EXT - CREEK, NIGHT

A middle-aged, worn man, HUDSON, has red eyes and a puffy face, as if having cried just now. A younger, less scrappy-looking man, ETHAN, is standing nearby and looking at the creek past HUDSON. ETHAN takes his hat off, straightens his back, and sits next to HUDSON.

ETHAN
(softy)
You okay?

They sit in silence for a while, before ETHAN takes out a pack of cigarettes. He offers one to HUDSON, who takes it with a nod of his head as thanks. ETHAN lights his cigarette with a match.

HUDSON pats his pockets, clearly not finding what he's looking for.

HUDSON
(voice hoarse, barely there)
Got some light?

ETHAN leans into HUDSON, cigarette between his lips. HUDSON understands and leans in to catch the light from ETHAN's cigarette.

They smoke in silence. HUDSON's fingers are trembling.

HUDSON
Ain’t been like this with no one else.

He falls silent. After a while, ETHAN makes a small sound, urging HUDSON to continue.

HUDSON
Y'know. All, continuing like. Whatever it is we are.

He sniffles. ETHAN doesn't look at him.

HUDSON
Ain’t never done nothin' with no one more than once. Let alone done more than… y’know. You think I’m rotten, don’t you?
(laughs, bitter)
Askin' for the things I do.

ETHAN
You know I don’t think that way, Hudson.

HUDSON turns to face ETHAN. He cards his fingers through his hair, biting the inside of his lip as if he doesn't believe what he's about to say.

HUDSON
I want a dog with you.

ETHAN
A dog? That hardly makes sense, the way we're living.

HUDSON
No, I mean… (Beat) I used to have this dog, Snoot. He was everything to me.

A stretching silence. A million thoughts seem to go through ETHAN's head before he practically leaps to hug HUDSON. HUDSON hugs him back, visibly relieved. The hug is tight, desperate. They stay like that for a long time.

HUDSON
Please, tell me you want to get a dog with me.

ETHAN tenses but doesn't say anything.

HUDSON
I know I’m asking for something I know damn well we can’t have. And it’s stupid to ask you this. Reckless.

ETHAN
(softly)
I have seen you reckless, Hudson. I've seen you start fights you shouldn't have and finish ones that weren't none of your business. I've seen you stupid drunk and stupid sober, and I don't know which is worse. But you wouldn’t be reckless in matters like this, would you?

HUDSON
(quiet, almost a whisper)
I don’t think I would.