A/N: A series of interconnected drabbles inspired by "Pathways," since this particular pairing had so many options, and not nearly enough fic. Alternating POV.

the better country

-irishais-

1. senses

It's hard to sit in a restaurant and imagine that everyone isn't talking about you, even though you've got that hat pulled down over your head and the scar's hidden (not worn with pride--you should see the other guy).

Difficult as hell to take the train to Timber in the first place, where everyone knows your name, knows your face, and would skin you alive if given a chance. You did it though, and now you're here (no beer in this place, nothing to try to calm the nerves but fizzy cherry soda.)

The hardest thing, of course, was answering the phone when no one had your number but telemarketers (female, warm, polite, probably trying to sell some siding even though it's an apartment and where the hell are you going to put it?).

She walks in and strikes you

Deaf (how the hell could you forget that sound?)

Dumb (you should see the other guy, the one with his arm around her waist in all the pretty newspaper photos.)

Blind (can't convince yourself you didn't spend night after night trying to imagine her like she was really yours to have.)