psl au - for nothingtoknives

[quinientos]

There's been something strange happening in the barn the last few days that he can't exactly put his finger on. When he goes in the morning, things are in places he didn't leave them and he's sure that the animals are more unsettled than before. It's not enough for Vasquez to go to the owners about, because while they pay him to operate the farm and work the land, they also don't want to be bothered until he's sure and right now, he's not.

After all, it could just be some wild animal getting loose into the barn at night. He sets up a plan, though, and makes sure that instead of falling asleep with a cigarette and a stomach warmed through with alcohol, he's staying up in order to be in the barn near midnight to see what it is that's causing such a change in things. He's hoping that he's not going to find anything, if he's honest, but there's just too many small things to have nothing be at work.

Cautiously, he approaches the barn (not wearing his spurs, not tonight), and gives the door a gentle nudge. It's quiet, so if it is a wild animal, it hasn't spooked the creatures. If it's a person...well, in that case, Vasquez has to be extra careful, but he needs to resolve this before the owners start to notice and they start to blame Vasquez for doing a poor job.

Comments

[nothingtoknives]

"Back. Off." The knife is spun in his hand, thrown at the stranger to show he means business. Burying itself in the wooden beam between them, right where Vasquez's head would be.
After the movement, there's a hiss of pain, and he digs his fingers into his side where the bullet is still lodged in his flesh. his hands are shaking- trying to push himself to pick up his other knife to defend himself.

He swears in Korean, trying to swallow down the pain even as he points his knife at the stranger.
"Beat your bullet."

[quinientos]

Vasquez doesn't flinch, but it's a near thing. His hands do jump a little, closer to his gun belt, but that ends when he hears the hiss. Still taking no chances, Vasquez reaches for his lasso and lifts it up between them. "Don't make me hogtie you," is all he says evenly, but he's approaching cautiously.

"You're hurt," he states the obvious. "You should let me look at it before you kill yourself."

[nothingtoknives]

"Don't need your help-" A damn lie, evident by the scent of blood as the wound blooms open again, soaking through blood-stained shirt and jacket once again. His hand comes away red and wet in the moonlight, and he swears in Korean once again.

He might- MIGHT- let the stranger draw closer, if only because his hands are shaking too much for him to throw his knife.

[quinientos]

Vasquez scoffs with little more than a huff of breath. "You don't need my help? Well, maybe I don't want to scrape up a dead body in the morning, because you might look small, but I think maybe you're heavier than you look," he says critically, given that he doesn't exactly look easy to push.

"I'm not going to try and hurt you, I just want to help," he says, taking another step forward, pushing his luck.