Aurora
It wasn't like he wasn't used to working a hard ass job. He'd been working on a damn tree farm, hauling big ol' things of lumber for years now. God knows, he'd gotten his fair share of injuries and all - but he hadn't anticipated getting injured this fast into stepping foot on the orchard. 

He'd just gotten here, dammit! One misstep into a goddamn gopher hole and he'd twisted his ankle all to hell. He'd been so focused on looking down at the papers in his hand, he hadn't been paying no attention - rookie mistake. He really oughta know better, huh? 

Five years ago... Who had been the doctor that many years ago? He wasn't sure he could remember now. It surely wasn't the one he'd had as a child; he was pretty sure that fella had retired sometime when he was a teenager... So he wasn't rightly sure who's office he was 'bout to walk into. Ernest managed to hobble his way all the way to the doctors, pushing himself through the door so he could lean himself on the desk that sat at the front. 

"Anybody in?" He called out, and a woman of small stature popped out of the back, peeking her head out. Lorelai Roswell wiped her hands on her pristine white apron, ironed all professional, and smiled. "Ernest Estep, as I live and breathe. Been a few years, ain't it? You done grown..." She turned over her shoulder. "I think the doc is finishin' up in the back, but I'm sure he'll be out in a minute if ya give him a second, go on and take a seat," She said, picking up her notes.
Barbara
Things had slowed down significantly since the rush of the full moon. He wouldn't say that things were back to normal, far from it. From letters from unknown senders alerting him to someone needing help in secret to the two prematurely born children infected with an illness he still could not even hope to understand, things were very far from normal. Nevertheless, he was grateful to be seeing to the usual, as he explained to the woman sitting in the room that her boy would need to take things slow for at least two weeks, but that he'd make a full recovery. "And Ben, be sure to check for leaves on trees next time. Rule of thumb: no leaves by this time of the year means the tree is likely dead and not suitable for climbin'." He smiled, he wasn't condescending in any way, his own sister had made a very similar mistake in their youth, he could hardly blame the kid for not knowing. He was just glad the fall hadn't been worse.

When he walked out again, he was greeted by someone waiting. It was a new face, but then so was he, he could hardly expect to have met everyone in town by now. He was certain he'd never met this man before though, Nathaniel would have remembered a face as handsome as his. He didn't allow himself to linger on that thought for more than a second or two, this was a patient. "Good afternoon, I'm Doctor Ashworth," He said, stepping closer and holding out his hand for an introduction, a friendly smile on his face. "What's your name and what brought you in today?"
Aurora
Ernest took those few moments to breathe and take in the cooler air of the clinic. It was calm now, but he could only imagine what kind of activity happened in here when something bad happened. He was sure the small clinic could burst at the seams, especially with a nurse like Lorelai Roswell steering the ship. She had a sort of nervous energy to her at times that he couldn't help but be curious about. 

He could hear the doctor talking in the back; clearly not a Briar Ridge native, but his voice sounded nice. He had a soothing voice, and more than likely a fantastic bedside manner. Ernest closed his eyes a moment and let his head fall forward, elbows on his knees as he just let himself take one, deep breath. 

Of course, as soon as *Doctor Ashworth* Exited, he stood up and outstretched his hand. Those were the motions, he'd done them a thousand times; you stand, make eye contact, shake their hand firmly but not too firmly. Of course, he wasn't usually so rattled by making eye contact, but this particular doctor... 

Well, Ernest would be selling him short if he said he was attractive. He was handsome, and beautiful at the same time. Beautiful unlike a gemstone but beautiful like a waterfall, or a sunset, or a lush forest of trees. It piqued his interest, and he damn near forgot to let go of his hand as they shook theirs together. 

"Ern'st," He said, fumbling the word and clearing his throat. "Ernest Estep. Ya mighta heard o'my brother's orchard just on down the stretch there— unfortunately, due to... Circumstances, that there orchard b'longs to me now." He shoved his hands in his pockets and let his eyes flicker around Nathaniel's face. 

"I done messed up my ankle. Swollen all to hell in my boot— stuck my foot right on down in some damn rabbit or gopher hole, almost broke my nose on the way down, too." He hadn't taken his eyes off Nathaniel's in the last three minutes, and he forced them off and away. 

"You ain't from here, are ya?" He said after a moment.
Barbara
The man had the most beautiful brown eyes. Nathaniel found himself wondering what hues currently hidden would surface if sunlight shone upon Ernest's face. He wondered how his smile looked, Nathaniel imagined it to be warm and welcoming and beauti- _Focus Ashworth._ Good Lord he was having unprofessional thoughts.

"A pleasure to meet you Mister Estep." He'd heard about the orchard and vaguely recalled overhearing something about its previous owner having passed away, but he wasn't entirely sure. He couldn't remember his name either, something with an F or an S maybe? _Circumstances._ Was there more to it than what little Nathaniel knew? It wasn't his place to ask, nor was this the time to do so. He didn't liken himself to a chattering gossip either way. His profession involved a lot of secrecy, patient doctor confidentiality meant he was privy to a lot of information he would never share with anyone. If Ernest had wanted to share, he would have.

"Well I am glad the damage seems to be localized to your foot only." He smiled at Ernest's comment. The foot likely wasn't broken, seeing as Ernest was standing on it and seemed mostly fine, that was a relief. Of course he couldn't be fully sure until he did a proper assessment. "I'd like to get a closer look at your ankle if you'll agree to that, there's an examination room right there," He said, gesturing towards it. "I can help support you if walkin' hurts, no trouble at all." 
_ _

He chuckled softly, he liked Ernest's straightforward and down-to-earth treatment of him. "You're right, I'm not. I was born here but I was raised in Richmond. My father landed himself a well-payin' job out there and took my mother and me along." Nathaniel left out the small detail that the job had not only been with S&C, but a direct betrayal of the very miners who'd been Samuel Ashworth's comrades prior to his ruthless climb on the corporate ladder. His father had been proud of it, Nathaniel saw it as a cowardly move, but he'd never say that to his father's face. After all, without his father's snitching and professionalization of throwing people under the bus, he'd have never been able to go to medical school.

"I only moved here a few weeks ago," He said. They'd been an eventful couple of weeks, that much was certain. "I suppose it was technically a move _back_ here but I don't remember Briar Ridge, I was only two when my family left." He still got lost more often than he'd care to admit. He was similarly still working on remembering everyone's names and the general who's who of the town, but he was learning and getting better at it all.
Aurora
It wasn't much trouble to walk; there was a tenderness every time he put weight on it, but it wasn't enough to make him holler. However, the thought of leaning just a little on Nathaniel was a mighty swell idea... But he decided to show instead how *Strong* He could be, rolling his shoulders back a little as he followed the doctor back to the examination room. "I got it this time, but I appreciate ya," He told him, keeping his weight off his foot as much as possible. He was relieved when he could sit on the edge of the table, and he rolled his ankle experimentally and winced a little at the motion. 

"You and I are alike, then. Movin' back home," He said, both hands planted on the table, fingers curled over the edge of it to keep himself in place. *Wonder what else we got in common,* He couldn't help but wonder. "Born and raised. Moved 'ways out north for a while, five years ago. Came back just the other day," He gestured vaguely with his hand, clearing his throat afterward. "So you ain't know your way from the forest t' the creek, am I right about that?" 

Ernest shifted in place, eyes flickering up as Lorelai Roswell entered and grabbed something out of a cabinet just behind Nathaniel. "I've been meanin' to take ya on a tour, but—" 

"You oughta be awful busy," Ernest said, clearing his throat again and feeling a bit embarrassed for cutting off Lorelai. She didn't seem upset by the action, and he continued speaking. "If yer in need of a tour guide, I'm as good as any. Not much done changed 'round here in them years," He assured Nathaniel. "I can do the pointin' and... Kill two birds with one stone, remind myself where it's all at." He tapped his fingers on the edge of the table. His stomach was in knots. Of course, the doctor could think he was strange and decline, and then he'd have t' go and find another doctor... But there ain't no other doctor, so what was he doin'? Was he out of his damn mind?
Barbara
Although Ernest seemed to strongly favor his non-injured foot, he was capable of hobbling around. That was a good sign. Another good sign presented itself when Ernest rolled his ankle without being prompted, even if the motion did hurt. 

"I'm hardly qualified to say this but, welcome back Mister Estep," He said, wondering what exactly Ernest had been getting up to _out North_. "How far up North did you end up?" He briefly looked at the door when Lorelai came into the room and started going through cabinets. "You would be, indeed." Nathaniel had been in the woods before, he wouldn't say he'd gotten lost since he didn't really know where he was going when he went in there. Technically that meant one couldn't truly get lost right? If there is no known destination, one couldn't divert from it either. (He'd definitely gotten lost.) 

Nathaniel was about to take Lorelai up on her offer when Ernest cut in, in a strangely insistent manner. It was true though, Lorelai was very busy. They all were, but not every minute of their time was spent in the hospital. He was about to point that out when he realized that Ernest had presented him with the perfect excuse to get to know the new owner of the orchard better. Pointing out the workload would be one of the more foolish things to do here, so he kept his mouth shut.

The reasoning of Ernest needing to reacquaint himself with Briar Ridge seemed _mostly_ sound. Nathaniel could overlook the odd argumentation this time. "So long as you don't overwork that ankle of yours, yes, I'd gladly take that tour with you." He flashed Lorelai an apologetic smile and mouthed _sorry_, he didn't want her to think that it was in any way a personal slight against her. He hoped that agreeing hadn't been the unprofessional thing to do. Maybe he was allowed a little unprofessionalism from time to time.
_ _

"Speakin' of which," He said, turning back to Ernest. "Would it be possible to get your boot off? I think I might be able to get it stabilized without you needin' to rely on crutches, but I make no promises just yet." Nathaniel remembered a paper he'd read where a physician claimed to have found a way to heal sprained ankles without needing crutches. The reason he remembered that particular paper was because, like any good scientist, he'd tested the claims on his own injury. You could hardly blame him, he'd been running up the stairs when he tripped (quite violently one might add), two days before he was set to start a new job. He couldn't very well show up to the hospital using crutches, now could he? Present-day Nathaniel was rummaging through the same cabinets Lorelai had just done, looking for the required materials.
Aurora
"Vermont. Pretty far up there. Just 'bout as far up there as you can get 'fore you hit Canada," He said. "Unless you head on up t' Maine... I ain't go up that far, but I heard they got some big ol' lighthouses." His eyes flickered down to his boot, and he reached down to busy himself with the laces. 

"Was workin' on a tree farm. Y'know, them big ones you see in rich people's houses durin' Christmas? Or the department stores?" He chewed his lip, worrying it between his teeth. He had a tendency to habits like that; sometimes even doin' it til he'd damn near bit through and drawn blood. A nasty habit, and one he tried real hard to stop. Of course, easier said than done... Especially when he had a knack for doin' stupid shit like *That.* 

He really hadn't meant to interrupt, and he knew his excuses were flimsy at best. Maybe it had been a little soon, to try and talk to the doctor that made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He was gonna end up sayin' somethin' real stupid, he just knew it. He ought to keep his mouth shut, but o' course, he never knew when t' quit. He supposed he must get it from his older brother. 

Lorelai just seemed amused, shrugging her shoulder in response to her employer, and watching as Ernest finally gave his boot a tug. It hit the floor with a sturdy *Thud*, and his ankle really did seem a bit swollen, didn't it? He touched it with his own fingers and hissed, shaking his head. "I think I can manage, just a little tender," He said, stretching his leg back out to allow the doctor to properly examine him. He felt another wave of embarrassment as he made eye contact with the nurse, who just smiled and made her exit. 

"How long you been doin' this... Doctor schtick?" He asked Nathaniel, trying to make conversation to fill the silence that he feared.
Barbara
Ernest had worked on a tree farm, logging around big heavy pines, he must be strong then – _Stop it, Ashworth._ Strength was good for physical health, that was all, looks weren't important to medicine and thus shouldn't be on his mind, _at all._ Maybe he should get another cup of coffee, and stop himself from getting distracted. It had already been a busy day after all. 

The Ashworths had had a Christmas tree for a number of years, even if it was a 'senseless' distraction, it also served as a way to flaunt their wealth. Nothing brought more joy to his parents than forcing everyone around them to see how successful they were. Nathaniel suspected that his parents did also enjoy decorating it as a family, they almost seemed loving and functional when they did that. _Almost._ "I know the trees, we had one a couple of Christmases, likely not as big as the ones you're describin' though," He said, moving to the next cabinet. _Where did they put those rubber strips..._ "We used to decorate it, my parents, siblings, and me," He said, reminiscing for a second. "We could never quite agree on a theme though, usually mother's vision was the one we executed in the end. She had an eye for those sorts of things." He wasn't sure why he'd chosen to share that information and he promptly shut his mouth again. 

Upon finding the material he was looking for at last, he turned around again. He placed the strips on a nearby table. "I've never been that far up North either, much too cold for my likin'," He admitted. "Though I can imagine it must have been a sight to behold when covered in snow."
_ _

_Schtick?_ Nathaniel laughed at that, clearly not actually offended by the perhaps poor choice of words. "I assure you it is much more than a mere _schtick_, Mister Estep," He said, rubbing his hands together so they wouldn't be incredibly cold in comparison to the undoubtedly warm ankle. From Ernest's pained hiss, he suspected it was more than just _a little tender._ But he had also been warned about the stubbornness of the people of Briar Ridge, so really what could he do?

"But I have been one for, uh," He took a moment to think. "Six years now? Yes, that's it, six." Nathaniel had graduated at age 24, one of the younger students in his class. The fact that a good number of his classmates, at least those born men, had been drafted into the war had helped. The education went on but at a smaller scale, he'd been able to get a lot more experience a lot quicker without the competition of men who thought themselves better than him. Of course, he'd had to listen to a different name then, something he stopped doing the moment he graduated and moved away from Baltimore. It still deeply stung that his degree was not attributed to one Nathaniel Magnus Ashworth. At least he was Doctor Ashworth regardless, his legal first name didn't matter much in practice. 

He pulled over a chair and sat down before focusing on the injury at hand. "Does that hurt?" He asked as he gently touched a few areas near the injury, checking for broken bones. It shouldn't hurt if it was merely sprained, so he was hoping for a no.

|| I had to do a bunch of math for this reply Griff I hope it was worth it
Aurora
So, the Ashworths had money. He s'posed you had to have at least a little money to go to medical school; but still. And he wasn't much to talk, cuz the Esteps had money too - but there was usually a difference between *Briar Ridge wealthy* And just about everybody else. Being wealthy in Briar Ridge really just meant not havin' to worry 'bout keepin' food on the table in the winter or keepin' the house warm. It was maybe havin' a record player, a new bicycle when yours broke. He wondered what kinda money the Ashworth's had - were they the type t' have big shiny wrapping paper on their gifts at Christmas? Did they have pin-straight uniforms for expensive boarding schools? He wanted to ask, to pry into Dr. Ashworth's mind for just a moment, but decided against it. 

"Winter's beautiful up there, 'cept the cold," He managed to crack a small smile. "Everything is all covered in snow like it's powdered sugar. Makes all the houses in town look like gingerbread cottages." He kept his eyes cast downwards at his swollen ankle, afraid that looking up at the doctor before him might send him into some kinda word vomit all over again. Maybe he was too stupid for his own good, cuz Nathaniel was *Laughin'* At him, and he felt his ears burn. 

"Six years," He repeated, ripping his eyes away now that Nathaniel had set to workin' on his ankle, and he found the ceiling to be quite interesting now. "Long time to be doin' anything. You must like what you do." Of course he did, idiot. Clearly, he did. Hell, could he be more scatterbrained lately? When the doctor asked for his attention, he reluctantly dragged his eyes away from a scuff on the ceiling, eyes falling back on the crown of Nathaniel's head instead. *He's got real long hair,* Ernest thought. *Looks soft.* 

"Huh?" He pulled himself from his thoughts and swallowed. "No, it ain't hurt," He said, the question catching up to him after a moment. "Just when I do this-" He twisted his foot around and winced. "Ain't broke, is it?"
Barbara
The doctor smiled at Ernest's description of houses looking like gingerbread covered in powdered sugar, what a wonderful way of phrasing it. 

Six years was a long time, Ernest was right. Nathaniel planned on continuing the job for much more than that, he'd found his calling and that was something he didn't take for granted, not many could say they felt wholly and fully in the right place in their job. He'd do it even if he wouldn't get paid, though he lacked the finances for that particular hypothetical, so for now he'd gladly work for his money. "At the risk of soundin' incredibly pretentious," He said, briefly looking up and noticing Ernest's sudden fascination with the hospital ceiling. "I think I'm where I'm meant to be," He admitted. "I've always wanted to help heal and make people feel better. Animals too," He added. "I just find that they're not as willin' to tell me what's goin' on with them," He said, letting out a soft chuckle. "What better place to do that than in the medical field?" 

"You're a lucky man, Mister Estep, it's not broken, just sprained," He said, getting up and grabbing the strips. "Which means that I should have you up and runnin' in no time." He stopped himself, running would be far too optimistic. "Well at least _walkin'_, perhaps hold off on runnin' for now," Nathaniel said sheepishly.

"This should stabilize your ankle, it might not be what you're used to but this way you won't have to rely on crutches." The promised tour could happen, he shouldn't feel as happy about that as he did. Regardless of all that, it would be good for him to see Briar Ridge, and maybe getting to know Ernest a little better in the process could be a bonus, a very welcome bonus indeed.
Aurora
"Don't think that's pretentious at all," He said honestly, a flicker of a smile on the corner of his lips. "...'sides, gotta have somebody out here, lookin' after everybody. Takes a helluva lot, don't it?" He let his eyes fall to Nathaniel's then, finding it only fair that he at least *Try* And look at the man currently nursing him back to health.

*Lucky man, indeed.* He didn't say it out loud, of course, but he couldn't help but think it. He s'posed he was luckier than most, in a lotta ways. Grew up not havin' to worry 'bout a roof or food on the table, had the ability to work and earn his keep, and now... He was damn lucky to have a handsome fella like *Doctor Nathaniel Ashworth* Workin' on his ankle like that. 

"I'll take walkin' over hobblin'," He mumbled, that light smile on his lips curling up just a bit more. "Guess I oughta... Watch where I'm goin' from now on, otherwise ya might find me right back here on this table." Though, the prospect wasn't one that he disliked, in all honesty. At least he had more than half a mind, and wouldn't do it on *Purpose* Just to see the doctor. 

Lorelai, who had previously left the room, now popped her head back in. "You headin' out on that tour, sir?" She asked Nathaniel, wiping her hands on her nurse's uniform from having just rinsed her hands in the wash basin. "It's beautiful out, this place is slow... Could step out a moment with Mr. Estep," She suggested, and Ernest could just kiss her (if either of them swung that way). 

"They say... Good weather is good for healing, or somethin' like that, don't they?" Ernest said, though he wasn't sure that was something that anyone said at all.
Barbara
"It sure does take a lot, I am glad it's not just me. I wouldn't be anywhere without the nurses and the occasional volunteers," He admitted. Even with them, the small hospital saw a lot of people and Nathaniel had the perhaps unwise habit of feeling personally responsible for every single person that set foot in the place. Not only that but he'd seen symptom presentations that he had no clue how to treat properly, people affected with lycanthropy whose physiology he had much too little understanding of, he was grasping at straws with no known medicine to fall back on. In the case of Ernest Estep though, he was confident in his abilities to help, this was easy, this he could do.

"I would agree with that, try to avoid steppin' in new holes if you can, at least for a couple of weeks," He said, taping the bandages so they would support and stabilize Ernest when he walked again. "You should be able to walk mostly normally now, but it might still feel tender. If you're able to, please come by in about three weeks so we can see if you've fully healed, and if you find the pain gettin' worse before that please do not hesitate to visit either." 

"Oh, uh," He muttered, looking up to reply to Lorelai. "If you're sure you'll manage without me?" He had more than enough confidence that Lorelai and the other nurses could run the hospital without him, he wasn't questioning their capabilities. His sense of duty to the place, new as he may be, had grown exponentially since the full moon and the pain he witnessed in its duration. He turned back to Ernest, who mentioned the wonderful weather and wisdom about its possible healing effects, and really, who would he be to doubt that previously mentioned wisdom? "Yeah, _yes_, I'll step out, thank you Lorelai." A moment, they'd need more than a mere moment to do a proper tour right? He selfishly hoped so.

|| ender??? Maybe???????????
Aurora
In this case and time, Ernest would find himself to be incredibly normal and average. He wasn't sure he'd like to be abnormal or *Interesting* When it came to medicine, especially here in Briar Ridge - he was quite happy to be delightfully and completely mundane in that regard. 

"I dunno if I could begin t' even do half'a what you do, Doc." He said, and he flexed his foot a little as the bandages were secured in place. There was a tenderness to the movement, but the bandages restricted him enough that he could no longer flex it beyond where it should be. "I swear, you got magic in them hands, fer sure. I'm startin' t' already feel better," Ernest said as he slipped his foot back into his sock, and fit it all back down into his sturdy work boots. The laces were coming together again when Lorelai had entered, and he was flickering his eyes subtly between nurse and doctor. 

Lorelai just smiled and waved her hand with a dismissal, a chipper hum on his breath as she turned to exit the room once more. Ernest straightened up real proper, putting his weight on that foot and finding it far more manageable. At least he wouldn't be hobbling 'round the farm, lookin' like a damned fool. "Promise, I won't keep ya from yer work too long now, Doc. I know you got real important business 'round here." He gestured around. "But I can assure ya... The castle will be aw'right without it's king fer a little. 'Sides, we's only goin' a hop and a skip on down the road." He assured him with a small upturn of the corner of his mouth.
Barbara
"We all have our strong suits, I couldn't phantom runnin' an entire orchard and yet here you are, doin' so," He said, starting to tidy the room again. He had his back turned to Ernest when he complimented his skills and allowed himself to smile widely, out of sight as he was. Pride swelled inside him, alongside something else, but both felt warm and welcomed. Nathaniel prided himself in his work, he always had, but showing that felt like gloating or boasting, which is something he didn't do. "Just doin' my job, but I am very glad to hear it's workin'." 

Ernest was right, Lorelai and the rest of the nurses were more than capable of running the hospital without him there. Didn't he deserve a break every now and then? Nathaniel wasn't good at taking breaks, whenever he did, guilt was quick to rear its ugly head. Either in the shape of his father calling him a lazy, no good slacker, or in the shape of his own overperfectionism and need to be help everyone. He was a hypocrite, he knew that, he was well aware that rest was instrumental to health. It would be a shame to waste such a sunny day. "You're right, you're right," He admitted. He also knew that the nurses wouldn't even mind if he took a little bit longer. It had been a really slow day. 

"Lead the way Mister Estep," He said as the two stepped foot outside the hospital.

|| tour time tour time :D
Aurora
He took a few tentative steps on his ankle, before he deemed himself alright enough to continue on. Ernest wasn't keen on looking like a fool, 'specially not in front of the doctor. Although, he couldn't help but start to feel a jitter in his stomach - he was the one leading the charge here, expected t' take Nathaniel up and around Briar Ridge on some kinda walkin' tour. *I can do that, I done lived in this town my whole damn life.* Ernest needed to give himself a pep talk, otherwise he was just about ready to throw in the towel before it had even began. 

As the door to the doctor's swung open, the two men headed into the afternoon sun. Ernest was mighty grateful for the breeze, and he squinted 'round the area in search of the proper way t' lead Nathaniel around. "Well," He pivoted around, gesturing back to the doctor's. "This here is where most babies are born, if they ain't born in their houses," He said, and he managed a small, joking smile. He pivoted back 'round, keeping pace with Nathaniel, and gestured as they began their journey down the path. 

"Now, see, over there's where Francis once knocked my front tooth out. Thank the Lord it was only a baby tooth, and he swore up'n down it was an accident, but... I ain't born yesterday." Ernest shook his head. "And over there'ns the schoolyard. Alma Cooper teaches there, but she ain't taught me when I was in school. She's a helluva lot nicer than the old witch who used t' teach there, cuz... Well, I reckon she smacked me 'cross the knuckles with a ruler more times'n I can count."
Barbara
He chuckled, it was a warm sound. "Babies, yes, I suppose we do get to deliver those as well from time to time," He replied with a smile. The birth of a child was amongst the most wonderful occurrences that could happen in a hospital. There was something miraculous about that new life, seeing the happiness on the faces of new parents, it was beautiful. Sometimes a small part of him found himself jealous of those parents, knowing he'd never get to experience that. 

He briefly looked shocked when Ernest casually told him that a man of his own flesh and blood had allegedly been the reason he'd lost a tooth, even if it had just been a baby tooth. Nathaniel found himself thinking that Ernest would still remain incredibly handsome if he missed a tooth. "And here I thought that Lewis, my younger brother, did regretful things. At least he never set me up to lose my teeth." He shook his head. Lewis and Nathaniel's relationship was far from perfect, they had their disagreements, but they could hardly be described as physically violent towards one another, far from it, in fact, they weren't verbally violent either, they left that to their parents. Nathaniel wasn't a violent man, and never had been. Lewis, in an unfortunate turn of events, was someone others occasionally, perhaps _more than_ occasionally itched to cause violence upon, much to Nathaniel's horror, who wished Lewis would at least think about keeping himself out of trouble. Blessed with their father's talent for getting on people's nerves and their mother's inability to stop talking, Nathaniel believed that Lewis was a recipe for disaster. Physical altercations were rare, luckily. Nathaniel had long since given up trying to get Lewis to change his ways, even though he would if he could. And yet Nathaniel loved his brother deeply, even if he made unwise decisions from time to time.
_ _

"Cooper," He repeated. "Isn't that the name of the Mayor as well, are they family?" Not only Francis it seemed, but the old school teacher too had been unkind to Ernest, he wondered what else a younger Ernest had gotten up to. Did he grow up beneath the orchard's apple trees, sneakily plucking fruits to eat with his friends? Did he run around in the nearby woods, climbing trees, or was he more calm and reserved? Had he enjoyed school or did he take every excuse to get out of that classroom? Had he always been in possession of that seemingly effortless charm or was that something that he'd had to work on? 

"Were you a troublemaker as a child then? Or was it just a case of an environment that believed you were?"
Aurora
When he saw the look of surprise cross Nathaniel's face, he couldn't help but to think that that was a nice and new look he hadn't seen before. He was gonna enjoy committing every little new thing to memory, 'cuz it wasn't like he could come right out and ask a man like Nathaniel if he was interested in men. Not that he reckoned Doctor Ashworth was a violent man, but he certainly didn't want to catch even a glare in response if he could help it. Besides, he sure had his way to find those kinda things out. 

"Francis ain't-" He paused. "Francis *Wasn't*...Real violent." It still felt odd, to speak of his brother in past tense like that. Made his stomach feel real sour for a moment. "He was a good brother sometimes. But I think I must'a right pissed him off that day, tripped me up and I fell. Knocked my tooth out, and when I went cryin' to mama, he swore up'n down it was *My clumsy ass*." The story would've usually conjured up some level of disdain, but now, it seemed almost fond. A smile even curled up at the corner of his lips. 

"Lots'a families in Briar Ridge, you'll see that soon. Alma Cooper- the lil sister of Mayor Charlie Cooper. And 'fore he was mayor, his Pa was, too." Though he'd been filled in on *That* Little nugget of information; that William Cooper hadn't simply *Resigned* From his post, but was flat out *Murdered* For bein' a werewolf. "Like the Coopers, us Esteps been 'round for a while now. Ya got the Bigby's at the general store, 'cept the nice lady that done run it was... Killed a while 'go." He grimaced. 

Ernest was momentarily caught off guard by the question, and he swivelled his head back 'round to look at Nathaniel. His cheeks couldn't help but to color a little pink, and he looked straight ahead again for fear of losing focus. "I was good. Did my work, worked hard on the orchard and all. Always tryna make my Ma and Pa proud. Think teachers always think yer doin' wrong. Though... I always was tryna skip doin' my numbers." He admitted.
Barbara
_Estep, Francis_ he remembered the file now, _Deceased. Cause of death: werewolf attack._ Nathaniel wouldn't speak ill of the dead, even if he did believe that Francis tripping his brother hard enough to lose a tooth was slightly more violent than the usual sibling bickering should ideally be. Especially if Francis then went on to blame Ernest for it. The twins and he had had their fair amount of disagreements growing up, the usual stuff: snitching on Nathaniel to stay in the good graces of their parents, arguing over whose turn it was to do certain chores, and stealing snacks. He'd willingly taken the blame for things Lewis and Mabel had done out of some innate drive to protect them, to let them continue to believe that their parents were good people. Maybe it was partially his fault that Lewis thought he could get away with as much as he did. Nah, he couldn't possibly take credit for that, that was all Lewis.

Nathaniel understood the strange reality of feeling love for people who weren't good to you, like his parents. Maybe one day he'd get to express that to someone. "I hear you, and I am sorry for your loss, Mister Estep." There was a lot of that in Briar Ridge: loss. "What are siblings for if not to occasionally annoy us greatly. My little sister used to strike deals with me to change chores, and then somehow I would alway end up doin' both of ours," He reminisced.

Nathaniel was taking in all the information and storing it in his head. One might expect the Doctor to be an organized individual, but unfortunately few things were further from the truth. However, information, so long as it pertained to his brain-based storage, that he could organize well. He was great with names. "Have the Coopers always been mayors or is that coincidence?" His parents had talked about Briar Ridge occasionally, the Estep name had sounded familiar. "My parents told me us Ashworths had been here for a long time as well, before they moved us out to RIchmond," He said.
_ _

Ernest blushed, and Nathaniel felt something inside him jump at the fact that something he'd said had elicited that reaction. He just hoped he hadn't unwillingly shamed Ernest for something. He wanted to see him blush again... _Focus, Ashworth._

In what would probably come as a surprise to exactly nobody, Nathaniel had always done well in school. He chuckled at the mention of numbers. "We all have things we are good at, I for one was terrible at languages, if you can believe it," He shared. There was a reason he preferred to memorize things rather than writing them down or reading them aloud. Nathaniel was a slow reader, and always had been. He enjoyed it, just as he enjoyed his crossword puzzles, but anyone with a keen eye would pick up on the fact that they were never of that high a complexity, and that one of the books scattered on his desk was a dictionary. A very well loved dictionary. He didn't share it with many people, he was a Doctor, he was supposed to be intelligent. He was, but that didn't take away from the fact that words had the tendency to swim on a page for him, and that he needed that dictionary every time he wrote anything.
Aurora
Admittedly, it was also strange to hear other people talk about Francis' death. If he was being honest, there was a part of him that hadn't fully taken it in yet. He hadn't even visited Francis' grave properly; maybe it was fear of having to face him? He wouldn't be looking at his brother's smug face, but a headstone in it's place. There would simply be stone looking back at him; and Ernest didn't want to tackle all of those feelings just yet. He hadn't made up with him since they'd fought before he left. They had both said terrible things; Ernest had tried to hit him where it hurt. And perhaps Francis hadn't *Deserved* To be forgiven, but now it was too late to ever find out if he had been capable of it. 

He needed to snap out of it; he focused on Nathaniel's words and sucked in a breath. "Naw, 'fore it was the Coopers... It was somebody else," Though who, he could not recall. In all fairness, he wasn't paying too close attention when he was a kid - he was more tuned into the orchard and all that business, rather than Briar Ridge politics. 

"Can't imagine you were ever bad at nothin' in school," He said. "You got this... You got this thing 'bout ya, like yer real smart. Guess you gotta be, t'be a doctor." He could bet that Nathaniel did real well in school, and probably was even at the top of his class and all. "I got better with numbers, since then. On-the-job experience and all. Guess I can count myself lucky on that one; but when I was in school, ya couldn't get me t' understand dividin' and all that..." He shook his head. "Still gotta count on my fingers sometimes, though." Ernest chuckled to himself and gestured down the path they were taking. "Just down over there, through the woods is the lumberyard 'n all. If ya ever need somethin' fixed, y'can talk to JD or Dallas..." He trailed off. "...'n over there's the Ol' Davis Barn." He asked curiously. "Y'know, if yer in need'a liquor, I can spot you a bottle of the good stuff from the orchard for free."
Barbara
He smiled at the compliment. Nathaniel _was_ smart, that was a given. He prided himself in that intelligence, it had brought him far in life, as had hard work. "I used to spend hours at my desk tryin' to understand why words were pronounced in a certain way but spelled another," He confessed. He left out the part where he would get so frustrated he hardly knew what to do with himself, such was the pressure to perform, such was the fear of underperforming. "I got better at it over time, I had to be, but my mother has always told me I have horrible handwritin'." The typewriter he owned was a blessing for both him and those who received written correspondence from him. "I do feel bad for the poor teachers who had to decipher it," He joked, but there was a hidden truth in the statement. It had been something he felt shame for. Something about Ernest made him believe that it was safe to share such things with the orchard man.

"Oh! I have been meanin' to talk to someone about buildin' some shelves for my guest bedroom," He said, now knowing who to go to. "I'll have to pay them a visit." 

Surprise painted his face again, _the good stuff,_ Briar Ridge truly did not adhere to Prohibition laws. He knew about Cooper shine by way of Lewis, and Ashworth shine by way of Mabel, but the twins had a history of being lax with the law (and the careers of others), it was almost to be expected that they would eventually end up in the business of moonshine. Nathaniel couldn't judge them too harshly, however, he thought it strange that a government deemed it beneficial to remove alcohol from society completely. If anything, alcohol had become _more_ dangerous now that it was produced unmonitored. That didn't stop the Doctor from partaking in it on occasion, he trusted Mabel and Lewis to not outright poison him. 
_ _

"You produce alcohol?" There was no judgment in his voice, just pure surprise. It made sense, liquor was created from fruits, and that was the business Ernest was in. Had Nathaniel been a braver man, he may have suggested that such a bottle was best shared with company; or just the two of them, somewhere secluded. Unfortunately, Doctor Ashworth was not a brave man. "For free?" He asked, hardly feeling deserving of gifts or southern hospitality as it was. "I would insist on payin' you, Mister Estep, especially if it is as good as you say it is." On second thought, maybe he was a brave man. Or a foolish man, only time would tell. All he knew was that he would like to spend more time around Ernest in the future. "Or at least sharin' it with you, hardly seems fair to not get to enjoy the fruits of one's own labor."
Aurora
"Hey, I think you was born t'be a doctor then," He pointed out. "Ain't they say that all doctors got shitty handwriting? Guess yer in the right profession then, ain't ya?" And besides, who needed nice handwriting when you were smart and looked *That* Handsome? Ernest thought that was definitely a quality he could personally overlook; not that he said that part out loud or anything. Admittedly, his own handwriting could be sloppy, and he wasn't always the best with spelling neither, so he had no room to talk anyhow. 

He was surprised at Nathaniel's surprise; it wasn't like anybody in Briar Ridge took much care to hide exactly what was going on here. This place was running off the shine and brandy produced here, and everybody knew it. Hell, Estep Apple Brandy was pretty notorious up the coast, but maybe Ernest thought quite highly of the family business. He chuckled a little under his breath and shrugged his shoulders. "Apple brandy, that's right." He mumbled. "Not the only thing we got, 'course," He assured the doctor. "We also sell just the apples themselves, 'cuz we got some of the best. And we even sometimes sell cider in the fall, and apple butter 'n all the good stuff you can get out an apple. But the brandy's prolly the best thing we sell since the laws changed." 

The pair had come to a standstill towards the edge of town by now, halted by their conversation with one another. Just down the way, the apple trees of the Estep property teased the sky, showing off their big, sturdy trunks and green, lush leaves. Many wouldn't be ready for another few months, when the air was more crisp and the fruit would be heavy and sweet, but the trees were still pretty. 

"No need to pay, Doc." He insisted. "Please... Call me Ernest," He mumbled, soft and almost shy in his delivery. "I can just drop you off a bottle to the clinic, no need t' worry 'bout payin. Consider it a thanks," He looked down at his ankle. "For usin' them magic hands on me."
Barbara
Ernest wasn't the first to remark that Nathaniel had essentially been destined to become a doctor. Nathaniel didn't much believe in destiny or fate, but he agreed regardless. "I suppose you are right, people do say that, don't they," He said. "It's due to the large amounts of abbreviations we use, it becomes a jumbled mess rather quickly I'm afraid." That in combination with needing to jot down notes quickly while talking to a person, it truly was a recipe for disaster. Luckily none of the nurses in Briar Ridge had questioned his occasional spelling errors. Not yet at least.

"Apple butter," He echoed. "It has been a considerable while since I've had that, I'll have to swing by come fall." He gazed at the lines of trees with their crisp-looking green leaves. "It has to be quite a sight when all those trees blossom," He remarked. Nathaniel had studied biology in the two years prior to starting medical school but had always been much better at the fauna than the flora side of that particular science. From this distance, he had no clue if the blossoming season had already passed or not.
_ _

"Just doin' my job but thank you ever so kindly Mist-" He corrected himself. "_Ernest._" He smiled. Maybe being seen with alcohol at his job wasn't the best course of action. He couldn't have people talking about their doctor being seen with illegal contraband, even if it was condoned in Briar Ridge. He had a reputation to uphold. "How about you uh," He said, briefly wondering if he was pushing things. "Drop it off at my place instead?" Nathaniel Ashworth, known to be a shy man, was now essentially inviting Ernest over to his house. Wonders never ceased, it seemed. "To avoid people developin' incorrect assumptions about what's in my cup while I'm workin'," He added hastily, plausible deniability in case Ernest didn't feel comfortable with that suggestion. Nathaniel wouldn't be surprised, nor would he push if the answer was no. "Or I could come by the Orchard, do you live near it?"
Aurora
"How about this-" He suggested, and he nodded his head down the path that wound through the town square. This tour had become much less a tour and far more a conversation through town, which he was not complaining about in the slightest. In fact, he was enjoying himself immensely; Nathaniel was real well-spoken, he was eloquent, and he was smart. And 'sides from that, he was gorgeous too. When they were walking, Ernest allowed himself brief glimpses of the doctor's profile, and he soaked it in. The slope of his nose, his cheekbones, his jawline... 

"How about, I come on by your place with some of that sweet Estep brandy," He suggested. "And then another time, I invite you over to the orchards t' see the blossoms?" The place was gorgeous this time of year; they were right at the perfect time for blooming, and the entire place was covered in the white flowers that would eventually cover the ground. Apples wouldn't be properly ready until closer to fall, but there were a patch of apple trees that could be started to harvest in just a few months, in late summer. "Can give you some apple butter from the personal stock." 

Anything to keep seeing Nathaniel, if he could. Hell, he wasn't so sure he was brave enough to make any real moves on the doctor, but just catching a glimpse of him would be enough to satiate him. "The house is situated right on the property; big ol' thing, can't miss it. I can give ya a better tour of it than I can of the town," He said, a little bashfully. "Know that orchard like the back of my hand... 'cept the gopher holes, I guess." He looked down at the offending ankle.
Barbara
Ernest had agreed to Nathaniel's invitation. Not only that, he was inviting him over to the orchard as well. To see the blossoms, no less. He couldn't, or perhaps shouldn't, look into that particular sentence's meaning any further, even if he really wanted to. Walks beneath the blossoms sounded like something beyond a friendly tour, but he feared that would be giving himself false hope. It was much too early to start reading between the Estep's words. Ernest just had a very welcoming personality, that had to be it. Even if it was purely about friendship, Nathaniel had found he greatly enjoyed Ernest's company and would not turn down any opportunity to get to spend more time with him. "I would like that yes, gladly," He replied. 

He would even accept the free apple butter, despite him genuinely wanting to pay for it and the brandy both. To Nathaniel, accepting things for free felt like he was using people, especially in a town like Briar Ridge. Nathaniel had grown up in wealth, while most people here had not. He knew gifts didn't work like that, and it did feel nice that Ernest wanted to share with him, he had to admit that. He just had nothing to give him in return. Maybe he could find something.

"In your defense, those gopher holes probably weren't there the last time you were here," He pointed out, smiling. "I live in a cottage near the clinic, the one with the white porch and oak tree," He described. "It's home to a family of red squirrels. I got the better garden animals between the two of us, it seems." Nathaniel loved most animals and enjoyed sitting on his porch or on the windowsill to watch the squirrels racing around, collecting the bits of food he scattered around for them to find. "There is not much there to tour I am afraid, but I have got some nice glasses that I hope will prove worthy of Estep brandy," He said, already looking forward to it.
_ _

"I should," He hesitated, sighing. "I should get back to the clinic." He clearly didn't want to. He'd much rather stay here and talk with Ernest. He was sure they could find something to talk about until the sun started setting and they actually _had_ to go their separate ways. "Thank you, for showin' me around. You're very kind, and I do hope the rest of your return to Briar Ridge will go smoothly from here on out," He said.
Aurora
If only he could peer into Nathaniel's brain for a moment, to quell the fears that he was having. Ernest could and *Would* Have assured him that every little thing he was picking up on, was in fact exactly what he thought it was. Ernest was fond of this man already; and he was eager to get to know more and more about him. He wanted to learn more about his family, more about his childhood. What was it like, growing up outside this place? Ernest didn't have any reference for what it was like to be a kid outside of the holler; he wondered where Nathaniel went to school to be a doctor. Was it real hard? He'd said he'd struggled with it a bit, but he had a hard time believing it. 

"Sometimes, y'can see lots of little woodland things hidin' out in the orchard. Used t' chase bunnies 'round the trees. Didn't realize til now that I was prolly scarin' them poor things half to death." He cracked a sheepish smile, eyes glancing back towards the clinic, in the direction which they'd come. "But I seen that house 'fore, yeah. Nice place, and I seen people swig brandy outta old boots 'fore, so I'm sure yer glasses are good enough." 

Parting was such sweet sorrow, wasn't it? Ernest felt a small pang of reluctance to go, but Nathaniel was a busy man. He had a clinic to attend to; he didn't have all day to spend with Ernest just so he could stare at him. Though, if Nathaniel offered, he could be content just watchin' them pretty lips smile and form words, even if Ernest hadn't a clue what he was talkin' about.

"I hope so too," He said in return, tipping his head to him. "And I hope you find yourself settlin' in well, despite... The circumstances 'n all." He used his good foot to kick a rock, hands stuffed in his pockets. "It was awful nice to meet you, Dr. Ashworth... Er, Nathaniel. I hope I'll be seein' you sooner rather than later, and not in yer office." He cast him a cheeky half-grin before he tucked his head and turned to head towards the orchard.