A/N: I wanted so badly for these two to just have their own story. They have great chemistry together and it needed to be done. Hope you like it.
It had been a few days since Mad Sweeney kicked in the door to the motel room where he found Dead Wife packing her things. He ventured to guess her reunion with Shadow hadn't gone according to plan. She was trying to leave in a hurry, probably hoping she could chase him down once again. Hoping maybe if she was persistant, it would pay off. Nah, Sweeney knew a man like Shadow Moon wouldn't forgive his now dead wife so easily for cheating on him. Especially with his "best friend" Robbie. Even though Shadow was thrust into this world, a world he hadn't even considered was real up until a week ago, he found it still hard to believe in. Even after all he had been through and seen to prove otherwise.
Mad Sweeney hated people like that. Your own eyes prove something is real and yet your mind is too stupid to accept what it has just seen. Maybe it was the bitterness that came with his age and the repetition and monotony that this life offered. He was used to people not believing in him anymore. He was tired of proving himself just to be laughed at and mocked when he tired to explain himself. All he was considered now was a drunk and a nobody.
Laura Moon was the first person to really start believing in Mad Sweeney again. Yeah, she had kicked his ass a few times, talked a lot of shit and acted like she hated him. Truth was, he was growing on her and she was growing on him. When they crashed their stolen ice cream truck and Sweeney had the chance to take his coin back when it was violently ripped from her body from the impact, he didn't. He had saved her by placing it back in her chest, to be reanimated once again. Yeah, she had punched him when she came too and he was hovering over her. It surprised her, it was just a split second reaction. Truth was, now she felt bad about it. She found her thoughts less on Shadow and more on Mad Sweeney, the leprechaun.
XXX
Mad Sweeney had been quiet since their accident and his little knock out session with Laura. He hadn't regretted giving her back his coin. He was just disappointed that Laura seemed to be inappreciative about it. Yeah, it had been his top priority before, getting his coin back. Now it seemed different. Now, he was finding he liked her company more than he cared to admit. She had fire to her, she was a feisty one and Sweeney could appreciate that trait in her. Though, he knew they would part ways as soon as he got her to Kentucky to be resurrected by Easter, and she would leave him for Shadow, if he would still have her. That part was starting to sting a little, a feeling he had that he wished would just disappear.
"Look, I know you're pissed at me for hitting you." Laura broke the silence finally. "It was just a knee-jerk reaction, okay?" She continued, looking over at the lost-in-thought Mad Sweeney. Sweeney, not one to give anything away, retorted "I've come to expect such a treatment from you, Dead Wife, don't you worry your pretty little dead head about it." He finished while staring out his broken and busted ice cream truck window. "Aww, are we going to be a little baby about it?" Laura countered with a playful mocking tone. Sweeney could appreciate a little playful banter and he wanted to let out a laugh but held it in. Not many could hold up to his level of sarcasm and quick wit. Laura rolled with the punches and gave as good as she got and that wasn't helping with the new feelings he was having for her.
"Look, if your going to pout about it, just don't okay? I don't have time for it." Laura said with as much heat as she could muster though it came off more like a plea than a mean jab. Sweeney Looked over to her finally and studied her for a minute before speaking.
"Ay, I say you have maybe a couple of days before that meat suit gives way." he said with sarcasm. Laura glared at him and Sweeney internally cringed at how mean that came off. "Well, then you'll just have your precious coin back that much sooner." Laura said as she looked over at him. Just then the ice cream truck started to sputter and stall. "Great, real great." Laura griped as the vehicle grinded to a stop. "I'm surprised it took us as far as it did after the hell we put it through." Sweeney added.
"Ugh, why can't anything just go right for me?" Laura exclaimed as she slammed her hand down on the steering wheel in anger and broke it off with one swift hit. "Fantastic..." Laura said with disgust. "Well, I'd beg to differ, Dead Wife. You were brought back from the dead with my lucky coin to have a second chance at life. I'd say that this is just a little hiccup compared to that black abyss you were supposed to be damned to." Sweeney said as he took his flask out of his jacket pocket and took a swig. Laura hadn't thought of it that way and just let out a small huff in annoyance because he was right. Laura was beginning to appreciate his level of honesty with her. Shadow always wanted to spare her from hard truths and treated her like she was some sort of god damn princess. It always irritated her because she just wanted something real and honest. Yeah, she knew Shadow spared her out of love but that's not something she considered very loving. It was why she always felt so empty and dead inside because she knew it was never something real. Always sugar coated and always way too fucking sweet.
Laura thought that's what she had always wanted, someone to wait on her and be doted upon constantly and promised the sun and moon. Now that she had met Mad Sweeney and seen how it was to be treated as everyone else, it was such a refreshing feeling. Knowing that he found her worthy of such truths and consideration, Laura was finding the light drawing her to Shadow was slowly but surely fading. Yeah, it was still bright as hell but Laura knew it was dimming. When she looked at Sweeney, she couldn't help but notice he was starting to look a little brighter to her. Shaking her head at the sight and pushing the thought back in her head, she finally sighed
with surrender.
"Well, looks like we walk from here." Laura managed to get out of what seemed like an eternity. "Ay, and of course we would have to break down in the middle of BUM-FUCKING-NOWHERE!." Sweeney shouted into the dark night at no one in particular. "Fuck!" Sweeney added as he gathered up Laura's backpack for her. "Here, we better get a move on if we want to get you to Kentucky before the animals have at that stinking corpse of yours." Sweeney said with a shit-eating grin. Laura snatched the bag from him and tried to playfully hit him in the arm, which sent him flying into the side of the ice cream truck.
"Ow..." was all Sweeney could get out before he caught his breath and slinked away from the new dent he had just left on the side of the vehicle. "Sorry!" Laura said with a gasp and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm fine...No, I'm good." Sweeney managed to choke out as he gasped for air. "Let's just get going..." he said.
Mad Sweeney slowly started walking as he rubbed the side of his arm. "Damn, that one is going to leave a mark." He said more to himself than to Laura. She let out a mocking laugh. "Like, all those other cuts and bruises aren't noticeable, that's the one you're going to be a big baby about!" she said with a laugh. "Well, if you'd stop abusing me every chance ya get, then maybe they could heal properly!" Sweeney retorted. Laura stopped and held out her hand with her pinky extended. "I pinky promise I won't hit you anymore." she said with a chuckle. Sweeney studied her hand a bit then held out his own pinky in which he locked around hers. "We have us a deal then...Like a couple of 8 year olds." he said with sarcasm and a hint of relief.
The pair walked down the dark and empty back road in which they had agreed to take before they even set out on their journey back at the motel. The back roads would have less traffic and less traffic meant no unwanted attention brought on them. It took Sweeney a bit of convincing with Laura to get her agree to it. She hadn't cared who seen her and what kind of attention she brought to herself. A couple of days back, all she could think about was Shadow. Now, she was glad Sweeney convinced her otherwise. Not only did she get to see the back country of America, but she had also never traveled out of her sorry ass town before. This was nice, she thought. She never knew how beautiful it could be out here. I guess dying put a lot of things into perspective for her. She felt ashamed now for feeling the way she did when she was alive. Life was not something taken for granted, she now realized.
XXX
It had been hours since they started their journey on foot. Only a few cars had passed by them in the night. They didn't stop and offer them rides, which Laura could understand. A corpse and a 6'5" tall leprechaun weren't exactly on most people's list of things they thought they'd ever see walking down a dark back road together. The walking didn't bother her as much as it was starting to bother her companion. His feet were starting to tire and a noticeable limp had taken over his long and steady strides in which he walked before. Then the complaining started. It would have bothered Laura before she knew Mad Sweeney. Now that she had gotten to know him, she found that she could tolerate his antics a bit more. That didn't mean she still wouldn't give him a hard time about it, she thought with a smirk.
"For fucks sake, Are we ever going to hit anything that resembles a fucking town!?" Sweeney complained. "Does baby's pwecious wittle feet hurt?" Laura said in her cutest mocking baby voice. "Hardy-fucking-har. Just because you have no feeling left in that stinking shell you call a body, doesn't mean the rest of us don't!" Sweeney complained. "I thought you were like, a god, or something. Shouldn't you know how to cure aches and pains?" Laura mocked. "Listen Darlin, If I could cure aches and pains, you think I would be all banged up like I am!?" He spat out. "Fair enough..." Laura accepted. "And I'm not a god...just some poor bastard who got stuck with the likes of you." He added, playfully. Laura let a small smirk creep across her face. "Oh, don't kid yourself. You know you LOVE being stuck out here with me!" She said mockingly, yet hopeful he felt the same way that she did.
Mad Sweeney stopped in his tracks and looked at her thoughtfully. He was about to answer her when they heard a car horn go off from behind them. They both turned on their heels and seen a lone farmer and a big brown dog in a beat up old Chevy truck come to a slow stop beside them. "Y'all need a ride into town?" The old farmer man asked in a jovial tone. Laura nearly tripped over her words "Yes! We have been out here for hours trying to hitch a ride!" "Well, Me and Otis are riding into town to pick up some hay. You're welcome to come along." The old man said with a smile and the old dog perked up having heard his name mentioned. "You just have to sit in the bed of the truck if you don't mind. Otis here likes the front seat to himself." The old man offered.
The pair happily accepted the ride and jumped in the back of the truck. It was then that they noticed the sun was starting to come up. The old man eased them into motion and off they headed toward town. Once they reached their destination, they hopped out of the truck once it came to a stop and the old man and dog got out. "Well, here we are, just like I promised." The old man said to the pair.
"Thank you so much!" Laura offered with sincerity. Just then they old man caught a whiff of something dead. His nose crinkled up and he adjusted his glasses on his face to get a better look at the two. He noticed the arm that had fallen off Laura and was stitched back on.
"You alright, miss?" the old man asked cautiously, while eyeing the tall Irishman next to Laura. She was about to answer when Sweeney spoke up.
"Oh her, she just fine and dandy. Hey old man, you like magic tricks?" Sweeney asked, trying to divert the old mans attention away
from Laura. "I suppose so..." The old man answered with bewilderment. "Well, I've got a trick for you!" Sweeney said as he seemed to pluck a single gold coin out of thin air. The old man looked on skeptically. "That doesn't spark your interest?" Sweeney asked.
"Well, how about this..." Sweeney said as he grabbed the old mans hand and turned it palm up. He then seemed to sprinkle a dozen or so gold coins into the mans hand.
The old man looked at his hand in astonishment. "How on earth did you do that?" he asked in an amazed voice. "Oh, it's an old magicians secret." Sweeney said with a wink and a smile. "You keep those, for all your trouble." Sweeney added as the old man inspected each coin closely. The old man smiled and said "It was no trouble at all!" He bid the pair farewell after he showed them where they could find the local motel. The old man was too busy looking at his new coins to even remember that he had just smelled death and seen Laura's injury. As the two walked off, Sweeney gave a small chuckle "That trick never fails." Laura didn't question him, instead the two walked silently to the motel that the old man had said was at the end of old and empty main street on the edge of town.
Once at the motel, They made their way to the office. An overweight and balding middle aged man came from some room in the back once they rang the front desk's bell for service. He seemed like a shady man, who could appreciate an even shadier pair such as themselves and ask no questions once Sweeney handed him a credit card that said Shirley Thompson on it. The fat and balding clerk looked at Laura and asked "Is this you?" Laura nodded her head yes and the clerk said "That's good enough for me." He handed Sweeney a single key and said "Only got one room available with a single bed." Laura snatched the keys out of the mans hand and said "That's fine, we'll take it." and hurriedly walked out of the office towards the room. Sweeney followed right behind her, thankful they didn't have any trouble. He was happy to finally have somewhere to get off his feet and rest with an actual bed and not a cow pasture covered in shit like they had passed while walking the back country roads.
The room was small and the bed seemed even smaller to the very tall leprechaun. He plopped down across it and let a long and tired sigh. Laura let the tall leprechaun have the bed. She wasn't tired, she didn't even think she needed sleep anymore. Why would she? She was dead. The idea of it just seemed silly to her now. "How long do you need until you're good enough to go?" She asked as she sat in a stiff and very hard chair. If she had been alive, she would have hated that chair but thankfully she wasn't and couldn't feel how uncomfortable it actually was.
"I think I deserve a solid 7 hours of sleep after what you've put me through." Sweeney said with almost a half laugh, half exasperation. "Well you get 4 so make use of it." Laura said as she turned the beat up old tv on. Sweeney didn't need to be told twice. He almost instantly fell asleep. Laura stole little glances at him through the corner of her eye every now and again. She noticed that he wasn't a loud snorer, but he had an almost slightly annoying but cute kind of snore. She noticed his red hair seemed a little brighter than it did before. Hell, he seemed a little brighter than before, not just his hair. Laura got up out of her chair in an attempt to try and shake the image out of her head. She walked over to the window and opened the curtain a little to peer out. The small parking lot was filled with cars. The sun was out now but off in the distance she could still see the bright light that was unmistakably Shadow Moon. She sighed knowing that the leprechaun would stay true to his word and get her to Kentucky and get her resurrected. If only to just get his coin back. Of course Laura wasn't sure if this whole resurrection thing would work. Even if it didn't, she was considering just giving the poor guy his coin back. After all, the last encounter with Shadow wasn't promising. She wasn't sure if he'd even take her back. The whole conversation about that was cut short after all and he had taken off without so much as a "goodbye", an I'll be right back" or even a "fuck off" from him.
At the four hour mark, Laura tried to shake Sweeney awake. He wouldn't stir at first but at her final attempt he shot straight up and without warning pulled her in for a kiss. Laura jumped back, incredibly surprised. She ran her hand over her lips as she felt a weird sensation tingle across them. "wait...I actually felt that." she thought to herself. Once Sweeney came to his senses after his sleep induced blunder, his eyes went wide with shock for realizing what he had just done. He started to explain himself and stammer out apologies, he left out that he had been dreaming of her. Dreaming of kissing her, among other things. Laura cut him off though.
"I actually felt that..." She said to Sweeney with a puzzled look on her face. "It felt warm...and then tingly...but I felt it!" she said with a half crazed laugh. Sweeney couldn't make sense of it but, If she was willing to let his transgression he just did pass, then he wouldn't question it. "It must be because we are nearing Easter. You're resurrection is imminent." Sweeney threw out the lie and let it settle in the silence now shared between them.
Laura was confused, but she accepted his explanation as the truth. She tried not to seem a little disappointed. She tried to not let him see that she hoped he had some magic left in him to make whatever just happened, happen. After a long silence, she spoke up.
"Well, now that we are getting closer to Kentucky...How about we steal us one of those cars outside for the rest of our journey?"
Sweeney nodded and stood up. He walked over to the window and peered out. He looked all the cars over and settled on an old, shitty looking Ford Fiesta. "That's our car, right there." He said to Laura as he pointed out the window to it. Laura scoffed at him as soon as she seen how tiny and beat up the car looked. "That one? Really? Out of all the cars here, that's the one you choose?" she spat out.
"Ay, those cars have alarms that I can't do nothin' about." He said as he waved his finger towards the lot of cars in a sweeping motion. "But, that one...That one I can do somethin' about." He said as he tapped his finger on the glass while pointing to it.
Laura gave out a long and strained sigh. "Okay, whatever you say. Just get me to Kentucky." She said as she grabbed her backpack and made her way to the door. "As you wish, M'lady." Sweeney said and bowed like she was royalty. She rolled her eyes but let out a small laugh. At least he wasn't calling her Dead Wife...or Cunt, anymore. They made sure the coast was clear before Sweeney went to work on hot wiring the car. Soon, he had it started up and they jumped in before anyone noticed that this wasn't their car. Laura was driving since Sweeney's luck wasn't exactly what it used to be at the moment. "Okay, which way to Kentucky?" Laura asked and Sweeney pointed off in the direction in which she was to turn, which happened to be the very same direction Shadow's light beacon was in. She stepped on the gas and turned onto the road and they were off.
I do not own any of the characters from American Gods