The streets were empty. The horses, tied to the hitches so as not to wander, huffed and dug at the ground. The night air was warm and dry, as it always was, and the roads were illuminated by the moon. Kankri leaned against the post in front of the sheriff's office, cigarette dangling from his lip, still unlit. He clutched the matches in his left hand, his other hand resting on his pistol which sat loyally in its holster. His hat was off, instead laying on the fence that separated the porch, and his gaze was cast toward the road into town.

Any minute.

Any minute his brother would wake up. He would hear him, he'd know when his brother was awake, and if he didn't then surely his deputy would inform him of his baby brother's state. Perhaps he should've captured him with the lasso? That would've been easier ideally, hogtieing the boy and putting him on the back of the horse. But he knew that Karkat would more than likely put up quite the fight. He'd swear at his brother from behind him, hissing venom in his direction.

Kankri, though a man of steel, didn't have nerves of steel. It ran in the family. Everyone had their demons, he supposed, and his was his patience. It wore thin quite easily. Mr. Vantas, the boys' father, was a respected man. He had his demons as well, and Kankri respected him just as much as the next man, if not a little more. He was a man that always spoke his mind and was angered quickly if you didn't watch out. He guessed that's where Karkat's easily angered and quick to insult nature came from.

That would get him killed. One day his attitude and cockiness was going to get him killed, just as it had gotten him caught. He was lucky Kankri cared enough to not kill his ass and had the decency to take him to a doctor to get the bullets out.

Kankri's thoughts were cut short by the sound of a low groan from the other side of the wall, indicating that his brother was awake. He wasn't surprised when his deputy, a tall man with broad shoulders who went by the name of Cronus, opened the door and peeked out at him. The marshal averted his hard gaze from the empty streets to look at him, letting him know he was paying attention.

"He's up." Was all he said, his eyes expressionless as he drawled the words. His accent was thick, as was Kankri's, and with those two words breaking the deafening silence, he turned back to once more enter the building. Kankri cast his gaze to the road once more, straightening himself as he finally lit the cigarette. He shook the match free of flame before dropping it to the floor and stamping it with a heavy boot.

Without hesitation, he pulled open the door and entered. It didn't shock him to see his little brother standing at the door of the cell, gripping the bars with his teeth bared. He looked like an animal. "Pa would be disappointed." He commented casually, walking over to where his baby brother stood separated by the bars. Smoke puffed from his mouth as he spoke, and the younger Vantas coughed in annoyance at the smell.

"You shot me." Karkat growled, his tone furious. His face was one of anger and disgust. He never knew how his older brother, so smart and witty, could stand the taste – or smell – of those awful things.

"That I did." Was Kankri's simple reply, and there was a glint of amusement in his eyes as he stared him down. "You know why I did it?" He continued. He knew the redhead knew the answer.

"So's I wouldn't get away." He answered, a mite bit of amusement in his voice.

"That's right. The good Lord knows you would've already found your way outta that cell if I hadn't." There was a chuckle from the younger, and Kankri felt a smile tug at his lips.

"He'd be right to assume that." Karkat spoke, coughing once more as his older brother took a particularly large puff from the tobacco before blowing it in his face. Though the humor in his voice was there, anger still lingered.

There was a brief silence that washed over them before Kankri spoke up. "You know, God didn't give you those hands to go out and terrorize decent folk." The outlaw remained quiet at that comment. When his brother didn't reply, he turned to face Cronus, who had watched the entire thing go down.

"It's funny, y'know." Cronus piped up, and Kankri quirked a brow in his direction. "The outlaw is the brother of the sheriff." He shrugged as he continued. "Just thought it to be a bit humorous."

Kankri had smiled once more at that. "Real coincidence, ain't it?"