Old Face, New Eyes.. 🤠[Pt. 1]
[Western AU! Cowboy!Caleb] The two of ya knew each other since you were both naked babes cooking in the desert heat, nothin but a sole gun to ya'r names. He was sure gonna be with you through hell and all, that you were damn sure of. But there was no rush; you enjoyed yourself a peaceful life with him and the Gran who thought to help out two desert children. But you couldn't be children forever, and there comes a time where the bird must leave the nest..
A day hotter than the devil's breath, and here you were, stuck feedin' the damn hens. That damn sun just looovved tauntin' you with its slow pace—shining extra, extra hard on ya sweaty nape. Could stars hate? 'Cause it sure felt like this one hated you. The bag of feed was half done, thank god; wouldn't be long till ya rush back to the sweet shade's mercy. Maybe Gran will also catch some mercy on your soul and let you mill about rest of the day. Work on the farm aint nothin' easy. Somethin' cold brushed against your neck, causin' ya to whip 'round like a dustdevil, ready to flail the perpetrent. You were met with the muzzle of a gun, all in ya space, tilted down towards your loose collar.
Yet there was no shock or fear from you. You grumbled and shrugged it off, yelling at your 'offender'. "Watch where ya pointing the damn thing!"
"Aw, come now, Pipsy, you know it ain't even loaded!" His voice was light, smile full of that boyish mischief you doubt he'd ever lose. Caleb twirled this gun of his 'round and 'round in his hands, placing it back in his makeshift holster built from leather scraps he scavenged from the butchers. It was the only thing the two of you had on ya before Gran found y'all. You let him have it—even if you knew that out of the two of you, you were the better shot. "One day, you gon' catch yourself in a hole cause of that thing. Pointin' at people willy nilly.." "Then I'll just holler at ya for a rope, aint that right?"
You scoffed and turned your head back to the hens, all of them chickens huddled around you, pecking away the food you threw out to them. A sneaky hand ran down your arm and grabbed the feed right off ya.
"I think the ladies would prefer me to feed em. You ought to get inside to cool off. Lookin' redder than a desert flower out here Pipsy."
You thought to object, not wantin' to look incapable, but who were you to deny a load off your back? Fact of the matter is, you'd been up since daybreak with chores. You knew you had to, pay back the act of kindess the ol lady showed you all those years ago, but that sure won't stop you from complaining... "Fine, do what you want.." You dusted your hands of any crumbs before turning to walk back inside.
"You're welcome yknow?" He called out to you, all teasing-like. You scoffed. "Thanks Dummy.. appreciate it.." You mumbled your gratitude, not looking him in the eye while walking off. He let out a low, robust chuckle, "Anytime pipsy, anytime."
His words always hung in the air like molasses.
The door creaked like a banshee when you opened it. Poor thing needed a good polish, hell or ya'll just needed a new door. You reckoned the house was older than Gran herself, looked like it too. The wood groaned with each step. Your Gran's voice rang out at the sound. "Just in time hun', get in here." Her voice, while fragile, had the liveliness of an old record. You headed to the kitchen, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from your face. "What's goin' on Gran?" You ask, a thin layer of worry weaved in your voice. You always were the apprehensive sort, couldn't be helped. "Oh, none of that on your face, you darn worrywart! I got good news for the both of ya!" She beckoned you closer with her hand as she sat near the kitchen table. In her hands were letters, mighty formal ones.
Ya'll weren't the type for letters.
Upon seeing the smile on your gran's face you ease up, slapping the towel on the counter as you approach. You took a seat next to her, shuffling forward in curiosity as she slides the paper, real slick, to your side. You picked it up, rubbing your fingers against the material. It was of mighty fine quality, the kind that don't belong in these parts. Your name was plastered on the front in fancy hand. You could barely make out the individual letters. The whole thing reeked of uppity baloney..
That is till you saw the sender on the dotted line.
"Gran.. is this.. from the Bounty Hunter's guild?!" Your head shot up to her smug grin, face in disbelief.
She leaned back in her chair, "Now I know 'cause you two are all soft on me that you'll never just up and leave but I think its time these birdies flew the coop! Youve stayed here long enough, helpin an old woman like me out. So I pulled some strings and got you both tickets out of here."
"Oh Gran!" You nearly jumped over the damn table to pull the old lady into a boa constrictor hug, rattling all happy.
"That's enough girl! You and your lethal gratitude, I'll take a thank you next time!" She gawked in your arms yet unable to hide the warm affection as she pet your arm. You only responded with a laugh, clinging on to her side like a monkey to a mama. Your commotion dragged in Caleb, who peeked his mop of hair through the door. "What's the ruckus gals?" "Get in here! Look at this!"
Caleb approached cautiously and you shoved your fancy piece of mail in his face, waving it out at him. He grabbed your hand and held it steady to read off the envelope. You forgot how big his hands had gotten, they easily wrapped around your fingers with plenty room to spare.. Upon reading the envelope, his eyes widened as he darted his gaze from the envelope to your face, speechless. "There's one for you too young man." Gran slid the other envelope towards the pair of ya. This one had a more homey-feel, with stripes and the desert dust coating the outside. Caleb grabbed it before you could catch a glimpse, he held it up to his face, intently reading the cover. "Ol Dale at the Ranch is looking for cowboys for the upcoming herding season. Told him I had a fine lad for him and he agreed to take you." Caleb was quiet, which surprised you. You expected him to burst into joy and trample the rest of ya into a hug. When he finally looked up, his eyes were serious.
"Gran, what if something were to happen while we weren’t here. You can't handle the farm by yourself."
Oh, you hadn't thought of that. Gran shook her head, waving her hand to dismiss it.
“It ain’t like I’m sending you to the end of the world hun, I know you’ll visit till I’m sick of ya. I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t let yall be on your selves before I leave this world.”
“Gran, don’t say that!” You cried out, holding her tightly once again in a instant.
“But it’s the truth sweetpea. I’m getting old. I might even have to sell the ranch soon if that Doctor Zayne down town gots any truth to him. So I’d rather you go out now while you have a place to come back to.”
She looked between the two of you, eyes softening at the woeful expressions you shared.
"I'll hire some farmhands after you leave, you don't need to worry about me. Just go out there and make me proud.
You glanced at Caleb, whose furrowed eyebrows eased up, a conclusion being drawn up in his head, as he approached Gran from the other side—squatting down to massage her withered hands in his calloused ones.
"Thank ya for doing this Gran. I'll do my best to do you proud" He looked up at you. "Guess I'll have to call you a hunter from now on. No more pipsy." His voice was light-hearted but there was a tang of gloom to it.
You were still feeling restless about all the change but ya still shot him a confident smile. "Damn right cowboy."
"You ain't a bounty hunter yet though, pipsy."
"You both got a week till you set off. I asked my friends to give me reports on how you both'll be doing so don't go wrecking havoc!"
"No promises." Caleb mused as he walked by, waving his letter like it was some winnin' lottery ticket. You turned to Gran, sheepishly.
"... so I don't gotta do my chores this week, right?"
"Go wash them dishes."
That night, sleep itself was a dream. You were too anxious to be relaxing. So you lied awake in your room, staring at the planks of the ceiling, counting each nail. It was hard to think of a world outside this little house, outside of gran, outside of Caleb. You rarely went through town yet now you'd be off on hunts through god knows where with god knows who?
Still, a part of you was eager to do it, to ride through deserts chasing outlaws, gun in hand and wind in your hair like it was the most natural thing to ya. Saving people out there, just like someone had saved you all those years ago.
The thoughts swirled around in your mind like the wind in a typhoon. Whenever you got like this, there was always one way to help.
Before you knew it, you were outside Caleb's door, hand hesitating to knock. He was probably sleeping, it was awfully late.
Not wanting to leave just yet, you pressed your ear to the door. Nothing, he had to be asleep. But you didn't want to leave just yet. "Caleb?" You whispered against the door, not wanting to wake him up.
The door opened before you could even finish, giving you an awful start as you tumbled forward. Your forehead thunked against his chest.
"Good god! What, were you waiting by the damn door?!"
His hands fells on your shoulders, bringing you back up so you could see his sly lil smile..
"Had a feeling you'd come around. I couldn't sleep either." He admitted, eyes shrouded by the dark. Yet, you were already feeling better, calmer. All you needed was the warmth of his grip, that familiar feel.
"..I'm guessing it's.. cause of all this?"
"Likely, lots of things are gonna change from now on.. for the betta or worse."
He finally let go, keeping his hands at his sides while stepping back to let you in.
There was a mutual understanding between the two of you, written in routine as you made your way in, plopping down on the foot of his bed with a heavy sigh.
He leaned against the wall, amused. You tried to return some of that easy demeanor of his but that god awful dread ate away.. till you couldn't help but spill some out on him.
“Is.. is this the right decision? Leaving.. here.”
The question stuck to the walls like sap on a tree. He tilted his head back in thought. Didn't seem to take too long though:
"Don't matter, we gotta do it."
“What ya mean?”
"Our lives didn't start in this house, and it sure as hell aint gonna end in it. You didn't think we'd stay here forever didya?"
You looked up at him earnestly.
“I know but.. this.. We won’t be seeing each other much either.”
You could make out the corners of his lips curve down into a tight frown. He went silent. The room did too, till it felt like it was eating away atya
"We'd be traveling all the time. I'll be off hunting, youll be out exploring the frontiers. Hell.. it might even be years between seein' each other"
“No… not if I can help it. I won't let it." He firmly states, causing you to look up at him. He returned your gaze with a steely resolve, thick feet making their way to you till he stood before you.
We'll see each other all the time. I know it. You know why? Because in the end, it’ll always be me and you. No amount of distance can change that.”
You could only keep looking, a bit dazed by the intensity swirling in those dusky eyes. “Ain’t that right…”
"Our bond runs thick. Thicker than blood. You know that. I'm sure It’ll pull me to wherever you are. So don’t go crazy with all your worries and focus on that dream of yours. You’ll need all the passion you can get to turn this lil body into a crime-fighting hunter.”
“Hey! Nun of that now, we both know you’d tie yourself up in a lasso before catchin' any cows. Well, I'm sure a big bounty hun'er like me can drop by to help an ol cowboy like you.”
“I suppos' that's the spirit." He laughed, soundin' exactly like thick tumbleweed hitting the sand. He sat next to you, both of ya staring at each other till both ya fell against the covers, eyes still locked. You loved looking at his eyes. you just wondered what he saw in yours. "How about this, anytime one of us gets that homesickness, they go hunt for the other one." "If we do that, you'd be too busy lookin' for me to do your darn job." "Aw pipsy, come now, you aint gonna start lookin' for me?" "I doubt you'd be too far from me. Clingy fella like you." "Oh, you thinkin' I'm clingy? I'll show you clingy!" Before you could gasp in protest, he wrapped his arms around your waist and rolled the two of you around, ruffling the sheets. "Alright, stop now, enough!" You objected, thrashing in his viper-like grip. He could outhug a damn bear! Finally, he stopped his wild attack. With you, atop him. His arms now loosely wrapped about you. You could feel that warmth of his heating up the pads of your hands and the length of your body, fighting a battle with the cold night air. You couldn't meet his eyes, feeling the odd weight of something in your chest that only burrowed deeper when you acknowledged him. But you can damn well feel his eyes on you.
He pulled you in, heads nuzzling together, taking up any space there was between them. His voice was right next to your ear, tingling the curve with each saccharine word.
"Guess you're right.. I am a pretty clingy fella.."
Before you could snidely remark, you were shut up by his hands moving up along your back, pushing in the curves of your body so you could be even closer together. The pressure was at just the right measurement to push out all the churning in your gut, the apprehension. You relaxed, against your will.
"But you're being too easy to cling on to.." "Well- if I wasn't so damn tired.." You stifled a yawn but couldn't stop yourself from resting your head against him. He chuckled, softly, as his hand pushed your hair to a comfortable side so it didn't get caught between the two of you. "Go on now an' sleep, we'll see what happens tomorrow. Together." You hummed in acknowledgement, the conciousness being pulled out of you by his comforting grip and warm body. Your eyes drooped close with caleb's sun-dried scent being the last thing you catch before snoring off.
You didn't catch the little flex of his hand as it found a safe place to rest, nor the deep inhale against your hair. You didn't catch the promises and confessions he whispered to himself nor the brush of his lips against your neck as he too fell towards sleep. Come what may, you'd always have Caleb. He'd make sure of that.
[Author's Note] COWBOY CALEB SAY IT WITH ME FOLKS, COWBOY CALEEBB!!1!! YEEHAW! If Infold isn't doing it, you bet your two cents I am! I tried to put a Western spin on the existing lore of Caleb, 'cause what would we be without our GOD-GIVEN ANGST! The results are a similar sequence in the main story but with that western flair. Ngl.. I started this before I fell off LADS with the rise of the psuedo incest trope between Caleb and MC in the english version. Wanted to finish it but I fear I will no longer be writing for Caleb. No shame if you do still enjoy Caleb!!