Fish out of Water [Harley]

He got on well here, as well as could be expected anyway, there'd been plenty of moments where his anger got the better of him and he'd thrown a punch or two, but the days where he wasn't a burning wildfire of anger were good. He liked working, it did wonders to keep his energy levels lower, which in turn kept that pent up anger from getting too bad most days. He'd been working out in the fields today, hair tied back on habit now, even if he didn't need it to be for this particular job. He'd gotten caught in a machine after forgetting a week or two ago, he never made that mistake now.

He'd seen Harriett several times since she'd arrived, though the two hadn't spoken at length, he knew she came from a rough place, and he knew she painted a fairly hilarious picture against the gruff workers and the rustic ranch. He glanced up when she approached him though, looking around as if he expected her to be talking to someone else, "Uh...I guess not?" He wondered why she came to him, over anyone else, but Sam had told everyone to make her feel welcome, so when she asked if he knew how to drive he nodded, "Uh yeah, I mean well enough to get...Places...Why?" There was a tone in his voice between confusion and wariness, "do you need to go somewhere? I can find Sam?"

She waved a hand dismissively. "No, if I wanted to talk to Sam, I would have went and found Sam. But...this is about him...so...obviously I can't tell him. And out of most of the people here, besides Sam, I feel like you are the most likely one I can spend an afternoon in a confined space with without feeling the need to stab one or both of us in the eye before the day is out."

At the look on his face she suddenly laughed, shaking her head slightly and giving him a suddenly good humored smile. "I suppose I'm getting ahead of myself. Alright. This is what I want to do. I want to head into whatever place passes itself off as an actual city around here...I do have a car for my own use, but once we get there...that's where you'll come in."

The car she had for her use wasn't much, certainly wasn't like she had back in California, but it was concession to her stay here, something that let her feel she wasn't trapped here if she didn't want to be, and it was a thing she'd been incredibly grateful for...she hadn't even had to directly ask...just like Sam, quietly thoughtful and always looking out for others, even before they themselves knew they needed things.

She leaned in closer, conspiring whisper between the two of them. "It's nearly his birthday. I am going to go get him a truck that is not...ancient and....terrible." She knew he loved that truck, but it had seen better days certainly. "However...I cannot drive two cars back here...and there's where you come in. So...what do you say? Up for some adventure...of a sort?" She asked.

Harley's eyes were wide and staring the more she spoke and he found himself looking even more confused, "Uh...I'm...Flattered? I think? Maybe also scared...Hard to tell..." He gave a lopsided grin, that became more good humored when her's did, and he chuckled softly, giving a nod, "I don't know this state too well, but I'm sure we can find a city somewhere, right?" He mused, looking thoughtful, "can't all be cows and corn..." He was curious why she needed him if she could drive herself into town, but he was rewarded with an answer soon enough when she finally explained her idea.

"Oooh." He felt a little guilty, he hadn't even realized the man's birthday was coming up close, he nodded his agreement, "yeah, his truck is a bit...Well...Old charm is not a word I'd use." He chuckled, then gave a nod, "alright, you got yourself a travel partner..." He gave an amused smirk, "maybe you'll have better taste in music than he does..." He could joke, but he had to admit he'd gotten a bit of an appreciation for country since being out here. Just a small one. He looked himself over, "if we're going into a city though. I ain't goin' lookin' like some farm boy." He smirked, "mind if I change real quick?"

She stared at him for a long moment, then laughed again. "What...what did you think I was going to ask you?" She asked, still laughing. "Some sort of terrible criminal thing? I swear, any rumors of that sort you've heard...are wildly exaggerated." She still looked amused.

"I'm not touching his old truck, I feel like he might react to that as if I sold his child...but a new one along side...I'm sure it'll be nice to have something that doesn't have to be constantly fixed...and that starts in the winter."

He asked if he could go change, her eyes swept him up and down, taking in the worn clothes with a twitch of her mouth as she nodded. "Good idea...you've got fifteen minutes. I'll wait for you in the sedan."

She headed over to the car she used, fairly old but still had a rather classic look to it, she didn't mind that much. She made sure she had what she needed for the day then settled into the driver's seat, lighting a cigarette and scrolling through the radio dial as she waited for the young man to come back and join her.

He didn't really want to answer that, but laughed and waved it off, "I mean!" He smirked, "when a Hollywood babe comes up askin' if you can drive all sneaky-like y'knooow?" He chuckled, "I'm mostly joking. Mostly." He smirked her way as they headed back out of the fields. He was glad when she gave him the okay to change clothes, he really didn't want to roll into the city looking like some farm hand, plus he probably didn't smell all that great either, he'd feel much better looking like himself.

He stepped out of the bunkhouse wearing the clothes he'd been wearing when he first came to this ranch, with the addition of a slick leather coat this time to push off the chill that might still be clinging to wherever they ended up going. He'd tucked his own pack fo cigarettes into his front pocket, and was pulling the hair tie out to let it hang loose when eh climbed into the front seat, "five minutes, hate to keep a lady waiting." He smirked her way with a cheeky expression, "I'm ready to head out now though."

Her brows arched up over her sunglasses as he returned in short order to the car, looking significantly different than he had a few minutes before.

"Five minutes for a full costume change? Do you know how many people in Hollywood would love you for that?" She actually did sound a bit impressed as she waved for him to join her in the car.

"It's a good look for you...suits you." She nodded approvingly to his outfit choice. "I'd say you should wear it more often...but probably not practical out here."

She pulled out of the yard, onto the dirt and gravel road that would eventually lead them to the actual road, half rolling up her window against the inevitable cloud of dust as she finished fiddling with the radio dial, the music she found was older, but at least it wasn't more country. It was music that reminded her of her youth, when she wasn't all that much older than Harley she supposed, and it made her a touch nostalgic.

"So I feel like my impression of you was right...you're a man with his finger on the pulse of what's interesting in the outside world." She glanced over at him. "What do you do to keep yourself entertained when he doesn't have you out...fixing tractors and cleaning up after cows?" He seemed an interesting young man, she liked talking to and helping interesting people when she could...not as much she could do here as back at home...but the instinct was still there.

Harley couldn't help but laugh as he slid into the car beside her, "I haven't gotten to wear my human clothes in so long." He smirked, "I was legit dying to not look like a farm boy again!" He had a pair of worn out old overalls that he normally wore when he was working, and the look was not what he would consider his style. They were practical, and comfortable for working, but he hated looking like a farm hand, at least going into the city, "long hair's good until you get the shit caught in the gear of a machine." He rubbed the spot where it'd happened, which was still tender, "nearly scalped myself...Never gonna forget again."

He glanced over at her and chuckled, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up before taking a long drag, "I guess, though out here I feel completely cut off from the outside world." He chuckled, "I guess it ain't so bad...Just kind of...Well I don't fit in here." He glanced over at her with a grin when she asked what he did, "I usually sit out behind the bunkhouse playing, sometimes a few of the other guys join me." He shrugged, "I don't think it's their favorite kind of music but y'know...Music is sorta universal." He sighed softly, "I always kinda wanted to be a musician, play in a band, but I got into the wrong shit with the wrong people and well...Now I'm here...So I dunno."

"I like your hair, it'd be a shame if you got it all pulled out." She agreed. "I mean, the whole thing it just works...if it was shorter you'd just kind of look like some kind of...angry greaser." She smirked.

As he started talking about music this obviously caught her attention. "What do you play?" She asked curiously. "I'd say please don't say something horrible like harmonica but you already said you're not a fan of the country music so..."

She grimaced at him a bit. "So you just kinda got shipped out here? That seems to be the common thread in all of our stories." She laughed a little. "Seriously though...you want to follow up on that band and making music idea...I know people I could have you talk to. It's only off the table if you want it to be or don't care to work for it."

Harley looked pleased when she told him she liked his hair, "really?" He laughed and ran a hand through it, "lotta the guys around here piss on it .Call me ma'am and missus." He snorted at that, "as if that's an insult. Strongest people in my life are usually chicks, y'know?" He chuckled, "still, Sam don't mind it, it's nice to hear someone likes my hair the way it is. Folks were always trying to make me cut it all off."

At the question he chuckled and made a guitar motion, "guitar! I've got my gal with me, maybe I can show you later?" He loved playing for other people more than he did alone, there was something better when you could see people's reactions to the music you were making. Her next question caused his smile to falter a bit.

"I mean...I kind of deserved it." He made a fist and slammed it into his hand, "I hurt a kid real bad. Think I almost beat the life outta him." He shrugged, "maybe didn't deserve being tossed out here but...Well you know..." he gestured with his hands, "you beat up some white kid and now all of a sudden you got his parents and all the other parents calling you and your family all kinds of names." He snorted, "I didn't want us to have to move a second time. So I agreed to come out here." He shrugged, but turned to her with bright eyes, "Woah really? Man that'd be sick as hell...Be a dream come true..."

"Please. You think I don't hear the things they all say about me around here?" She smirked over at him. "Tell you what...I won't tell you to cut your hair...if you don't tell me I look like an idiot wearing heels and lipstick out here." She laughed, obviously meaning it as a lighthearted comment.

"I would like to hear your music." She agreed. "It would give me a better idea of who to talk to, what sort of style...talent...I'm looking at."

They finally made it back to a paved road, she rolled the window down again, one elbow resting on the edge, fingers trailing out the window.

She frowned a little more seriously at him. "I can see how that would be serious...beating *anyone* nearly to death is going to get unwanted attention." She shot him a sidelong glance.

Her smile took on a bittersweet edge as he talked about how it would be a dream come true to become famous. "I am happy to help however I can. Just...make sure you have more to your life...than just being famous. Don't let that become your life...your whole life." She let out a bit of a sigh, then was quick to smile again over at him. "But...it can be a good life. A great life."

He chuckled and nodded, glancing over at her, "deal. For the record, I give you mad props for wearing heels out here." He whistled, "I can't even walk on solid ground in 'em, god forbid I try walking in the grass and gravel grounds out here!" He nodded, looking beyond pleased that she wanted to hear him play, chuckling softly, "cool! I mean, if I don't make it big...I'm just happy playin' on the street corners for people. But bein' in a big band would be sick." Being on stage in front of thousands of people sounded amazing too.

He sighed though and nodded, "it was bad." He looked out the window with his head pressed to the glass, "I've always had anger issues...I guess it's just gotten worse." He chuckled, "working on this farm's helped though..." He wouldn't mind making in to town more, away from the dust and the same faces.

He looked a little sheepish for a moment and chuckled, "kinda hoping I find someone to balance it out." He ran a hand through his hair, "nice cute boy, otherwise I dunno what else in my life I could focus on...Music is kind of the only thing I can do right..."

She laughed. "You have experience walking around in heels?" She sounded incredulous. "But no, I was not about to come here and be told I had to dress in something terrible. Call it shallow, call it petty...but sometimes...when there isn't much you can control in your life...you hold onto what you can." She glanced over, feeling like he could maybe understand that better than most.

"I suppose this place is good for getting away from...a lot of things." She sighed quietly.

His rather bold admission about who he might like to share his life with brought quirked brows. "Well...that's a thing you probably won't find in Wyoming. New York maybe...but not here."

Another glance his way. "But have family...friends. ..plans to travel the world or...raise show dogs or...*something*. Take this from the voice of painful experience....don't make this your everything." It was hard to talk about. ..but it was worth it if it maybe helped some hopeful young people not fall in the same traps she did.

Harley cleared his throat, nodding a little vaguely with a soft chuckle, "Listen it was a bet. I lost." He found himself fully appreciating her words, nodding along with them and pursing his lips when she finished talking, looking thoughtful, "don't I know it. I mean the practicality of doing hard labor in this," he gestured to his clothes, "well there is none, I like having the chance to get out on the town and feel like myself...Minus the criminal activity and anger issues."

When he realized that he might of over shared there was a moment where he felt anxious, and he was sure it read on his face, so when she passed it off he relaxed and breathed, "never know, I got a lot of fuckin' charm." He smirked her way, "granted...I attract ladies more than anything but...Well charm is charm!" He chuckled, "I just gotta find myself a fellow who's...More inclined my way."

As he listened to her speak, his face fell and he glanced over at her, reaching to put a hand on her shoulder with a smile, "yeah, sounds like you got experience there. But hey...You're here now, right?" He shrugged and pulled back, "past don't matter. to me, it's what you do with the rest of your life from this moment forward that matters."