[cowga1]

a private and selective writing blog for PAIGE JONES—an original character inspired by neo-western lore. dissecting themes of a little kindness goes a long way, HARBORING STRAYS, putting the needs of the people you love above your own, caretaker by heart, rancher's daughter with nurse roots. please read guidelines and bio beforehand, and must be over twenty-1 to interact. a private and selective writing blog for PAIGE JONES—an original character inspired by neo-western lore. dissecting themes of a little kindness goes a long way, HARBORING STRAYS, putting the needs of the people you love above your own, caretaker by heart, rancher's daughter with nurse roots. please read guidelines and bio beforehand, and must be over twenty-1 to interact.

i was six years old when my mama died. she was a force of nature—stubborn as a mule, but with a heart made of pure gold. i remember watching my daddy fall to pieces right before my eyes, like a strong oak split by lightning. my brother, caleb, was too young to understand. so i became what he needed—his big sister, his mother, his anchor. i cooked our meals, patched up his scrapes, and even helped daddy keep the ranch from crumbling. caretaking was in my blood—easing pain, stitching wounds, holding people together. so nursing felt like more than a calling. it felt like coming home. i graduated top of my class and landed a job at haven’s hollow emergency department. close enough to keep an eye on caleb, and close enough to make sure daddy didn’t lose himself completely. it’s been years, but the hole mama left behind still echoes in the quiet moments. in daddy’s eyes. in caleb’s silences. i feel it too—but i carry it different. i’ve learned how to live with the sorrow without letting it drown me. but grief has a way of lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to rise again. and in haven’s hollow… shadows don’t stay quiet for long.

⁰¹ GUIDELINES. ⁰² METAS. ⁰³ DOSSIER.

[cowga1]

[kindofuneven]

it's the level of care that he wishes more people showed, especially in cases like this. where the animal is treated with the same concern and compassion that a person would be, as a family member, a loved one, instead of just a pet. even the way she answers his questions feels more genuine, worlds above a lot of what he's heard before. " that's exactly what she was doing. your instincts were right. they might not be able to tell us with words, but they can still talk to us. you know that horses can actually read social cues? our expressions, how we sound when we talk to them — even our intentions, they can sense it. and adapt to it, if they have to. "

he moves closer to the stall without invading her space. measured and slow, careful not to crowd her in. " it's dixie, right? " remembering the name on the clipboard, waiting a beat for confirmation and then lowering himself to a crouch, meeting her eyeline while her head's still bowed. " hey, dixie. i'm scott. i'm gonna listen to your heart for a minute, is that cool with you? " met with no aggression or resistance, he lets her nose at the stethoscope in his hand before he puts it on. she's aware, but almost indifferent. lethargic. the weight of the world on her back. every motion is deliberate, calm, his own pulse steady. one palm smooths gently over the side of her neck ( warm to the touch, but not feverish ) while the other guides the chest piece into place. he holds it there, tips his wrist to time sixty seconds on his watch. then, " her heart rate is a little elevated. a normal, resting rate for her would be anywhere from 28 to around 45 beats per minute, and she's at 55. she isn't struggling to breathe, so you were right about that too. her lungs sound clear. trust me, that's a good sign. " but the way she grips discomfort between the grind of her teeth, ears flattened, indicate pain more than sickness.

a few more minutes as he examines her. gentle, attentive. checking pupil dilation, looking for any gum discoloration like she'd eaten something she shouldn't have. everything comes up standard until he checks her abdomen. she flinches, hooves at the ground ; it's the most reactive that she's been so far, and scott immediately gives her space. " okay, " caught in an exhale, the pinch of a brief frown, " abdominal pain would explain why she stopped eating, and everything else that we talked about, but i'd need to do a couple of tests to make sure. get an ultrasound, some bloodwork, fluid from her stomach ... " tapering off with raised brows, and he's already extending the offer : " look, i can be back here in an hour, if you don't wanna leave this until tomorrow. it's totally your call. the sooner that we figure out what's wrong, the sooner we can fix it and have her feeling like herself again. "

[cowga1]

paige doesn’t say anything right away. just watches him [ this man with kind eyes and careful hands ] as he steps back and gives dixie the room to breathe. like he knows that animals grieve in silence, that pain doesn’t always roar, sometimes it just settles in like dust in the ribs. she’d seen a lot of vets in her time, but not many that moved like this. like someone who meant it.

her hand smooths down dixie’s withers, her touch feather-light. a short while after, honey hues glance over at scott, a small half-smile curling at the corner of her mouth. the kind that’s more GRATEFUL than flirtatious, but still carries a spark under the surface.

“dixie doesn’t usually warm up to strangers. but she let ya right in—nose first, even.” she glances back at the mare, who’s swaying a little under the weight of her own bones. “you got that calm about ya. horses feel that. folks too, if they’re payin’ attention.”

a slight pause, voice dropping into something quieter. honest. “she’s more than a horse to me. that’s my girl. my shadow when no one else stuck around.” a beat passes. “so if you’re sayin’ you’ll come back in an hour… then yeah. i’d sure appreciate it. and so would she.”

paige tugs the brim of her ballcap lower against the early sun. there’s dirt on her jeans, hay tangled in the cuff of her flannel, but she stands steady, eyes sharp as flint and just as old. “i got a fresh pot of coffee in the barn if ya want it. it’s strong enough to peel paint, but it’ll keep your boots movin’.” then, with a teasing glint: “just don’t let dixie know you’re sweet on her. she’ll play hard to get.”

[cowga1]

[alex-dutton]

1923 1.04 WAR AND THE TURQUOISE TIDE

[cowga1]

i’m sorry, but nurse paige just has such a nice little ring to it, don’t it?

[millieallman-deactivated2025122]

sunday is a day of rest to contemplate the week ahead, maybe even to entertain space enough to consider what one didn't accomplish the week prior, and yet jeremiah's own propensity for restlessness, practically a stranger to the concept, had demanded otherwise. idle hands and all that, paired with the firmly held belief that if you want something done right, you do it your damn self, which is what propelled him up and out of bed this morning.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or at least the road to the nearest hospital.

he's rarely ever here in said hospital given the impediment that is a considerable amount of distance between point a and point b, much less to sit in the emergency room. that, paired with the stereotype that they, farmers and ranchers alike, tend to avoid seeking care unless it's absolutely unavoidable—which, this time, yes—it's wholly warranted.

it's his hand, not his heart, thankfully, cut while tending to a stretch of busted fencing, and had been dead set on doing said mending without donning his gloves, something he'd done for years and years despite becoming a target of some shared chagrin amongst other workers ( and for damned good reason ). jeremiah had driven single-handed the entire way, a few rags wrapped 'round the sliced palm and tied tight. it'd do in a pinch.

" it's not that bad, " he insists, as if that helps any.

a first meeting thread for @cowga1 & jeremiah.

[cowga1]

paige knew his type before he ever said a word. the kind that came in on a sunday with their pride bleeding just as much as their hand. he walked like the pain was an afterthought, wrapped tight in some sorry excuse for a bandage—a dish rag, maybe. looked like something yanked off the truck seat on the fly. more stubborn than scared. farmers, ranchers, they all had that look. like the land asked a lot of them, and they gave it without asking much back.

she didn’t say anything at first. just motioned toward the bay, a small lift of her chin, and waited until he followed.

the cut was deep. clean, but ugly. that kind of honest injury that didn’t lie—it told the WHOLE STORY before he ever would. “you do this sorta thing often?” she asked, eyes on his hand, tone light enough to pass for casual. “skip the gloves and hope the fence shows mercy?” fingers moved with practiced care as she cleaned the wound, slow and steady. “at least ya had the good sense to wrap it. i’ve seen worse. mostly from men who think bleedin’ out builds character.” a soft smile flickered at the edge of her mouth [ not teasing, not quite ] and she glanced up only briefly, just enough to catch his gaze, holding onto it a bit longer than she should.

once his hand was wrapped, snug and clean, she tucked the edge of the gauze down and leaned back just enough to breathe again. “name’s paige, by the way,” she offered, like a final thread stitched into the quiet between them. “in case someone asks who finally got ya to sit still long enough to stop the bleedin’.”

[fassylovergallery]

hassie harrison ♥

[cowga1]

i may go on a little soft blocking spree this weekend. i want to keep my dash cozy with those who show interest in my muse, and that’s not to say only thread wise, but i appreciate those who acknowledge headcanons, even ooc posts. just some sort of engagement no matter how big or small. if we haven’t really interacted on here yet, but you’re interested to, please give this post a like!

[jnkdrwr]

despite the mounting exhaustion of a week's worth of all-day shifts capped off with late nights fading to early mornings buzzing around the nearest watering hole with the local bar flies and a faltering spark for the technicolor amusements (even nostalgia can't fix those shattered rose-tinted glasses), his siren song rings out strong and calls for marks to come try their luck against a deceptively simple game above the clash of music, laughter, and screams. c'mon, give it a shot! easy as pie! all y' gotta do is knock 'em down and take home a prize! how 'bout you, little miss?

black eyes fix intently on the woman charmed and lured. a roller coaster curve pulls his lips upwards and splits into a victory grin that faintly glints with gold as he chuckles, "depends on how good a shot you are."

the compliment prompts the twisting of his bare arm to try and catch a glance at the cherub etched into skin dewy with the muggy evening heat. easy to forget something exists when you never see the damned thing. "--ain't trying to butter me up for a free play now are you?"

the worker gives a playful wink as he straightens. "five bucks per round. you got three stacks of bottles, two shots each," he speaks. a ball idly tossed between hands punctuates every sentence. "only gotta knock one down for a little prize. get all three and that big ol' mango you're eyeballin' is yours. think you can handle it?"

he weights his final words carefully, just like them bottles, to goad her into trying.

[cowga1]

she tips her head, lashes flutterin’ like they know they’re dangerous, and offers him a slow, honeyed smile that doesn’t give too much away. “well now,” she drawls, voice slow and sweet like a lullaby hummin’ through a summer night, “you sure do make a girl feel lucky—though i’m guessin’ that’s half the trick, ain’t it?”

her hand settles on her hip like it was made to rest there, casual but calculated, and she eyes the prize once more—a plush avocado the size of a toddler and just about as loud.

“i could knock those down in my sleep,”. confidence sugarcoated but sharp underneath. paige always loved a CHALLENGE, proving people wrong when they least expected it. “but i’m not about to throw away five dollars on flattery, darlin’. not unless you’re throwin’ in a little somethin’ extra for the lady brave enough to take you on.” she takes a step closer, slow and sweet, a little twinkle dancing in her eye while lifting a brow. “sides,” she adds, “you keep smilin’ at me like that and i’ll start thinkin’ you want me to win.” she leans in just enough to make him sweat in that muggy heat, her voice dropping to a playful whisper, all warm mischief and challenge. “don’t go cryin’ when i walk away with your biggest prize, while you’re just standin’ there lookin’ pretty.”

she pulls a few singles out of denim pocket, sliding five over towards him. hopefully, that’s all it would take, but even she knew half these games were rigged. “alright, let’s get the ball throwin’.”

[cowga1]

hi lovelies! feeling in much better spirits after the last few days. will be attempting to catch up on drafts today and tomorrow! thank you for your patience, angels. <3

[cowga1]

[ 1. ] sender steps between receiver and an aggressive stranger, voice low and steady: “walk. away." // @anti-supe .

bars weren’t exactly her scene. too loud, too crowded, too full of people who didn’t know how to mind their business. but one of her favorite local bands was playing tonight, and well—little miss thang had earned a night to let loose, if only for a few hours. with the weight she carried day in and day out, she figured the sky wouldn’t fall if she allowed herself this small rebellion.

paige wasn’t much of a drinker. not anymore. years of scrubbing vomit out of the carpet and dragging her daddy off the floor had turned alcohol into something SOUR in her mouth, even when it wasn’t hers. so she nursed a diet pepsi with a twist of lime, letting the music do what it could to loosen the knots in her shoulders.

that was until he showed up.

rowdy. DRUNK. one of those guys who thought persistence made up for poor charm. he kept asking her to dance—pressing, pawing, hovering like an unwelcome cloud. “no thanks,” she said, offering a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. she hoped that would be enough. it wasn’t. he got handsy. tried to yank her up out of her seat like he had the right. her chair scraped slightly on the floor. “stop it! let me go,” she said, sharper now, the smile gone. and then [ just like that ] he let go. not because he’d come to his senses. but because someone else had made him.

honeyed hues peered up. the voice that had intervened was calm, clipped—low and certain in the kind of way that made men like that listen. the drunk shrank back, muttering something unintelligible before disappearing into the crowd.

her gaze followed the sound, found the man it belonged to. tall. broad-shouldered. the kind of presence that didn’t need to shout to be heard. “thank you,” voice gentler now. “for comin’ to my rescue. it’s not often ya run into an actual gentleman these days.” her features softened, something unfamiliar and unspoken rising in her chest—some curious warmth that lingered beneath the usual armor. maybe chivalry wasn’t dead after all. maybe, just maybe, it had shown up right on time.

[leneemusing]

A LIST OF CASUAL YET INTIMATE INTERACTIONS

sender to receiver:

[ HOOK ] sender hooking a finger beneath receiver's jaw

[ PINCH ] sender holding receiver's chin between their thumb and forefinger

[ LOOK ] sender holding receiver's jaw and turning their head to look at them

[ PICK ] sender telling receiver to "hold still" while they remove something from their hair

[ GRAZE ] sender brushes their fingertip back and forth along receiver's jaw while they listen to receiver talk

[ DIRECT ] sender seeing that receiver is going the wrong way, takes hold of their shoulders from behind and turns them the right direction

[ BACK ] sender grabs receiver's wrist and tugs them closer when receiver tries to walk away.

[ TOY ] sender fidgets with something receiver is wearing while receiver talks to them

[ STROKE ] sender absentmindedly plays with receiver's hair while they're focused on another task

[ DEPART ] sender is saying goodbye and kisses receiver's forehead

[ DRESS ] sender without prompting helps receiver put on a jacket

[ UNDRESS ] sender helps receiver remove an article of clothing or jewelry

[ REFILL ] sender refills receiver's drink before they can ask or do it themselves

[ FIX ] sender cleans something off of receiver's face

[ RUB ] sender places their hand around the back of receiver's neck, rubbing their thumb just under their ear

[ PULL ] sender sits next to receiver and places their arm around their shoulders, gently pulling them into their side

[ BECKON ] sender sees receiver and lifts their arm up so they can come hug/cuddle them

[ GLIDE ] sender is gently rubbing/scratching receivers back and rubs their knuckle down their spine to the small of their back

[ CHEER ] seeing that receiver is scowling, sender rubs their thumb over the furrow between receiver's brows

[ TUCK ] sender finds receiver asleep somewhere and puts a blanket or their own coat over them

[ TRACE ] sender brushes their fingers along receiver's forehead, temple and cheekbone

[ BRUSH ] sender brushes their hand up and down receiver's arm as they walk past them

[ KEEP ] sender holds receiver's arm just above the elbow while they're talking or to get their attention

[ LEAN ] sender looks over receiver's shoulder who is sitting, placing a hand on their desk while receiver shows them something

[ NUDGE ] sender grabs the chair receiver is sitting in and pulls it closer

[ LISTEN ] sender is listening to receiver talk and picks up an object that belongs to receiver to fidget with

[ SEARCH ] sender searches out receiver's gaze in a crowded room either for approval or to check if they're okay

[ SMOOTH ] sender smooths their thumb over receiver's eyebrow

[ SLIP ] sender places their hand in receiver's back pocket while they walk together

receiver to sender:

[ HOOKING ] receiver hooking a finger beneath sender's jaw

[ PINCHING ] receiver holding sender's chin between their thumb and forefinger

[ LOOKING ] receiver holding sender's jaw and turning their head to look at them

[ PICKING ] receiver telling sender to "hold still" while they remove something from their hair

[ GRAZING ] receiver brushes their fingertip back and forth along sender's jaw while they listen to sender talk

[ DIRECTING ] receiver seeing that sender is going the wrong way, takes hold of their shoulders from behind and turns them the right direction

[ BACKING ] receiver grabs sender's wrist and tugs them closer when sender tries to walk away.

[ TOYING ] receiver fidgets with something sender is wearing while sender talks to them

[ STROKING ] receiver absentmindedly plays with sender's hair while they're focused on another task

[ DEPARTING ] receiver is saying goodbye and kisses sender's forehead

[ DRESSING ] receiver without prompting helps sender put on a jacket

[ UNDRESSING ] receiver helps sender remove an article of clothing or jewelry

[ REFILLING ] receiver refills sender's drink before they can ask or do it themselves

[ FIXING ] receiver cleans something off of senders face

[ RUBBING ] receiver places their hand around the back of receiver's neck, rubbing their thumb just under their ear

[ PULLING ] receiver sits next to sender and places their arm around their shoulders, gently pulling them into their side

[ BECKONING ] receiver sees sender and lifts their arm up so they can come hug/cuddle them

[ GLIDING ] receiver is gently rubbing/scratching sender's back and rubs their knuckle down their spine to the small of their back

[ CHEERING ] seeing that sender is scowling, receiver rubs their thumb over the furrow between sender's brows

[ TUCKING ] receiver finds sender asleep somewhere and puts a blanket or their own coat over them

[ TRACING ] receiver brushes their fingers along sender's forehead, temple and cheekbone

[ BRUSHING ] receiver brushes their hand up and down sender's arm as they walk past them

[ KEEPING ] receiver holds sender's arm just above the elbow while they're talking or to get their attention

[ LEANING ] receiver looks over sender's shoulder who is sitting, placing a hand on their desk while sender shows them something

[ NUDGING ] receiver grabs the chair sender is sitting in and pulls it closer

[ LISTENING ] receiver is listening to sender talk and picks up an object that belongs to sender to fidget with

[ SEARCHING ] receiver seeks out sender's gaze in a crowded room either for approval or to check that they're okay

[ SMOOTHING ] receiver smooths their thumb over sender's eyebrow

[ SLIPPING ] receiver places their hand in sender's back pocket while they're walking

[hithewalls]

isabel may masters of the air

[cowga1]

like for a muse board—featuring spotify tunes that fit the tone.

[cowga1]

whose going to join paige for a dip in the hot tub during a cool—crisp night? and how about some takeout and a movie after?

[ohisms]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐀 𝐘𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 .    (  a collection of  mixed action prompts.   adjust phrasing as desired.   potentially mature content within.  )

[ 1. ] sender steps between receiver and an aggressive stranger, voice low and steady: "walk. away."

[ 2. ] sender teaches receiver self-defense, hands firm on their hips as they adjust their stance.

[ 3. ] sender presses their forehead to receiver's, voice breaking as they murmur, "i don't know how to fix this, but i'm not leaving."

[ 4. ] sender shoves receiver out of the way of a projectile.

[ 5. ] sender combs their fingers through receiver's hair in the aftermath of a traumatic event, whispering words of comfort.

[ 6. ] sender whispers, “i’ve thought about this all day,” before pinning receiver against a wall for a searing kiss.

[ 7. ] sender wipes away the receiver’s falling tears with their thumb and whispers, “i’m here."

[ 8. ] sender patches up receiver's wounds, hands trembling as they whisper, "you can't keep doing this to me."

[ 9. ] sender shoves receiver into a hiding spot, hissing, "stay here or i’ll kill you myself."

[ 10. ] sender finds receiver drunk at a party, sighing. "let’s get you home."

[ 11. ] sender is discovered sleepwalking by receiver.

[ 12. ] sender steals receiver’s weapon and presses it to their own chest, daring: “go ahead. prove me right.”

[ 13. ] sender ‘accidentally’ flashes receiver while changing, purring, "see something you like?"

[ 14. ] sender whispers, "you’ll ruin me," before biting receiver’s lip hard enough to draw blood.

[ 15. ] sender takes over while receiver is giving themselves stitches, promising to handle it.

[ 16. ] sender frantically grips receiver by the shoulders, "don't you dare close your eyes."

[ 17. ] sender fixes receiver’s crooked [ tie / jewelry ], teasing, "nervous?"

[ 18. ] sender shakes receiver out of a nightmare, comforting them in the aftermath. "same nightmare again?"

[ 19. ] sender brings hot tea and medication to a [ hungover / ill ] receiver.

[ 20. ] sender invites receiver to dance with them, insisting, "what? this song's perfect."

[ 21. ] sender leaves a single rose on receiver’s windshield with a note: "you’re being followed. smile."

[ 22. ] sender pins receiver’s wrists during a sparring match, grinning, "yield."

[ 23. ] sender playfully steals something from receiver, initiating a chase. "come and get it, then."

[ 24. ] sender drapes a blanket over receiver, accidentally waking them. "sorry, go back to sleep."

[ 25. ] receiver returns home only to find sender already there. "finally."

[ 26. ] after a pleasant night out together, sender asks: "can i kiss you goodnight?"

[ 27. ] sender wipes the blood from receiver's face, murmuring, "let's get you cleaned up."

[ 28. ] sender shoves receiver against a vending machine to dodge security, breathless. "act natural."

[ 29. ] sender wakes receiver in the throes of a nightmare, reassuring them, "it's okay, it's not real."

[ 30. ] sender purposefully antagonizes receiver, hurling insults; "what are you gonna do about it?"