - they were the same size with a bed in the centre and a desk up against a wall, and Tao peered through the windows.
The view outside wasn't busy with people and Tao rubbed the back of his neck. He would choose…this one, since he was standing in it and it had a straighter route outside if he needed to run.
He went back and Boss had begun unpacking the wagon.
"Which one did you pick?" Boss asked him, luggage in his hands.
"The one on the right," Tao said, taking more from the wagon.
"All right."
Tao followed Boss back into the house, carrying a suitcase in each hand. He blinked when Boss set the luggage down in the room connected the house to the stable and gestured for Tao to do the same.
"Boss…?" Tao said, doing as he was instructed. "Won't putting them here make them easier to steal?" That was why Boss was on the move, to make sure his inventions weren't stolen. The thieves would have to go by Dark Spear, but they could also go in through the window.
"Exactly," Boss said, walking back towards the stable. Huh? He wanted them to be stolen?
"These are inventions of no importance. Trinkets I've made to amuse myself and pass the time." Boss took more suitcases and Tao did the same. "I would rather the Union distract themselves with those than steal my journals."
Oooh. That made sense – Boss noted everything down in those.
It didn't take them long to unpack everything and Tao could hear Boss making tea in the kitchen as he went back through to the stable. He got out the brushes he'd bought in the previous town, playing with the bristles.
"What do you think?" Tao asked, holding one brush in each palm for Dark Spear to look at. "This one, or this one?" He didn't know what one to start with, but she could have a better idea.
She glanced between the two and then nosed at the softer bristled one.
"Okay, so you want th-"
She turned her head and knocked the other one out his grasp.
"Aaand you don't want that one," Tao said, ducking down to pick it up. "Got it.
"I've never brushed a horse before-" She counted as one even if she wasn't made of flesh. She was shaped like one and had skin and that was all that was needed, really. "-so you're going to have to direct me on what to do, okay?"
She nickered at him, tossing her head.
"Is that a yes?" Or was she going to kick him?
She did it again, so it seemed safe to guess that was a 'yes'.
"Where do you want me to start?" he asked, going towards her side.
She side-stepped and bumped her flank into him, just hard enough for him to feel, not stumble.
"Here?" He placed a hand on where they'd touched.
She nodded, huffing.
"Okay." It was were the straps had rested on her. Going with her hairs seemed to be a good idea and Tao brushed in that direction. She didn't kick when he did that so he took it as a good sign. He hadn't been sure if her skin was delicate and he would damage it - that might have been why she'd chosen the softer bristles.
After a minute, Tao reached up to brace his free hand against her flank as he brushed harder, more confident he wouldn't do anything wrong. She didn't react to it apart from a short flick of her tail so that must have been okay.
She felt like a real horse - warm to the touch, her skin and hair rough under his palm. She might have been a bit too smooth underneath, not quite how the muscles bunched up in a flesh horse but Tao doubted anyone would notice from a distance, even an expert. Her skin hummed under his touch and that must have been her gears. He could hear them as she moved.
"How's that?" Tao asked as he worked down her flank. "Does that feel okay?"
She snorted and there was no kicking or moving away, so Tao figured there wasn't any problems.
He paused when she stamped one of her front hooves. "Stop?"
She did it again, backing up so her front was closer to him.
"Oh, do you want to be brushed there now?"
Dark Spear nodded, snorting.
"Okay, got it." Tao started brushing her front.
"I guess I should tell you," Tao said, getting used to the rhythm, the movement soothing him, "since I'm using you like this."
Her ears swivelled to face and he shook his head. "Nothing bad! Just – this gives me something to do, something that keeps me from going into town, you know?" Tao slowed his brushing for a second as he realised what he just said.
"Well, you probably don't, but… Yeah. People don't tend to like me, so I like staying out the way." Enough that he was telling his troubles to a horse. "You get a brushing, so you get something out of it too."
She turned her head and nuzzled his head, making Tao smile. That looked like she didn't mind.
"Boss is nice too," Tao continued rambling. "And you. But you already knew that."
Dark Spear snorted, nudging him.
They kept going, Tao letting out whatever was on his mind, following Dark Spear's directions where he should brush next.
"Tao...?"
"Huh?" He stopped brushing Dark Spear's neck and looked over her shoulder. She leaned into him when he stopped and he patted her, continuing to brush again.
Boss was at the doorway, his eyebrows at a confused slant. "She doesn't need to be brushed; she can clean herself."
That explained why Tao hadn't seen him do it. Tao smiled at him, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought it would be good to do, since she's been working hard for us." It was true, something that he had thought over and over again to make sure it sounded plausible, and not an excuse.
Boss didn't say anything, glancing at Dark Spear. "All right," he said, nodding. "I'm going out to buy supplies. Do you need anything?"
What he needed was not to leave the building. Tao shook his head. "No."
Boss smiled at him. "Then I'll be back later."
When Boss left, Tao sagged against Dark Spear, resting his forehead on her shoulder, throwing an arm around her. "It's a good thing you can't talk, but if you could, you'd probably tell me Boss would understand if I told him how I felt."
She turned her head and rubbed his shoulder.
"I dunno," Tao said, shaking his head. "It's not like anything can be done about it." So there was no point telling him.
He patted her neck. "Do you want me to work on your mane next?"
She huffed, and Tao smiled, going back to work.
* * *
Tao stared out the back of the wagon as the town got smaller and smaller. Boss seemed to talk with everyone, bringing back titbits of gossip and news everyone time he left the house. They'd stayed for two days before Boss said to pack up. He must have wanted to keep going to put more distance between them and the people tracking him. Tao didn't care much about the reason so long as he got away from the people around them.
He sighed and sat next to Boss, pulling his cushion with him. He threaded his hands behind his neck and tipped his hat back as he put his feet up on the footrest.
"Feeling better?"
"Huh?" When Tao looked, Boss was still focused on the horizon and not on him.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Uh. Yeah." Tao nodded. "I should be okay by the time we hit the next town." He would have shored up some courage by then to deal with people again.
This time, Boss did look at him from the corner of his eyes. "Tao... If you're feeling uncomfortable, you merely need to tell me. I won't be mad."
And it seemed like even Dark Spear had turned her head to look at him, her gait staying the same.
"It's - it's nothing big," Tao said, drawing his elbows in, not that that would help hide his face. "I don't...like being around people." Boss had to know why and Tao hoped he wouldn't ask.
"Then I can leave you and Dark Spear outside the town while I go in."
Tao dropped his hands and shook his head. "It's fine! I can-"
Boss reached over and laid a hand on his shoulder, turning his head to focus on him. "It's no trouble for me."
"But..." Tao ducked his head. "It would be easier for you if you were in town, right?"
Boss smiled. "My legs are perfectly capable of carrying myself."
"I..." Boss wasn't going to change his mind, was he? "Okay. I'll stay outside the town, if Dark Spear doesn't mind looking after me," he said, looking at her.
She tossed her head and snorted, and Tao smiled at that, relaxing.
* * *
It had been a few days since they'd left the last town and Tao passed the time reading and saying out loud words Boss had written on sheets of paper for him.
"But why is it said that way when it's spelled like that?" Tao asked, squinting at the paper. He was never going to get these words right if there were a lot of silent letters!
Boss chuckled. "It's rooted from Latin."
Tao wrinkled his nose at that. Why did they make it even more difficult to read? "Can't they spell it like it's-"
A gunshot rang out and the wagon splintered behind him. Tao dropped the papers with a yelp as Dark Spear reared up with a shriek.
Where-?
He span, trying to find who had done that and - oh no.
There were five people with shotguns trained on them riding towards them, over the ridge they'd been passing. There was no way Dark Spear could outrun unloaded horses. This - this was bad.
"Did they just damage my wagon?" Tao heard Boss mutter under his breath.
The bandits were going to do a lot more than damage the wagon if they pissed them off!
Boss put a hand to his shoulder. "Go inside and li-"
"Neither of you move!"
Tao flinched at the shout and Frankenstein's hand tightened on him.
"It'll be all right," Buss murmured. No it wasn't! They were going to die!
Tao ducked his head, hiding under his hat as the bandits approached. One guided their horse closer to the wagon than the others. That had to be the leader.
"Just give us what you got and we'll be on our way," the leader said, his lips curled in a confident sneer, his shotgun pointed in Boss' direction.
But these were the things Boss was trying to protect, why they were travelling in the first place! After everything Boss had gone through, to be robbed by bandits-!
Boss sighed, and Tao didn't know why, but the hairs at the back of his neck rose. There was something in the air. ...Grinding? He'd heard it before but his brain was too scattered to place it.
It wasn't coming from the wagon but in front of them, and Tao glanced at Dark Spear as she snorted and shook her head, pawing at the ground.
The leader noticed. "Don't worry - we won't kill yer horse, so long as you give us what you got."
Boss hummed and gave Tao's shoulder an extra squeeze. "Very well."
Dark Spear snorted again, stamping her hooves and from Tao's angle - and from Tao's angle...
He looked away, to not draw attention to what was happening. Dark Spear's back was sliding open at her spine, her skin not disappearing like last time. Tao didn't know what was going on, but Boss hadn't reacted to it; they had to be planning something.
Boss lifted his free hand, palm down and the leader cocked his gun, aiming for Boss. "What are you-"
The grinding turned into a screech, Dark Spear shuddering as parts shot out from her spine, electricity making them hover there. The parts moved as electricity jumped from piece to piece, joining together to make something pole-like.
Before it was complete (or maybe it was; Tao couldn't tell) it crackled towards the leader, shooting past his horse's snout, and buried itself in the ground.
The leader's horse shrieked and reared up; the leader managed to stay on, snatching at the reins. He dropped his gun in the process.
More of the weapons (spears? Was that why she was called Dark Spear?) were being made, bigger than before, but Tao could hear Boss' strained breathing, feel him trembling with exertion as he gripped Tao's shoulder.
"Shit, run!" one of the bandits yelled.
Boss still had his hand out as the bandits disappeared over the ridge, encouraging the horses to bolt faster with the spears but not hurting them. Tao could see the small gestures he made every time, each piece responding like they were tied to a string.
When they were gone, Boss slumped back, panting, a sheen of sweat on his brow.
"That was amazing!" Tao said, his eyes wide. "How did you do that?"
"That…is a story for another time." Boss gave him a small smile. "Can you check if the wagon is undamaged enough to move?"
"Yeah!" Tao scrambled off, nearly falling over when he landed, his legs still weak from the panic. The gunshot impact wasn't hard to find, and Tao traced it, the splinters prickling his skin. There was still wood under his fingertips when he poked his finger through.
"It's fine!" he called out. "It hit the wagon, but not the wheel. It didn't go through."
Dark Spear pawed the ground and Tao watched the pieces of her hovering and going back to her as he went back to the front, collecting his papers as he climbed up-
"Boss?" he yelped, staring. Boss was holding a bloodied handkerchief to his nose. He hadn't been hit!
"I'm fine." Boss shook his head, a smile just visible behind the handkerchief. "It'll stop soon enough." His voice was muffled and Tao could only see how bright the blood was.
"Why did it bleed in the first place?" Tao got on, sitting next to him. That didn't make sense.
"Unfortunately, while I am able to control Dark Spear in this way, there is a cost for it," Boss said, dabbing at his nose.
"Bleeding from places that aren't supposed to bleed," Tao said, watching him, trying to see how bad it was.
"It's just my nose," Boss said. "But we should hurry, in case they come back."
"Yeah…" If the bandits came back and Boss had to do it again, what would happen? Would the nosebleed be worse? Or would it be something else? Something bigger?
Dark Spear's back had sealed up again, and Tao couldn't see any parts left of her in the ground. Would she need cleaned after this? What if she brought dirt into her gears?
She started moving when Boss flicked the reins and she moved like nothing had happened, that her innards hadn't been ripped out a few seconds ago.
"How are you feeling?" Boss asked, looking at him, one hand still holding the handkerchief in place.
"Me?" Tao gaped at the question. "I'm fine. I'm still alive and don't have holes in me." That was better than being dead. He wasn't the one with the bleeding nose either.
"What about you, Boss?"
Boss chuckled. "I'm fine; there's no need to worry."
There was a lot to worry about. Boss could die the next time he did that!
Tao spent the rest of the day jumping at every shadow he saw in case it was another attack.
* * *
"Tao…"
"Yeah, Boss?" He turned from the darkening space behind them and towards the crackling fire.
Boss sighed, brushing his hair away from his face. His nose had stopped bleeding soon after they started moving again, but Tao checked whenever he could. Boss didn't try to hide it from him, which lessened his worry.
"I noticed you were affected by what happened." Who wouldn't be affected by staring down the wrong end of a shotgun? Boss leaned his elbows on his knees, threading his fingers together. "Would it make you more comfortable if I employed someone to protect us, or would it make you feel less comfortable?"
And Boss had picked how he had felt, like how he picked up on everything else.
"I…" Tao paused, thinking it over. If they had someone else riding with them, that meant Boss had less chance of doing whatever it was he did with Dark Spear and getting hurt.
The problem was if the person hated him on sight. Avoiding people in town was one thing, but if he was stuck with them in the wagon… But they would be too busy doing their job to bother him. During the day. At night was something else.
"I think you should employ someone," Tao said, ducking his head and rubbing the back of his neck. He would get used to it anyway. Was used to it. Boss needed to look after his health.
Boss hummed. "All right." Tao ignored the twisting of his gut. It would be fine. "I will, of course, make sure you all get along and enjoy each other's company before employing them."
Tao's eyebrows shot up while the knot in his stomach eased a little. "But not a lot of people like me," he said. "It'll take you ages to find someone."
Boss just chuckled. "I did say 'all' - Dark Spear needs to like them as well." Boss nodded towards her. "And as I said before, there are very few people in the past she's liked."
Oh. Tao glanced at her and she nickered at him, her ears pricked. That was good to know.
* * *
They were getting closer to town, but Tao looked at Boss when Dark Spear slowed to a stop. What was wrong?
"Now then," Boss said, turning to him, "I'll only be a number of hours at most-"
Wait. What was he talking about?
"-and I'll be back before nightfall."
Oh. Right. They'd agreed he would stay outside town while Boss went inside. Tao shook his head. "I want to come in with you."
"Are you sure?" Boss asked, studying him.
He sighed as he looked out at the horizon again.. "Yeah." He would feel better inside rather than watching the horizon all night.
Boss nodded and flicked the reins again. "Very well."
* * *
Once they were done unpacking, Tao brought his brushes out again, holding two he'd used before. "What do you think?"
Dark Spear nosed at the first one and Tao nodded, setting the others aside.
"I don't suppose you could tell me what's a good way to treat you?" Tao asked, brushing from where he had started last time. She didn't stamp any of her hooves, so Tao figured it was the right choice.
"I mean, I'm going to give you even more attention than last time," he said. "You saved our skins back there."
She snorted at that, lifting her head.
"So I'll make sure you're extra clean and, I don't know, do you want me to braid your mane?" He'd seen some riders who kept their horse's hair out of their eyes by trimming it, but others had braided it.
She turned her head towards him, ears pricked.
"You don't know what that is?" A shake of the head. "It's-" Tao waved a hand. "I'll do a bit and then show you?
"Though I'll need something to tie it together…" He rubbed his chin. "Boss has a lot of spare parts, so maybe I could use that…?" Though they were made out of metal… Those would thump against her when she moved.
She nudged his shoulder into him, and he chuckled. "Okay, I'll clean you up first and then try to think about it."
He started to brush her again. "Is there a specific kind of oil you like? Not to eat, obviously, but I guess they feel different to your cogs." But how would he get to them…? Ask her to retract her skin? He hadn't seen Boss do something like that either. He still needed to clean her inside too.
She snorted and pushed at his head.
"…Do you need oil?" he asked.
She shook her head. Oh. Then all that electricity… "Wow. You really are amazing." She snorted at that as Tao began cleaning her again.
Tao was close to finishing brushing out her mane when he heard a soft chuckle behind him. "Hey, Boss!" He waved the comb in his hand at him. "Do you have anything I can use to tie up her mane?"
"Hm… I can give you string. Will that suffice?"
Tao beamed. "That should work." He paused, something else coming to mind. "Hey, how do I treat Dark Spear?" Boss had to know, since they'd known each other longer.
Boss' smile widened. "You already are," he said as he left. And Dark Spear tossed her head in agreement.
Huh? All he was doing was – oh.
"You really like this, don't you?" he asked, patting her neck, and she nuzzled his head.
While they waited for Boss to come back, Tao showed her what he would do when braiding her mane.
_________________________________
So apparently 'riding shotgun' is a term that was coined by filmmakers rather than actually used during that time.
Summary: There's a new guy in town, an inventor, and if Tao can steal a few interesting things from him, he'll be able to eat for a few days, maybe longer. He might even be able to get out of the town!
Tao's wish comes true, just not in the way he expected.
Rating: PG-13
Contains: Racism
Notes: I've been using carriage, but for me that's synonymous with wagon. If that's confusing, I can change it.
Genre: Steampunk? Friendship
Word count: 6,035
Total word count: 15,396
Status: Work in progress
"Doctor Lee? Doctor Lee?"
Tao turned his head at the shouts filtering through the walls. Dammit, of course the townsfolk would have heard that.
Boss patted him one last time, then stood up. "I'll be right back."
"Ah… Yeah." This time he would stay where he was, out of sight from the window – if the townsfolk saw him there, Tao knew they would blame him for what happened, or assume he was there to steal from Boss. Or had already stolen from him, and Tao had a pouch filled with money in his pocket. That wouldn't look suspicious at all.
Tao didn't move when Boss left, focusing on his tea again. The shouts halted, murmuring replacing it. He strained his ears, chewing his lip, but it stayed at that volume, not getting worse.
By the time Tao calmed down and finished his tea, Boss returned, looking as unruffled as he usually did.
"They've been mollified," Boss said. "Come." Boss held his hand out for Tao. "I'll prepare Dark Spear - please collect the food and everything else around the house."
Tao nodded, taking Boss' hand and he was pulled to his feet. "Got it."
Tao carried the last of the suitcases filled with Boss' inventions to the stable.
"Is that everything?" Boss asked, securing Dark Spear's straps as Tao avoided looking towards the demolished wall and everything else around it. A crowd hadn't gathered, which relieved Tao; he didn't want to be stared at.
He slid the suitcase in the back. "I couldn't find anything else we might have forgotten." It was weird saying that. 'We'. Tao would have smiled, if the images of the dead bodies didn't flicker at the back of his mind every time he thought they were gone.
Boss smiled at him, petting Dark Spear's flank. There wasn't any blood on her and Tao was glad for that. Had Boss washed her that fast? Or could she clean herself if she could shed her skin?
"All right. Do you want to say your goodbyes?" Boss asked, getting up into the driver's seat.
Tao snorted as he clambered into the wagon. "No-one to say goodbye to." The only reason the townsfolk would care was if they worried about what he was doing when they hadn't seen him for a while.
Boss looked over his shoulder at him as Tao settled amongst the luggage, deep in the wagon so he would be harder to see from outside.
"Don't you want to sit here?"
"No." Tao started to shake his head, but then stopped, bringing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. "Well, I do. But it's better for you-" And for himself. "-if the townsfolk don't see me leaving with you."
"Ah. All right." Frankenstein faced forward again and with a click of his tongue, Dark Spear started moving.
It also meant Tao wouldn't see the bloodstains as they left, so long as he didn't look back and he closed his eyes to make sure, feeling the sway of the wagon as it went over uneven ground.
"Do you need to collect anything as we leave?"
"No." He didn't have that many spare clothes anyway. He could try to buy something in the next town over. He wanted to be away as fast as he could.
The constant rocking and the sound of Dark Spear's hooves soothed Tao and he didn't pay attention to Boss' conversations as they passed people, not caring about hearing where they were headed for the third time in a row.
Tao hadn't been in a wagon since coming to the town years ago. A lot had changed since then and he sighed, bowing his head and tugging at a lock of hair.
This time it would be better, even with the danger. It couldn't get much worse - not without dying. This time he had a secured job and a lot more money in his pocket.
It didn't take long to reach the outskirts and Tao watched the lights of the town get smaller into the distance, the knot in his stomach easing. He was away from them. He was free.
"You can rest if you wish," Boss said, and Tao turned his head to blink at him. Boss was still facing forward. "We'll be riding through the night to put as much distance as possible between us and them."
"I'm okay," Tao said, loosening his arms and stretching his legs out with a sigh. That felt good. "I'm not going to fall asleep for another couple of hours." He didn't tend to sleep until later in the night. And he didn't want to sleep - he was going to have nightmares when he did, so it was better if he stayed up for as long as possible.
"Mm, all right." Boss paused, then looked over his shoulder at him. "Do you want to sit here now?" Boss asked, and Tao smiled.
"Yeah." He clambered through the gap and sat down, looking around at the empty horizon. It was the same as the last time he'd stared at it, but he wasn't surrounded by buildings now, couldn't hear the bustle of people around him.
All he could hear was Dark Spear's hooves, the wind, and the wagon trundling over rocks.
Tao settled down for the ride, a small smile on his face.
* * *
"How do you feel after your first night of travelling?" Boss asked, heating water over the fire.
"My butt’s sore," Tao grumbled, rubbing it. He was sitting on his haunches instead of the foldable stools Boss had brought out, because there was no way he was going to spend more time on his butt if he could help it.
Boss chuckled, collecting some cups from a suitcase. "You’ll get used to it in time."
"I know," Tao said, sighing. He had before, but it had been a long time since then. He would buy something of his own the first chance he got. A cushion seemed a good idea if it meant he didn’t have to deal with this every night.
"You can use something of mine if it helps," Boss said as he poured some water into the cups.
"No, I'm fine." He owed Boss for too much already.
Except... He peered at the sunrise. "Did we get turned around?" he asked, looking at Boss. "I thought we were going west?" The sun was rising in the wrong direction.
"Ah..." Boss held out the cup for Tao. "We're not going there. Since I'm being followed, I needed to give them a false trail to track."
"Oh... So," Tao said, taking the cup, "is that why you were telling everyone where you were going?"
"Exactly." Boss smiled. "We won't be staying at the first towns we come across, to make it harder for them."
Tao nodded. His butt could last until then. "But..." He stared into the flames, pressing his fingers to the cup. "If you're trying to hide, maybe it wasn't such a good idea bringing me with you. I grab attention." Boss had to know that. And there wasn't much Tao could do about it; he couldn't change his face.
"It's all right," Boss said with a shake of his head. "I don't tend to stay in places for very long anyway - and I enjoy travelling, seeing new places and people."
Tao glanced at Boss. "Do you normally employ them?" There had to be others. What happened to them? Who would want to leave after meeting Boss?
"No, I don't," Boss said, looking over to Dark Spear, "but you're one of the few people Dark Spear has liked. She can be rather particular and impossible to work with those who she doesn't like."
…Oh. That made sense.
* * *
Tao woke with a gasp, something grasping his shoulder.
Something loomed over him and Tao scrambled back, trying to get away, the mangled and bloody bodies reaching out towards him, screams echoing in his ears.
"Tao-"
Wait. He knew that voice. Tao stopped and the image rearranged itself into Boss, his clothes clean and unbloodied. "You were having a nightmare," Boss said, crouched next to the spot Tao had been sleeping on.
It felt like it. Tao fisted his hands, trying to stop them trembling as he worked to get his breathing under control, trying to take in deeper breaths rather than sharp ones. Even as he did that, the reality of the nightmare faded away to almost nothing. He didn't do anything to try to remember it.
"Thanks, Boss," Tao mumbled. His heart still thudded in his chest, but it was calming down.
"Would you like some tea?" Boss asked, and Tao nodded, sitting up.
"Come," Boss said, going back to the fire, and Tao did, pushing himself to his feet. He looked around, grounding himself in what was real. The sun was high in the sky and Dark Spear was standing next to the wagon, her attention on him. Their camp was how Tao remembered it, though the fire was lower until Boss prodded it.
It didn't take long to prepare the tea and Tao curled his fingers around the cup. Most of the effects of the nightmare was gone by then.
"I was thinking of working on one of my projects," Boss said, "if you would like to join me?"
Tao nodded. "Yeah." It would be good to do something to get his mind off what his brain had reminded him of.
Boss smiled at him and then stood up, walking towards the wagon as Tao blew on his tea, savouring the smell.
Boss brought out a sheet and flicked it so it settled in front of the fire. Oh, so that's how they were going to make sure they didn't lose any pieces.
"Hey, Boss…?" Tao said, watching Boss take out one of his inventions.
"Mm?" Boss looked up, his full attention on him.
"How come you're a doctor, but you work with machines?" Shouldn't he be doing something with humans?
Boss chuckled, setting an invention down on the sheet and taking out one of his journals. "Being a doctor doesn't necessarily mean one specialises in humans. But," he said, "I earned my title a long time ago; nowadays, I am more interested in the workings of machines."
Boss indicated the workspace with a sweep of a hand and a smile. "Shall we?"
"Yeah." Tao set his cup down, intent to throw himself at the challenge.
They'd gone through two towns, changing direction each time, and Tao's butt had gotten used to the wood. Though that might have been because Tao had managed to buy a small cushion. He'd also bought a wide-brimmed hat to help hide his face; it was a nice protector against the sun too. It felt weird though, having the constant pressure around his head after so long without one.
"How do you feel about staying here for a while?" Boss asked as they approached the third town.
Tao looked away and shrugged. "I don't mind." After being alone with Boss for so long, someone who treated him and looked at him like a person... He didn't want to go back to seeing townsfolk distrusting him on sight.
Boss didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Would you prefer to stay outside of town? We can camp here instead and I can go-"
"No! It's fine." Tao shook his head hard enough to almost dislodge his hat. "Really. I don't mind." He didn't want to bother Boss more than he needed to. If Tao seemed unwilling to do things, Boss could decide he was too much effort and leave him behind.
"If you're sure..." Boss said, a small crease between his eyebrows.
"I am." Tao smiled, hoping it would help convince him.
Boss studied his face and then nodded, turning his attention to the growing town in the distance. "We should be there in an hour."
Tao leaned back on the wagon. He would be fine if Boss didn't ask him to do things that involved going outside, but that wasn't going to happen.
It would only be for a few days. He could handle that.
* * *
Tao listened to Boss through the bonnet, determined not to show his face around when Boss was dealing with the proprietor. He was sure the proprietor would refuse Boss a building if she saw him.
"The building isn't too far from here," Boss said as he climbed back into the driver's seat, Dark Spear moving before he'd told her to.
"Boss…" Tao said.
Boss turned his head towards him. "Mm?"
"If you rented the last building, what happened about the wall Dark Spear kicked down?" Tao knew too well about landowners who wanted their property kept in pristine condition and would demand money for anything out of place. Taking a wall out was huge damages to pay. The proprietor would have been pissed Boss had ran after that.
Maybe that was another reason why they'd gotten out there so fast.
"Oh, I paid for the damages," Boss said with a shrug, "as well as giving extra, to account for the period where he wouldn't be able to rent it out."
…The way Boss said that, it was like he'd paid for a loaf of bread. He'd had that money on hand? How rich was he?
"Now then," Boss said when they arrived, slowing Dark Spear. "There are two bedrooms in here, so choose which one you like the most."
Tao nearly stumbled over his own feet as he whirled around to stare. "What?"
Boss' eyebrows quirked up. "Is there something wrong?"
"I get my own room?" He'd misheard that, right?
"Of course. Where did you expect to sleep?" Boss said, his eyebrows raised.
"The floor." Maybe a couch if there was one, but he hadn't thought he would get his own room.
"No." Boss shook his head. "There are two rooms here, so you have a choice."
Tao hesitated, while Boss started to undo the straps securing Dark Spear to the wagon. "Shouldn't I help with unpacking first?" he asked. "And don't you get first pick?" He was the Boss, after all.
Boss shook his head again, smiling at him. "I have no preferences, and I don't think choosing a room takes that long, does it?"
"No…" Tao nodded. "Okay!" he said. "I'll go choose." He went inside and it wasn't hard to find the rooms - they were the same size with a bed in the centre and a desk up against a wall, and Tao peered through the windows.
The view outside wasn't busy with people and Tao rubbed the back of his neck. He would choose…this one, since he was standing in it and it had a straighter route outside if he needed to run.
He went back and Boss had begun unpacking the wagon.
"Which one did you pick?" Boss asked him, luggage in his hands.
"The one on the right," Tao said, taking more from the wagon.
"All right."
Tao followed Boss back into the house, carrying a suitcase in each hand. He blinked when Boss set the luggage down in the room connected the house to the stable and gestured for Tao to do the same.
"Boss…?" Tao said, doing as he was instructed. "Won't putting them here make them easier to steal?" That was why Boss was on the move, to make sure his inventions weren't stolen. The thieves would have to go by Dark Spear, but they could also go in through the window.
"Exactly," Boss said, walking back towards the stable. Huh? He wanted them to be stolen?
"These are inventions of no importance. Trinkets I've made to amuse myself and pass the time." Boss took more suitcases and Tao did the same. "I would rather the Union distract themselves with those than steal my journals."
Oooh. That made sense – Boss noted everything down in those.
It didn't take them long to unpack everything and Tao could hear Boss making tea in the kitchen as he went back through to the stable. He got out the brushes he'd bought in the previous town, playing with the bristles.
"What do you think?" Tao asked, holding one brush in each palm for Dark Spear to look at. "This one, or this one?" He didn't know what one to start with, but she could have a better idea.
She glanced between the two and then nosed at the softer bristled one.
"Okay, so you want th-"
She turned her head and knocked the other one out his grasp.
"Aaand you don't want that one," Tao said, ducking down to pick it up. "Got it.
"I've never brushed a horse before-" She counted as one even if she wasn't made of flesh. She was shaped like one and had skin and that was all that was needed, really. "-so you're going to have to direct me on what to do, okay?"
She nickered at him, tossing her head.
"Is that a yes?" Or was she going to kick him?
She did it again, so it seemed safe to guess that was a 'yes'.
"Where do you want me to start?" he asked, going towards her side.
She side-stepped and bumped her flank into him, just hard enough for him to feel, not stumble.
"Here?" He placed a hand on where they'd touched.
She nodded, huffing.
"Okay." It was were the straps had rested on her. Going with her hairs seemed to be a good idea and Tao brushed in that direction. She didn't kick when he did that so he took it as a good sign. He hadn't been sure if her skin was delicate and he would damage it - that might have been why she'd chosen the softer bristles.
After a minute, Tao reached up to brace his free hand against her flank as he brushed harder, more confident he wouldn't do anything wrong. She didn't react to it apart from a short flick of her tail so that must have been okay.
She felt like a real horse - warm to the touch, her skin and hair rough under his palm. She might have been a bit too smooth underneath, not quite how the muscles bunched up in a flesh horse but Tao doubted anyone would notice from a distance, even an expert. Her skin hummed under his touch and that must have been her gears. He could hear them as she moved.
"How's that?" Tao asked as he worked down her flank. "Does that feel okay?"
She snorted and there was no kicking or moving away, so Tao figured there wasn't any problems.
He paused when she stamped one of her front hooves. "Stop?"
She did it again, backing up so her front was closer to him.
"Oh, do you want to be brushed there now?"
Dark Spear nodded, snorting.
"Okay, got it." Tao started brushing her front.
"I guess I should tell you," Tao said, getting used to the rhythm, the movement soothing him, "since I'm using you like this."
Her ears swivelled to face and he shook his head. "Nothing bad! Just – this gives me something to do, something that keeps me from going into town, you know?" Tao slowed his brushing for a second as he realised what he just said.
"Well, you probably don't, but… Yeah. People don't tend to like me, so I like staying out the way." Enough that he was telling his troubles to a horse. "You get a brushing, so you get something out of it too."
She turned her head and nuzzled his head, making Tao smile. That looked like she didn't mind.
"Boss is nice too," Tao continued rambling. "And you. But you already knew that."
Dark Spear snorted, nudging him.
They kept going, Tao letting out whatever was on his mind, following Dark Spear's directions where he should brush next.
"Tao...?"
"Huh?" He stopped brushing Dark Spear's neck and looked over her shoulder. She leaned into him when he stopped and he patted her, continuing to brush again.
Boss was at the doorway, his eyebrows at a confused slant. "She doesn't need to be brushed; she can clean herself."
That explained why Tao hadn't seen him do it. Tao smiled at him, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought it would be good to do, since she's been working hard for us." It was true, something that he had thought over and over again to make sure it sounded plausible, and not an excuse.
Boss didn't say anything, glancing at Dark Spear. "All right," he said, nodding. "I'm going out to buy supplies. Do you need anything?"
What he needed was not to leave the building. Tao shook his head. "No."
Boss smiled at him. "Then I'll be back later."
When Boss left, Tao sagged against Dark Spear, resting his forehead on her shoulder, throwing an arm around her. "It's a good thing you can't talk, but if you could, you'd probably tell me Boss would understand if I told him how I felt."
She turned her head and rubbed his shoulder.
"I dunno," Tao said, shaking his head. "It's not like anything can be done about it." So there was no point telling him.
He patted her neck. "Do you want me to work on your mane next?"
She huffed, and Tao smiled, going back to work.
* * *
Tao stared out the back of the wagon as the town got smaller and smaller. Boss seemed to talk with everyone, bringing back titbits of gossip and news everyone time he left the house. They'd stayed for two days before Boss said to pack up. He must have wanted to keep going to put more distance between them and the people tracking him. Tao didn't care much about the reason so long as he got away from the people around them.
He sighed and sat next to Boss, pulling his cushion with him. He threaded his hands behind his neck and tipped his hat back as he put his feet up on the footrest.
"Feeling better?"
"Huh?" When Tao looked, Boss was still focused on the horizon and not on him.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Uh. Yeah." Tao nodded. "I should be okay by the time we hit the next town." He would have shored up some courage by then to deal with people again.
This time, Boss did look at him from the corner of his eyes. "Tao... If you're feeling uncomfortable, you merely need to tell me. I won't be mad."
And it seemed like even Dark Spear had turned her head to look at him, her gait staying the same.
"It's - it's nothing big," Tao said, drawing his elbows in, not that that would help hide his face. "I don't...like being around people." Boss had to know why and Tao hoped he wouldn't ask.
"Then I can leave you and Dark Spear outside the town while I go in."
Tao dropped his hands and shook his head. "It's fine! I can-"
Boss reached over and laid a hand on his shoulder, turning his head to focus on him. "It's no trouble for me."
"But..." Tao ducked his head. "It would be easier for you if you were in town, right?"
Boss smiled. "My legs are perfectly capable of carrying myself."
"I..." Boss wasn't going to change his mind, was he? "Okay. I'll stay outside the town, if Dark Spear doesn't mind looking after me," he said, looking at her.
She tossed her head and snorted, and Tao smiled at that, relaxing.
* * *
It had been a few days since they'd left the last town and Tao passed the time reading and saying out loud words Boss had written on sheets of paper for him.
"But why is it said that way when it's spelled like that?" Tao asked, squinting at the paper. He was never going to get these words right if there were a lot of silent letters!
Boss chuckled. "It's rooted from Latin."
Tao wrinkled his nose at that. Why did they make it even more difficult to read? "Can't they spell it like it's-"
A gunshot rang out and the wagon splintered behind him. Tao dropped the papers with a yelp as Dark Spear reared up with a shriek.
Where-?
He span, trying to find who had done that and - oh no.
There were five people with shotguns trained on them riding towards them, over the ridge they'd been passing. There was no way Dark Spear could outrun unloaded horses. This - this was bad.
"Did they just damage my wagon?" Tao heard Boss mutter under his breath.
The bandits were going to do a lot more than damage the wagon if they pissed them off!
Boss put a hand to his shoulder. "Go inside and li-"
"Neither of you move!"
Tao flinched at the shout and Frankenstein's hand tightened on him.
"It'll be all right," Buss murmured. No it wasn't! They were going to die!
Tao ducked his head, hiding under his hat as the bandits approached. One guided their horse closer to the wagon than the others. That had to be the leader.
"Just give us what you got and we'll be on our way," the leader said, his lips curled in a confident sneer, his shotgun pointed in Boss' direction.
But these were the things Boss was trying to protect, why they were travelling in the first place! After everything Boss had gone through, to be robbed by bandits-!
Boss sighed, and Tao didn't know why, but the hairs at the back of his neck rose. There was something in the air. ...Grinding? He'd heard it before but his brain was too scattered to place it.
It wasn't coming from the wagon but in front of them, and Tao glanced at Dark Spear as she snorted and shook her head, pawing at the ground.
The leader noticed. "Don't worry - we won't kill yer horse, so long as you give us what you got."
Boss hummed and gave Tao's shoulder an extra squeeze. "Very well."
Dark Spear snorted again, stamping her hooves and from Tao's angle - and from Tao's angle...
He looked away, to not draw attention to what was happening. Dark Spear's back was sliding open at her spine, her skin not disappearing like last time. Tao didn't know what was going on, but Boss hadn't reacted to it; they had to be planning something.
Boss lifted his free hand, palm down and the leader cocked his gun, aiming for Boss. "What are you-"
The grinding turned into a screech, Dark Spear shuddering as parts shot out from her spine, electricity making them hover there. The parts moved as electricity jumped from piece to piece, joining together to make something pole-like.
Before it was complete (or maybe it was; Tao couldn't tell) it crackled towards the leader, shooting past his horse's snout, and buried itself in the ground.
The leader's horse shrieked and reared up; the leader managed to stay on, snatching at the reins. He dropped his gun in the process.
More of the weapons (spears? Was that why she was called Dark Spear?) were being made, bigger than before, but Tao could hear Boss' strained breathing, feel him trembling with exertion as he gripped Tao's shoulder.
"Shit, run!" one of the bandits yelled.
Boss still had his hand out as the bandits disappeared over the ridge, encouraging the horses to bolt faster with the spears but not hurting them. Tao could see the small gestures he made every time, each piece responding like they were tied to a string.
When they were gone, Boss slumped back, panting, a sheen of sweat on his brow.
"That was amazing!" Tao said, his eyes wide. "How did you do that?"
"That…is a story for another time." Boss gave him a small smile. "Can you check if the wagon is undamaged enough to move?"
"Yeah!" Tao scrambled off, nearly falling over when he landed, his legs still weak from the panic. The gunshot impact wasn't hard to find, and Tao traced it, the splinters prickling his skin. There was still wood under his fingertips when he poked his finger through.
"It's fine!" he called out. "It hit the wagon, but not the wheel. It didn't go through."
Dark Spear pawed the ground and Tao watched the pieces of her hovering and going back to her as he went back to the front, collecting his papers as he climbed up-
"Boss?" he yelped, staring. Boss was holding a bloodied handkerchief to his nose. He hadn't been hit!
"I'm fine." Boss shook his head, a smile just visible behind the handkerchief. "It'll stop soon enough." His voice was muffled and Tao could only see how bright the blood was.
"Why did it bleed in the first place?" Tao got on, sitting next to him. That didn't make sense.
"Unfortunately, while I am able to control Dark Spear in this way, there is a cost for it," Boss said, dabbing at his nose.
"Bleeding from places that aren't supposed to bleed," Tao said, watching him, trying to see how bad it was.
"It's just my nose," Boss said. "But we should hurry, in case they come back."
"Yeah…" If the bandits came back and Boss had to do it again, what would happen? Would the nosebleed be worse? Or would it be something else? Something bigger?
Dark Spear's back had sealed up again, and Tao couldn't see any parts left of her in the ground. Would she need cleaned after this? What if she brought dirt into her gears?
She started moving when Boss flicked the reins and she moved like nothing had happened, that her innards hadn't been ripped out a few seconds ago.
"How are you feeling?" Boss asked, looking at him, one hand still holding the handkerchief in place.
"Me?" Tao gaped at the question. "I'm fine. I'm still alive and don't have holes in me." That was better than being dead. He wasn't the one with the bleeding nose either.
"What about you, Boss?"
Boss chuckled. "I'm fine; there's no need to worry."
There was a lot to worry about. Boss could die the next time he did that!
Tao spent the rest of the day jumping at every shadow he saw in case it was another attack.
"Tao…"
"Yeah, Boss?" He turned from the darkening space behind them and towards the crackling fire.
Boss sighed, brushing his hair away from his face. His nose had stopped bleeding soon after they started moving again, but Tao checked whenever he could. Boss didn't try to hide it from him, which lessened his worry.
"I noticed you were affected by what happened." Who wouldn't be affected by staring down the wrong end of a shotgun? Boss leaned his elbows on his knees, threading his fingers together. "Would it make you more comfortable if I employed someone to protect us, or would it make you feel less comfortable?"
And Boss had picked how he had felt, like how he picked up on everything else.
"I…" Tao paused, thinking it over. If they had someone else riding with them, that meant Boss had less chance of doing whatever it was he did with Dark Spear and getting hurt.
The problem was if the person hated him on sight. Avoiding people in town was one thing, but if he was stuck with them in the wagon… But they would be too busy doing their job to bother him. During the day. At night was something else.
"I think you should employ someone," Tao said, ducking his head and rubbing the back of his neck. He would get used to it anyway. Was used to it. Boss needed to look after his health.
Boss hummed. "All right." Tao ignored the twisting of his gut. It would be fine. "I will, of course, make sure you all get along and enjoy each other's company before employing them."
Tao's eyebrows shot up while the knot in his stomach eased a little. "But not a lot of people like me," he said. "It'll take you ages to find someone."
Boss just chuckled. "I did say 'all' - Dark Spear needs to like them as well." Boss nodded towards her. "And as I said before, there are very few people in the past she's liked."
Oh. Tao glanced at her and she nickered at him, her ears pricked. That was good to know.
They were getting closer to town, but Tao looked at Boss when Dark Spear slowed to a stop. What was wrong?
"Now then," Boss said, turning to him, "I'll only be a number of hours at most-"
Wait. What was he talking about?
"-and I'll be back before nightfall."
Oh. Right. They'd agreed he would stay outside town while Boss went inside. Tao shook his head. "I want to come in with you."
"Are you sure?" Boss asked, studying him.
He sighed as he looked out at the horizon again.. "Yeah." He would feel better inside rather than watching the horizon all night.
Boss nodded and flicked the reins again. "Very well."
Once they were done unpacking, Tao brought his brushes out again, holding two he'd used before. "What do you think?"
Dark Spear nosed at the first one and Tao nodded, setting the others aside.
"I don't suppose you could tell me what's a good way to treat you?" Tao asked, brushing from where he had started last time. She didn't stamp any of her hooves, so Tao figured it was the right choice.
"I mean, I'm going to give you even more attention than last time," he said. "You saved our skins back there."
She snorted at that, lifting her head.
"So I'll make sure you're extra clean and, I don't know, do you want me to braid your mane?" He'd seen some riders who kept their horse's hair out of their eyes by trimming it, but others had braided it.
She turned her head towards him, ears pricked.
"You don't know what that is?" A shake of the head. "It's-" Tao waved a hand. "I'll do a bit and then show you?
"Though I'll need something to tie it together…" He rubbed his chin. "Boss has a lot of spare parts, so maybe I could use that…?" Though they were made out of metal… Those would thump against her when she moved.
She nudged his shoulder into him, and he chuckled. "Okay, I'll clean you up first and then try to think about it."
He started to brush her again. "Is there a specific kind of oil you like? Not to eat, obviously, but I guess they feel different to your cogs." But how would he get to them…? Ask her to retract her skin? He hadn't seen Boss do something like that either. He still needed to clean her inside too.
She snorted and pushed at his head.
"…Do you need oil?" he asked.
She shook her head. Oh. Then all that electricity… "Wow. You really are amazing." She snorted at that as Tao began cleaning her again.
Tao was close to finishing brushing out her mane when he heard a soft chuckle behind him. "Hey, Boss!" He waved the comb in his hand at him. "Do you have anything I can use to tie up her mane?"
"Hm… I can give you string. Will that suffice?"
Tao beamed. "That should work." He paused, something else coming to mind. "Hey, how do I treat Dark Spear?" Boss had to know, since they'd known each other longer.
Boss' smile widened. "You already are," he said as he left. And Dark Spear tossed her head in agreement.
Huh? All he was doing was – oh.
"You really like this, don't you?" he asked, patting her neck, and she nuzzled his head.
While they waited for Boss to come back, Tao showed her what he would do when braiding her mane.
So apparently 'riding shotgun' is a term that was coined by filmmakers rather than actually used during that time.