Bang Bang

[thecatinahat]

WHO: Cougar Alvarez
WHERE: Near the Canyon
WHEN: July 11th - Later
OPEN TO: Jake Jensen
WARNINGS: n/a
STATUS: Closed

---

After establishing a place in a house (one that isn't as alone as he'd expect, thanks to Veronica), Cougar heads out again. There are things he needs to do to feel comfortable in his surroundings and one of them is a weapon. If he can't buy one, then he'll have to make one. He's able to find a few tools in the kitchen of the house. He just needs a knife to start, though an axe would do the job, too. Skirting the canyon walls, Cougar follows the river to look for downed tree branches that are dry, long enough to make the longbow he intends to equip himself with.

Not a rifle, but then, where would he get more ammunition?

He thinks he's alone until he starts to hit closer to town and footsteps send him running into the trees, gracefully ascending a low-hanging one with enough cover to hide in. Because, the thing is, after spending years in close quarters and on missions, you start to understand people's habits and sounds. That sound? Those breaths, those footsteps, they're familiar.

Cougar isn't sure he wants to let himself be hopeful.

The last time he allowed that, twenty-five children boarded a plane to the sound of his promises and then never got to see another day. They are with God now and Cougar is here, waiting until his time is up and he goes to the pit. Hope, hope is on his breath and he waits to see who comes past the path and whether he is actually that lucky or whether his mind is beginning to play tricks on him during the day, too.

Comments

[igotacrossbow]

The few people he'd come across so far had been relatively friendly, but not very warm. Not that Jake held that against them, because he totally got it. He'd learned that most of them had been here over a week, but nobody seemed to know where here is, or how the hell to get out.

When asked, he'd been pointed down this path, towards what he's promised is a river in a deeper part of the canyon. Walking in wet boots is incredibly uncomfortable, but walking on dry land is way better than wading through chest-deep muck like he's done before. And while he doesn't know where he is, or where anyone else is, it's a beautiful day and he got to meet some rather attractive people earlier, so he's in a pretty good mood.

Not good enough to go off into the unknown totally oblivious to his surroundings, but good enough to start to whistle to himself as he walks.

[thecatinahat]

The whistling bounces off the canyon walls, louder than it should be, and instantly Cougar's thoughts are working on trajectory, wind speed, and how to hit the target dead in the centre. He creeps a little closer to the edge and squints, seeing the glint of sun off glasses, and he realizes that he's hallucinating.

No. No hallucination would ever whistle in such a loud, brazen way that hurts his ears this badly. Cougar slides silently out of the tree, lurking behind the cover of the foliage as he drops back to follow this seeming Jake figure from behind, silent and careful in case he's being tricked.

[igotacrossbow]

His glasses are still a little damp, as wiping them clean on soaking-wet clothes really wasn't going to get them any dryer, but he got most of the water off and the warm day is doing the rest. All he can be grateful for is that he didn't manage to crack the lenses in any way, which is a goddamn miracle, considering his track record with glasses through the years.

If he wasn't stuck here, it would be really beautiful.

Hell, even though he apparently is stuck here, it's beautiful. It would be a lot more beautiful if he wasn't alone, though.

[thecatinahat]

Everything points to the fact that it's Jensen. Even if it's impossible, it is. Or maybe Cougar shouldn't have hoped for this because it gives him more ammunition to believe that this place is something Max has been storing up for them, and some innocent people got caught in the crossfire. He waits for Jensen to get occupied with his glasses as he crouches, leaning to pick up an oval, smooth stone.

He skips it on the river so Jensen will look in that direction, sneaking around to his blind side when he does and just stands there, waiting.

[igotacrossbow]

The sound of something splorping across the river draws his attention, and he shifts to track the motion, seeing...a rock skipping across the water?

Confused, he slowly relaxes from the tense almost-crouch he'd automatically fallen into when he heard a sound he wasn't expecting, straightening back up to his full height before looking around. Where had that rock even come fro—

"Cougar?"

[thecatinahat]

Cougar just raises a brow to agree that yes, he's Cougar, and yes, he's standing right there. The only trouble is that for a man as stoic as he is, his lips curving up just the slightest bit like they are is a dead giveaway that he's thrilled to see Jensen standing there. They might be stranded and here because of Max's scheme, but at least they're together. There's power in numbers.

"Llegas tarde," is all he says.

[igotacrossbow]

Jake's known Cougar long enough that that little curl of his lip is tantamount to a full-blown grin, a grin that Jake has absolutely no problem displaying for him instead.

"Cougar!" He spreads his arms, clearly asking for a hug, face lit up like it's Christmas and his birthday all rolled into one. "And I'm not late, you dickhead, you're late." That makes no sense at all, but he doesn't care. He's found one of the team here, his best friend, and that means he doesn't have to be coherent. Cougar's never held any incoherency against him.

Since Cougar isn't running into his arms nearly fast enough for Jake's liking, he decides to take matters into his own hands, and takes two long strides forward so that he can wrap him up in a big bear hug, totally heedless of how wet he's getting him.

"Dude, where's your hat?" Right to the important things, that's Jensen.

[thecatinahat]

It's not like Jensen has ever listened to him before, but he would not want to dissuade him from this. Even though it's been weeks, he misses the team like a limb, especially after things have happened with Roque and losing a part of their body. He wraps his arms around Jensen and hugs him tightly and possessively, a challenge to this place that if it dares to take Jensen away, it will pay.

He wrinkles his nose as he pulls away, staring down at his now-soaked clothes. "Wet," he complains, which means Jensen must have just been in the fountain or swimming in the river. "Perdió. No sé donde."

[igotacrossbow]

It's almost surprising how tightly Cougar holds on to him, how long he clings for, the fervor Jake can feel in the tense lines of his body. Concerned, Jake tightens his own arms around him, perfectly happy to stand here for as long as he needs to until Cougar feels better. He has no idea how long Cougar's been here — over a week like everyone else? longer? — but it's clearly been long enough that he feels a little unsteady about the whole thing, unsteady enough to display emotion in a way that's very unlike him.

When Cougar starts to pull back, Jake lets him, although he wants to hold on for longer. "Yeah, well, I just crawled out of a fucking fountain, so..."

He shakes his head, disappointed that Cougar's hat is gone. That's just not right, man. "You look so weird in a baseball cap."

[thecatinahat]

Cougar tips the hat down a little further, wishing the brim would cover him more, but it's the only thing he's got right now. "I climbed out, too," he says, of the fountain. Hope leaps in his chest that he muffles, thinking that maybe this means the rest of them will come soon. "No Clay? Pooch?"

Roque goes unsaid.

"Do you know? Did Max do this to us?" he growls.

[igotacrossbow]

He grimaces as he shakes his head, not wanting to snuff out that little spark of hope he can see glinting in Cougar's eye but equally unwilling to lie to him. "Just me, as far as I can tell," he says, shrugging.

He would love it if Clay or Pooch showed up. He'd even take Roque. Aisha. Just anyone else he recognized.

"You think?" He hadn't thought of that. His eyes narrow and his gaze drifts off to over Cougar's shoulder somewhere, the wheels turning in his mind as he thinks the possibility over. "It's possible I suppose, but then why did we show up a week apart? Do you think the others will be here next week? What purpose does it serve him to send us here? And what about all these civilians?" They're mostly hypothetical questions he's posing himself, as Cougar should be able to tell after all these years. "What's his end game?"

[thecatinahat]

"Who knows who they are. Backgrounds." He hates having to be the one to talk. Jensen can usually figure him out and it's been weeks of strangers needing actual words. He forgets that he doesn't need them around Jensen. He gives Jake a raised brow that says they can't consider any civilians as without some connection until they know their backgrounds enough, shrugging because he knows it means a lack of trust.

Maybe this is all just to get them out of the way. They've seen his face, know his voice, and know he has plans. Maybe this is what millions of dollars can buy you, if you're that rich and evil.

[igotacrossbow]

Jake's eyebrows nearly shoot up to his hairline when Cougar actually responds to his muttering, shocked out of his groove by the unexpected sound of his teammate's voice.

"Dude." Not that he's complaining, mind. Cougar has a nice voice, even if his English is still halting.

Just how long has he been here, that he's started talking?

[thecatinahat]

He scowls heavily at the reminder that he's talking more than he usually does. The English is difficult and he hates that people get too uncomfortable with long drawn-out silences that he's had to talk. He purses his lips tightly to show his discomfort, yanking the cap lower on his head and nodding for Jensen to follow him back into town.

Best to show him where all the lodgings are.

[igotacrossbow]

Jake can't help but bark out a soft laugh at Cougar's disgruntled expression, reaching out to clap him on the shoulder. "It's okay, buddy, you got me here now. You can go back to your strong and silent routine. I know how all the chicas like it."

He follows along without question when Cougar turns away and steps back towards the rest of the town.

"Hey, does this town have a name?"

[thecatinahat]

He shakes his head, not having seen any signs or indications that anyone knows where they are, except that they're nowhere, and that nowhere now has a limited population of unfortunate losers -- two actual Losers, now. He gives a muffled snort at the idea that he's going to spend his time here picking up women, especially when he spends all his time looking for ways out.

And yet, things are looking up. After all, he can let someone else talk for him and someone else can take watch half the time. He can get some sleep, now, and maybe even find more food sources. Cougar points to the path they need to take. "Houses," he explains. "Lots." Enough that Jensen can pick the one he wants.

[igotacrossbow]

Look, it's not Jake's fault he assumes Cougar is going to want to hit on women here. He hits on women everywhere, seemingly effortlessly, attracting them like a flame attracts desperate moths looking for their own personal Mexican moon.

Cougar getting tail is a constant in whatever ass-end backwards town they find themselves in, he's just going off of past experience.

Jake looks around curiously, far more at ease now that he has Cougar pacing silently at his side, an almost child-like wonder brightening his face as they approach the small bungalows that line the streets. "Hey, these houses are kind of cute in a small-town suburban way. Anyone living in them? Ooh, do you have one of your own?"

[thecatinahat]

He gives Jensen a look that of course he has a house, of course he has shelter. He might be here against his will, but there are plenty of vacant houses. When he comes on his, he gives a nod towards it with his chin, seeing as it's his. He then points to the empty one beside it, clapping Jensen on the back to tell him that he can move in right next door to him.

It will be good to have Jensen so near to him, again.

[igotacrossbow]

"It's cute!" He gestures at the little green house with its thick white columns supporting the porch.

When Cougar gestures at the house next door, Jake hesitates for a second, but then ploughs ahead. The house is nice and all, but he doesn't want to go explore that one, he wants to see Cougar's. "Can I see yours?"

[thecatinahat]

Cougar nods his assent, kicking the dirt off his boots as he ascends the few stairs of the porch to head inside, peering around to see if Veronica is still staying with him. He had assented when she'd asked, but he wonders how long before his night terrors and the screams will dive her away. Cougar gestures to the upstairs, giving Jake permission to look around while he settles his things in.

[igotacrossbow]

Jake mimics Cougar when it comes to kicking the mud off his shoes, then actually goes as far as to take them off. It's no fun walking around in wet shoes to begin with, but in a man's home?

On second thought, he takes his socks off, too. That way he won't be leaving wet footprints as he goes.

The whole house is furnished, but it's clearly old. Like, Downton Abbey old. He can spot some ancient light switches in the walls, but they don't look safe enough to test, so he leaves them be. There's a small, rinky-dink piano up against one wall, and plates hanging up like pictures, and all the furniture looks delicate and fragile. "...Wow."

He doesn't go upstairs, though, preferring to trail along behind Cougar instead.

[thecatinahat]

Cougar heads to the kitchen to sort through the pieces of wood he had found, seeing which ones will be able to be used for a short bow, seeing as he couldn't find the pieces to make a long one. He doesn't see Veronica, which makes him frown, because he doesn't like to think what trouble she might be finding when everything is still so unmapped.

Glancing over his shoulder, he raises his brow at Jensen's remark, giving him a look that says he can have all this too, next door.

[igotacrossbow]

Jake busies himself peering at everything in the kitchen, from all the old-fashioned cooking implements to the crockery to the stove. He whistles, impressed despite himself, at the sheer size of the thing, and turns to gesture at it with his thumb.

Cougar doesn't seem too impressed, instead apparently giving him a look that says duh, they all look like this, even yours. Jake can't lie and say he's not curious about how next door looks, but he's honestly not that bothered with going and checking it out.

"So gimme all the gossip, bro. Who's here? Have you made any friends? Who should I avoid?"

[thecatinahat]

Such a question requires plenty of talking and Jensen knows how he feels about that. He arches his brow as if to say how much he isn't going to give answers, but he thinks he owes him at least a little discussion, given his sudden arrival and how confused he probably is. "Girl, living with me. Veronica," he says. "Teenager."

[igotacrossbow]

Jake plops down into one of the chairs in the kitchen, staring dumbly at Cougar when he lets him know that there's a teenager living with him.

"Okay, two things. There're teenagers here? Why?" Not that he thinks Cougar will really have an answer to that, but he likes to ask questions out loud. "Also, you have a teenager living with you? You won't even let me see your apartment! This is unfair, bro."