Warnings (all the story): Not scarecrows. Mentions of past alcohol abuse. A.A. meetings. Fluff. Bad language. Smut. Dirty talk. Oral sex. P in V. Happy Ending.
Words: 25.380
Summary: John want to start a new life and and you are one of the people who help him.
Taglist: if you want to be in this story taglist let me know!
N/A: I have added alcohol abuse because in the movie it's implied that John has a problem with alcohol. It's something very vague, but they mention it a couple of times and it caught my attention so I wanted to include it in the story.
N/A 2: There won't be a wife and kids like in the movie, but Mary and Lindsey will appear.
N/A 3: I added the Greene family to the story because Hershel also had alcohol problems and I wanted him to have them as a support besides his own sponsor.
N/A 4: I have put John's age as forty years old because the movie is from 2009 and in that year Norman was that age, so John will be that age too.
The Many Faces Of Norman Reedus - John Rollins, Messengers 2: The Scarecrow
Summary: A series of short one-shots based on different characters portrayed by Norman Reedus. John Rollins is tired of the constant struggle to make ends meet, but the reader offers him a little comfort.
Pairing: John Rollins x Reader
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1,384
Check out my bio for a link to my Masterlist!
Author’s Note: The first instalment of this little series that has been inspired by some of Norman’s work, other than TWD. I’ve been unwell and spent the past week or so crashed out on the couch, watching some of his movies. And, good or bad, I’ve fallen in love with pretty much every character. Hence my decision to try and write something for my faves. I’m keeping the Masterlist chronological, but I won’t be writing them in any sort of order, so don’t pay too much attention to that. And, if you’re looking for the Masterlist, it will be under The Walking Dead > Series, just to make things easier. I mean, Norman is basically Daryl, right? Made sense to me.
Anyway, this is my little drabbley one-shot for John Rollins from Messengers 2, based on a scene from the film. For the purpose of this, his wife has left him and run off with Tommy - if you know, you know. I actually really liked this movie - the shots across the cornfield were so pretty, and I liked Norman playing a daddy. Although he looks so damn young for his age at this point that he does not look old enough to play the father of Claire Holt (Vampire Diaries, anybody?). Also, I grew up on a farm, so I guess the struggle spoke to me a little. We didn’t have any creepy scarecrows though. I really hope you enjoy these little one-shots, and thank you for taking the time to check them out. Enjoy!
*****
The evening breeze whispered through the rows of corn, parched leaves swaying to and fro and casting dancing shadows over the dry earth. The landscape was crying out for rain, the busted water pump only adding insult to injury as long hours of hard work went to waste, the crops withering away before your eyes. You shut the blinds on the view, unable to watch your lover’s livelihood die, and instead turned towards where he sat on the couch, hunched over the coffee table as he flicked through a mounting pile of bills, punching numbers into a calculator. He’d spent the past few nights the same way, trying to figure out how to make your limited funds stretch a little further, but you could tell by the quiet huffs falling from his lips that it wasn’t going well. In truth, you thought he should try talking to Mary, asking her if he could owe her the child support he paid every month without fail. She’d left him, after all, when he’d been struggling, took the kids and moved in with a man with more than enough in the bank to support them. But you knew it was a matter of pride, that it was the one payment he would never miss, so, instead, you went weeks on end without electricity until you could scrape together enough to get it reconnected, lived on meagre rations, and spent every day toiling in the field, trying to coax the failing crops back to life.
John’s broad shoulders were rigid with stress as he sighed again, and you went to him, crawling onto the cushions behind him so you could press yourself against his back, wrapping your arms around his waist and tracing nonsense patterns over the faded fabric of his shirt.
“Hey, y’know I gotta do this.” He hated being interrupted when his head was full of numbers, of course you knew that, but his voice lacked any of its usual conviction, diluted by exhaustion and a sense of hopelessness that seemed to have permeated the very bones of him. So, rather than letting go and moving aside as you usually would, you just held him tighter, resting your head on the firm plane of his shoulder blade and smiling softly as it shifted and flexed beneath your cheek.
“Have the numbers changed since yesterday?”
“No, but-”
“So, no magical solutions have presented themselves?”
“Y/N…”
“C’mon, John,” you whispered, and you felt the moment he gave in, sinking back and sandwiching you between his tense body and the back of the couch. “You’ve gotta give yourself a break, baby. You’re gonna drive yourself mad.”
“M’letting you down,” he mumbled, the words so low that you barely made them out, though you could feel the vibrations of them through your chest. “Promised myself I wouldn’t. Promised myself I’d find a way to fix things. Already drove away one woman I loved.”
“Well, this one isn’t going anywhere,” you assured him, and your fingers found the knots in his neck, tight with tension, and began to work them out with firm, unforgiving strokes. He resisted for a moment longer, and then he melted against you, reaching back to part your legs so he could fall between them and let his head loll into the crook of your neck. His scruff was longer than you thought you’d ever seen it, taking care of himself so low on his priority list these days that he never made the time for things like grooming, but you liked the way it looked, the scratch of it against your skin. You only wished that it wasn’t a physical indication of his mental anguish. “I’ve told you before and I’ll keep telling you until you believe me: I love you, John Rollins. I chose this life with you, and I will stand by that choice every single day. We’re in this together.”
You felt him nod, chapped lips pressing a kiss to the column of your throat. “Y’know, I prayed today?”
There was a lot you could have said to that. When you’d first met the farmer, Church on Sundays had been a staunch part of his routine, so deeply ingrained that you’d known it’d be a deal breaker if you weren’t in the pew next to him for every service, but, as his struggles had increased, that dedication had fallen away, and you’d hated to see it, hated knowing that he was losing his faith. Now, you weren’t sure if he was talking to God because he was slowly clawing his way back or because he was just so desperate that he would try absolutely anything to improve your situation. “Okay.”
“Asked God if he could smite the crows. Told him how hard I’m trying; how hard we’re fighting to keep our home. And I thanked him.” He moved so you could see his face, piercing blue eyes locked on yours, mouth quirked in such a small smile that you might almost have missed it had it not looked so completely foreign after so many months of his expression naturally falling into a dark scowl. “I thanked the Lord for you.”
Your heartbeat faltered at that, and you dipped your chin so you could kiss him properly, drinking in the taste of him, sweet like the soda pop he drank with dinner. “I’m not so sure he can take the credit for that one,” you teased when you broke away, and his smile grew, a little crooked but undeniably there. “And I’m sure you can think of some better way to thank me.”
“S’that right?”
“Mmhmm.” The next kiss was more heated, and you knew it could lead somewhere beautiful if you let it, but it was still early. If you dragged him to bed now, you knew he’d be back downstairs in a couple of hours, poring over the impossible figures again, so you twisted instead, coaxing him with you until you were both stretched out on the sagging cushions, curling into his side when he invited you in.
“So, what are we gonna do about the birds?” It was dangerous territory, this slight shift in conversation back to the reality of your situation and the murder of black-feathered pests that were eating away any chance you had at making a profit after the harvest.
But, surprisingly, that seemed to be one question that he did have an answer to, and relief swelled in your chest. “I found a scarecrow hidden away in the back of the barn today. I figure, I’ll try putting it up. It won’t be enough to keep the whole field safe but it’s a start.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“Right? S’kinda creepy looking though. Might scare the kids.”
You thought on that for a moment, wondering just how creepy the thing really was and also unable to imagine why it would have been stored away at the back of the barn for so long that John hadn’t even known about it till now. “You’ve got them this weekend, right?”
“Yeah. Mary and Tommy are going out of town.”
“So, why not make one with them, instead? You’ve got plenty of straw up in the old hayloft, and I’m sure there must be some old clothes stashed in the loft that I can dig out. Might be fun, let them put their own twist on it; less scary at any rate.”
“S’not a bad idea.”
“I know.” You craned your neck to brush your mouth over his cheek, nestling in when he shifted even closer and letting your eyes drift closed when he fell quiet, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath your fingers bringing you a sense of peace that you’d been craving for too long. In your mind, you pictured a sunny Saturday afternoon spent stuffing old sacking and patched up sweatpants until they were stiff and rotund, balancing a lopsided hat atop a hessian head, face inked messily in black marker. And you pictured John’s smile as he worked with his kids at his side, dark hair mussed by the exertion, dust clinging to sweat-slick skin. And you knew that, despite the hardships and the uncertainty and the strains of this life you’d built together, you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
*****
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Feedback is always appreciated and reblogs make me happy! 🖤 Thank you for reading x
Here we go again, folks. As always, in no particular order:
Skeleton Singer (Joseph Malone, Hocus Pocus)
I’ve been attracted to this man with no actual character name since the 90s. Gimme a backstage pass. I’ll be ya groupie, you fine ass skeleton. (What should we name him? I think he needs one.)
Dr. Oliver Thredson (Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story :Asylum)
Certainly you all get by now that I have a thing for psychos. Fictional ones, anyway. “Yes, Doctor,” is right up there with “Yes, Professor” and “Yes, Chef.”
Blind Mag (Sarah Brightman, Repo! The Genetic Opera)
Sad mom vibes off the chart. I just want to make her happy, gdi. But also that dress in the scene from the gif? Lord Jesus.
Father Conway (Stephen Lang, Exeter)
I’m a simple woman. I see a hot priest and I instantly want to smash. I saw one in the wild once and as if he were telepathic, he came to talk to me. Sir, I will get weird with you in the bathroom of this taco joint do not even test me.
John Rollins (John Corbett, The Messengers)
He’s clinically thique and kinda yandere? I actually considered writing either a one shot or mini fic about him, ngl. Had it all planned out and everything.
Adrian (Rhys Ifans, Little Nicky)
I’m a slut for the dramatic and flamboyant type. Pull all the theatrics on me. I’m ready for it. Leggo.
Habit (Evan Jennings, Everymanhybrid)
I seriously debated on this one because Habit does it for me like you would not believe. But also, it’s Evan that’s playing him. Evan who types in all caps irl and put his birthday wrong on FB. Fuck it, Habit’s hot.
Paul (Michael Pitt, Funny Games)
I’m so weak for Michael Pitt, and watching him as Paul really gets the engine going, namean? Fourth wall breaks and all. Just jump out that screen, it’s fine.
Seok Woo (Gong Yoo, Train to Busan)
Hot dad. Hot dad. HOT. DAD. I wouldn’t mind fending off zombies with him. We could take a little break and, uh, relieve stress.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Kevin Richardson, BSB: Everybody)
THIS COUNTS. This totally counts. This video is still so hot lmao. Dancing and all. I’ll probably use all of them at some point, but Kevin came to mind first. His skin looks a little aquatic? I like it.
I'm here again with a new story, like I said in the masterlist post, I come with a story about John Rollins from Norman's movie Messengers 2: The Scarecrow.
I'm a little nervous because it's the first time I'm writing about John and more a mini-series like this, it's a little shorter than my previous Daryl mini-series "Your Name."
I apologize in advance if the story sounds strange or boring, the first few chapters are a bit of a set up for our man, but after that, I hope, the story is a bit more entertaining and interesting.
I'll make a little note at the end too to explain few things about the chapter.
I hope you'll like it.
Enjoy!
The Farmer Masterlist.
*************
The Farmer.
John Rollins(40)x FemReader(30).
Mini series. John POV.
Chapter 1.
Warnings in the whole story: Not wife, not children al least not like the film. Mentions of alcohol abuse. AA reunions. Domestic habits. Fluff. Smut.
Warnings: New beginings, mentions of past alcohol abuse. A.A reunions.
Words: 4000 aprox.
N/A: this film is from 2009 so Norman at that time was 40 years old, so John will be that age too.
N/A2: I'm not going to make a taglist for now, if you want me to add you to the story, let me know!
Summary: John left his life in the city just to start again.
**************
Part 1.
*********
John stops the van at the entrance to the house. His eyes squint due to the sun as he looks out of the car towards the house and the land that opens up before him. He sighs a long sigh before turning off the engine and getting out of the van. It's been a while, but he lived much of his childhood and youth on a similar farm with his parents, of course at that time he had to worry about a lot less things, but it couldn't be that hard.
It has been a long trip there, with tiredness he looks at the back of his car and feels some sorrow, all his life fits in a couple of suitcases and a sports bag, no doubt it is something sad if he stops to think about it, but he needed that. He needed to leave, to change of scenery, to give another sense to his life. To start from scratch.
He sold his house in the city, with that he could buy that old house next to the land and he still has something saved from his savings from his own work and an extra from the sale of the house, until he finds a job and to prepare the land.
"You're leaving?" His mother's voice sounded concerned when John went all the way home to tell them of his plans.
"I need to..."
"John, you know if you have any problems, we can give you a hand."
"It's nothing like that, but it all reminds me of... what I was before, I need a fresh start." He shrugged and his father nodded in understanding.
"Do you need us to help you with the move or something?"
"No, it's not necessary, I sold the house and they gave me a little extra for leaving the furniture there, so... I'll just take some clothes and the van, I need the car to load with everything I'm going to buy for the land..."
"Do you know if you have machinery there, if there is furniture in that house?"
"I don't know, Dad, I'm not worried now, really, I'll be fine." He scratched the back of his neck and shrugged.
"Okay, I'm sorry, I don't mean to pressure you, I'm just worried."
"I know." He nodded and hugged his mother warmly.
John grabs his bags from the van heading straight for the house, he pulls his keys out of his pocket and carefully opens it, the door creaks accompanied with his push to get in. The house is huge, he has to admit, a house divided into two floors, upstairs there are four bedrooms with a full bathroom, downstairs, linked all by wooden stairs, he has a living room, a dining room next to the kitchen, a guest room and a small bathroom, the porch surrounded the large part of the front of the house and in the kitchen he has a back door to the back garden. The land is large and he has a little sketch in his mind of how he wants to partition each space for his own consumption and sale. Next to the house is a barn where John hopes to find tools and some machinery to help him plow the land.
"This is huge..." He whispers leaving the bags with his clothes in the guest room, for the moment he will only use the first floor of the house.
He investigates a little, he is not in a hurry, the house in general is fine, it needs some repairs, but nothing exaggerated, nor too expensive, so he is calmer. He leaves the house walking straight to the barn. He opens the huge doors and sighs with relief, there is a tractor inside, also tools, somewhat old, even some rusty, but he doesn't care, he can work with the tractor for the moment.
"Alright buddy, tell me things about yourself." He talks to the vehicle opening the hood to make sure it's all right.
John has previously worked in a shop repairing cars and motorcycles, a tractor is a little more complicated, but he recognizes what he's doing, so he hopes he can make it work.
The engine roars, black smoke billows from the exhaust and John smiles in satisfaction as he wipes the oil from his hands with a handkerchief, old and years out of use it was a bit clogged, but finally it has come back to life. He stops the engine again and leaves the barn glancing at his watch, it's still early, maybe he could take the opportunity to do some shopping and investigate a little around town. He washes his hands at the kitchen faucet and is thankful that he has already been given the water and electricity for the house.
He drives to the nursery where he can buy everything he needs for his land, in addition to requesting the water supply so he can irrigate everything he starts to cultivate and take care of. He parks the van in the parking lot of the store looking around, it is a fairly large greenhouse, not only do they sell grain for planting or vegetables, they also have fruit trees, shrubs and ornamental trees, flowers and pots for gardens. An older man walks past him carrying a box and a long list of everything he wants to buy and John smiles, he must hurry or he will be left with nothing.
"Good morning." He greets as he enters the store and you lift your head from your papers. Your gazes connect and you smile kindly.
"Good morning, can I help you with anything?" you offer politely.
"I'm John Rollins, I've moved into the old Moonson family farm." He explains and you nod. "I'd like to know where I need to apply for irrigation water discharge and how the rates work for crops?"
"Of course." You smile again and introduce yourself as well, dig through some drawers and hand him a form. "Here, you have to fill this out for me for the water issue, we can manage it from here if that's okay with you and I'll go talk to my boss for a moment about the rates."
"Great, thanks." He takes the form and steps aside so as not to disturb the people shopping.
You leave it there going to your boss's office who is on the phone with some supplier, you wait a few minutes and when he looks at you, you move forward a few steps.
"Robert, a new customer has come in, he says he has bought the Moonson's farm and wants the discharge for irrigation water."
"Good, you know how it works, show him the irrigation schedule, explain how it works and make him a farmer's rate." He drafts you and you nod mentalizing it. "Does he come alone? Wife? Children?"
"I-I didn't notice..." You stammer as you haven't noticed if he's wearing a ring or not.
"I hope so, for if he's alone we won't have much benefit. Remember him to give you a bank account, no paying in cash."
His words surprise you, you never thought your boss saw people as mere numbers. You apologize to him and leave him to his business to go back to the store. John has finished filling out the paperwork and you gesture for him to join you at the side of the counter.
"Okay, so this is the watering schedule." You explain showing him the papers and taking the form. "We can give you water on Tuesdays and Fridays...you don't need to turn on the water every day if you don't need it, the rate doesn't vary..." You explain and he nods.
"Okay, no problem, I have a raft with which I can dose the water."
"Perfect, I see it's not the first time." You joke and he smiles.
"My parents had a farm, I helped harvest, but I never worried about...well, the paperwork."
"I understand." You smile again and write down on the side of the form some numbers. "Are you going to work the land for consumption or...?"
"For both, I don't have anything prepared yet, but I wanted to get everything ready for when I started moving everything." You nod. "I want to put some corn, fruit tree and for my consumption a vegetable garden with vegetables. From what I make from the corn and fruit I'd like to be able to sell some things."
"Okay, in that case we'll make you a farmer's rate, you'll get a discount for trees you buy and if you want to sell your harvest here we'll give you a percentage of the profit."
"Great, sounds good, I hope I don't kill it all on the first day." He jokes and you let out a gentle chuckle.
"Don't worry, if you need help, near your farm is the Greene's, Hershel is a very kind man and I'm sure he could let his worker Jimmy help you with the field." You offer and John smiles gratefully. "Well, on the other hand I would need a bank account... the other stuff there is no problem paying cash when you buy it, but the water fee should be by bank transfer."
"I understand, I can give you my details tomorrow, it's all new and I don't have it here..."
"No problem, you can take the form home and bring it to me tomorrow, it's Wednesday, so if you bring it to me tomorrow, by Friday you could already have water if you need it." You explain and John nods. "Anyway if you should have any problems and need water outside of your days, you call us and we give notice to whoever is on that day with the water and then call you back so you can use it."
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind." He feels a little relief that things don't seem too complicated, at least at first. "One more thing, it's not about the lands..."
"Sure, tell me about it." You look at him worriedly.
"Do you know where I can find an A.A. group?" he asks you in a whisper and you're surprised for a second, but then bite your lip hesitantly.
"I think there are meetings like that at city hall...you can ask there about schedules, s-sorry, I don't know much else."
"No, no, that's okay, the city hall?" He insists and you nod. "Okay, I'll stop by there now, thank you very much."
"Take it easy, and welcome Mr. Rollins."
John looks at you for a second, but then nods goodbye and walks out of the greencenter with the papers in his hands. He's been checking the place out while he's been waiting for you and has discovered some things that look interesting to him, he's looking forward to getting the soil ready and getting everything ready to start growing. He sits in the van and his heart skips a beat when his phone starts ringing. He rolls his eyes as he reads the name on the screen and picks up.
"I'm fine..." He greets squeezing the bridge of his nose.
"I know, but you haven't called me, you told me you'd call me as soon as you got here." Another man's voice slips through the new farmer's ear.
"I just got here a little while ago." He lies biting his lip. "I've been dropping off the bags at home and...some things."
"You're getting the farm ready already?"
"Sort of, I've fixed the old tractor and just got out of the garden house, discharged for irrigation water, well, I'm on it..." He explains and starts the truck pulling out of the parking lot.
"What about the meeting, do you know anything about that?"
"I'm on it too, I asked a girl who works at the garden center and she told me to go over to city hall." He says again and hears a murmur on the other end. "I'm fine, Mark." He shrugs even though he knows the other man can't see him. "I'm just taking it easy, that's all."
"I know you need your time, John, don't get me wrong, but you need those meetings."
"I know, I'm on my way there, okay? But I needed to do this first, I'm... I'm happy about this." He hones in and hears the man sigh.
"Call me, okay? With anything, you know I'm always here." Mark says again. "If you find another sponsor..."
"I'll let you know, but I don't feel ready for that right now." He reassures him by parking near city hall.
John says goodbye and promises to call him when he leaves the first meeting and then enters the huge building. He looks around the room, there is a woman at the front desk who greets him with a friendly smile, which he responds to and walks over to her. The woman settles into the chair as John reaches her desk.
"Good morning." He greets and she reciprocates. "I wanted to know if you could direct me to the A.A. meeting times." The woman's gesture changes dramatically and John swallows feeling like an animal about to be bludgeoned. She reaches into her drawers for something and hands him a sheet of paper with the program times and days. "Thank you very much." He waves goodbye walking away
"Why do they always have to be the best looking ones?" He hears her say before the door closes behind her back.
John goes back to the farm to finish filling out the form you gave him earlier at the garden center. He has to look up the number of his new bank account, even that has changed, when the day came to buy the house, after paying the Moonson sons he went to the bank and opened an account right there to deposit what he had left over from the purchase then he had put the bank book in the glove compartment of the car and had almost forgotten about it. Biting the cap of the pen, he writes the numbers in the corresponding boxes and looks at the form several times. There is a small box marked 'remarks' and John jots down a couple of things. He takes a folder out of one of the suitcases and keeps the form there and leaves it on the table, first thing tomorrow morning he will go back to the nursery to get it all sorted out.
His eyes travel to the A.A. program, he picks it up and reads it several times, there are different meetings almost every day, for the moment John is not tied to a particular schedule, so he can come whenever he needs to, that evening, at six o'clock there is a meeting, so he writes it down in his head and gets up from the sofa. He has to eat something, it's almost time.
*******
He leaves the van in front of the supermarket and when he enters the store the stares fall on him. He gets goose bumps, he knows he will end up getting used to it, after all he is new in town and everyone knows it.
He's not a master chef, but he buys enough to get by for a few days, the good thing about being just him is that if he burns something, he can't complain. A small smile tugs at his mouth at his own thoughts before he drops a tray of meat into the cart he pushes absentmindedly through the aisles of the supermarket.
"Jimmy's bringing a friend to the farm this afternoon, do you want to come?" John hears a voice and stops his cart in time before he crashes.
"Oh, sorry." You apologize, you were talking to Beth and you weren't even coming where you were going. Realizing who it is, you smile. "Hello, Mr. Rollins."
"Please, John it's okay, I'm not that old and I don't think we have much of an age difference." He jokes and you laugh with a nod. Beth looks at you curiously.
"Excuse me, Beth this is John Rollins, he's the one who bought the Moonson farm. John, this is Beth Greene, I told you about her farm this morning." You remind him and he nods.
"Right, it's a pleasure." He smiles kindly and shakes hands with the young blonde who seems to blush.
"Have you settled in at the farm yet?" you ask curiously.
"I'm on it, yes, I didn't think the house would be so big when I came to buy it, but it's fine, it's all very quiet."
"I'm sure you and your wife will soon fill it up and your children will enjoy the land." Dares Beth to say, you give her a sidelong glance as you watch the man's countenance change.
"Yeah, sure, someday." He smiles forcedly. "For the time being I might get a dog or two to keep me company." He tries to take the tension out of the moment and you both let out a chuckle.
"They're good company too." You joke at the same time and wave goodbye. "Let's keep shopping or your dad will send Jimmy after us. See you John." You wave goodbye and he waves his hand.
"See ya." He waves goodbye to go on with his own shopping, changing aisles.
"He's pretty cute, don't you think?" Beth's voice reaches his ears, but not your response, a small amused smile forms on his mouth as he continues to push his cart. His finger caresses his ring finger and he averts his gaze to his own hand.
He's not married, he tried, but things didn't turn out well. John is not stupid, he knows it didn't go well because of his problem, everything started to twist and fall apart, he could have tried later, when the program saved his life, but no one waits for so long and he didn't ask for it either, so that was also one of the reasons he needed to get away from everything he knew. Now, after several years alone, he is not worried about his singleness, he is at peace with himself and is still learning to value himself so he is in no hurry to find someone.
*****
He's nervous, it's like the first time he stepped foot in a meeting, only now he can stand and his breath and clothes don't smell of cheap beer and pee. He sits in one of the chairs when the doors open and shakes his leg nervously as he fiddles with his hands. The group consists of about fifteen people, both women and men greet and talk to each other, that place is safe for everyone and it is clear that many have been going to these meetings for a long time. An older man of more than sixty years old gets on the lectern and speaks for everyone, he makes a short introduction explaining how it all works, greets the usual people and mentions the newcomers, then he tells some things about himself and gives way to other companions. John listens to each story curiously, chewing his inner cheek, debating on whether or not he needs to come up himself.
"What if the new guy shows up, are you ready, son?" The man's voice brings him out of his thoughts and he hesitates for a second, but finally nods rising from his chair.
Apparently they've decided for him.
He walks over to the lectern and stares at the people, no one is looking at him with suspicion and disapproval, there is curiosity and confusion, but they are not judgmental stares, everyone there is guilty of something, so everyone is open minded, or trying to be. John clears his throat before speaking.
"Hi, I'm John and I'm an alcoholic." He introduces himself and everyone greets him. "I...well as you all may know, I'm new here; not only to the program, but to the town as well. I bought Moonson Farm and I'm trying to start from scratch." He recounts and bites his lip again. "As I was listening to your stories I was debating whether I should say something or wait for another day, but I guess thinking like that is what brought me here, thinking that tomorrow would all work out better than yesterday and finding out that tomorrow was no better option if nothing is done to try..." He whispers and sees some people nod their heads in understanding. "I didn't know whether to speak because... I'm calm, I'm starting a new life, after five years sober I've decided I need this, it's a big step and I'm fine, I feel calm." Some applaud and congratulate him. "But I think that's what I'm afraid of; the calm, what will happen when I'm home alone, what will happen when my head starts to think too much and there's no one there to tell me what to do? I know I'm not a child, that I can decide and act for myself, but this disease..." He pauses for a second and sees that his fingers are scratching the wood of the lectern and realizes how nervous he is. "I'm afraid that this calm is the announcement of a storm that I myself won't be able to stop and everything will disappear..." He finally confesses and steps down from the lectern looking at the tips of his sneakers. He feels his chest going a mile a minute, but his men relax, his body is no longer so heavy, as if he has been freed from a burden.
After people say their goodbyes, John helps clear the room, setting up the chairs on one side of the room as he munches on a sandwich someone has prepared for the meeting. He almost feels as if nothing has changed, as if he's in a meeting with his usual buddies.
"Hello." He hears next to him and the older man, Hershel, looks at him with kind eyes. "So you've bought the old farm."
"That's right... I still have a lot to do, but I really hope it's not as hard as it looks." He jokes and the man hums.
"If you need help, my farm is a little down the road from yours, I can send some of my guys to help you." He offers.
"Thanks, but for the moment I want to try it alone."
"Of course, I didn't mean to offend you...if you ever need to talk, outside the program and outside the farm, I'd be happy to share you a cup of coffee."
"Thanks, Hershel, I'll keep that in mind."
John says goodbye to the group and leaves the building lighting a cigarette, it's the only drug he can afford, he's not a regular smoker but when the smoke sears his lungs he feels a little better, he savors it before letting it go out very slowly between his lips. He still feels his hands shaking a little as he picks up the phone and walks to the van. She only has to wait two rings until Mark picks up.
"I thought you were going to ignore me again." He waves him off and John rolls his eyes.
"I told you I'd call you after the meeting, since when are you so dramatic?"
"Since forever and I'm offended that you don't know it." He jokes and the two men snort. "How did it go?"
"Fine, I think, I'm still shaking." He hones in by putting his hands free and tossing his cigarette out the window. "I'm still a kid learning to walk..."
"Give yourself time, John, you've made great progress these past five years and change is always hard on us."
"I know, but I decided this change, that's supposed to make it easier."
"It's supposed to, but it's different for us." She tries to cheer him up a little. "How did it go?"
"Well, things don't change, I guess, but it's been easier than the first time, certainly." He hears Mark laugh on the other end of the line. "I've been offered help with the farm and to have a coffee and a chat, in case I need it."
"That sounds interesting, any girls?"
"What, no." A laugh escapes him. "Hershel, I think he's the oldest in the program. His farm isn't too far from my house." He explains and parks the truck as he pulls up.
"Well, that's good, always look for the oldest to give you the best advice."
"I already did that with you." He jokes. "I told you I don't plan on getting someone else at the moment, if I can call you when I have a crisis..."
"You know I'm always available, John, you don't have to ask."
"Thanks Mark."
He says goodbye to the other man on the phone and gets out of the van. As he opens the door to the house he feels a cold, empty silence greet him, it's still too much for him alone, but he really hopes he can get used to it soon and feel it like home. He spends a couple more hours hanging around the house, he calls his parents to keep them quiet, he is forty years old, but in a way he is also part of the program, his father doesn't ask for too many details, but his mother gives him a lengthy interrogation that leaves him mentally exhausted. Promising to send them some photos of the farm, he bids them both farewell and settles down on the sofa.
His cigarette lights up as he prepares dinner, after all the travel and movement during the day his body feels heavy as a slab. He leaves the empty plate in the kitchen sink, throws the cigarette butt in the ashtray and closes his eyes, settling into the sofa. He doesn't know at what point his brain stops working at full speed and he finally falls asleep.
**
To be Continued...
***
If you've made it this far, I'm glad and hope you liked it!
I decided to include John in an A A meeting because in the movie they give small details that he had problems with alcohol some time ago, they don't talk much about it but it caught my attention and well, I wanted to include it.
We will also see Mary and Lindsey but later on, as I said above that their relationship would be different.
Thanks for your comments and reblogging for the first chapter! If I'm honest I didn't expect that someone read it.
I hope you'll like this one too!!
As I said the firsts chapters are to introduce our man to the story, then the story will go faster.
Enjoy!!
The Farmer Masterlist
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The Farmer.
John Rollins x FemReader.
Mini series. Chapter 2.
Warnings: Domestic life. Awkward moments. Making friends. Slow burn.
Words: 4200.
Summary: John's still trying to fit in his new life. But it's easier when you and his neighbor help him.
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The good thing about anxiety and light sleep is that it allows John to wake up early. Maybe more than necessary, but it's a good excuse to get to work. His body resents and protests the poor posture after falling asleep on the couch. He grunts in pain, rubbing the back of his neck, and makes himself a cup of coffee while washing his face in the bathroom and going back to the planning he has prepared for the farm. He doesn't want to put a very extensive field of corn, because cultivating it requires great use of water and his water is limited, not to mention that he is a beginner and hopes to make some profit for next year, with some crops and fruit trees he is already late, but if he can get them at a good price he will buy them anyway for the next seasons, the orchard he wants to cultivate is the simplest part, for his own consumption he does not need much land, he only has to deal with the weeds, plow the land and prepare the ridges for the irrigation of the vegetables. His eyes then fix on the folder on the table and he makes a mark on the back of his hand to remind himself to take it with him.
After breakfast he leaves the house looking at all the land he has, his first task is to get the tractor out of the barn, he has managed to get it started, now he has to make sure it is working properly and that no part is missing that would prevent him from working. Again the roar of the engine encourages him, he climbs into the huge vehicle and pulls it out of the barn, hidden behind it are several devices that will help him in the task. He doesn't know how long he has been on the tractor, but when he takes a look behind him, he has already managed to till much of the land, he doesn't have much left, so he hurries the last meters of land before leaving the tractor to one side near the barn where he will mount the seeder to go distributing the grains of corn, but first he has to mark how far he wants to expand the area and where he wants to place everything else. Not to mention he needs a power tiller for the orchard area, the tractor is too big and will make furrows he doesn't need, maybe he can buy one at the green house or borrow one from Hershel.
He looks at his watch and is surprised at how quickly the morning has gone by. He quickly goes into the house to take a shower and change his clothes, he can't walk around the dirt and sweat filled town.
**
He parks the van in the nursery like the day before, today it seems that there are not so many people and he feels a strange relief, that they do not see his clumsiness in the subject relaxes him. He takes out the folder with the papers and enters the greenhouse to look for you. Your companions quickly notice him and greet him like a normal customer, but their eyes follow him as he wanders around the large room, discovering the shelves with fertilizers and herbicides. He'll need that, too, later.
"Good morning, John." You greet him as he returns to the counter and you finish serving another customer.
"Good morning." Your name sounds strange in his ears and mouth, but he tries not to think about it. "I'm bringing you the water discharge form." He explains and you nod, taking the papers he hands you.
"Perfect, with this we can..." You shut up when you discover that in the remarks he has noted that he attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. "T-there was no need for you to put... it doesn't mean that kind of... you're not the only one..." You don't know how to explain and you feel your cheeks redden.
"I know, but it's part of my therapy, my sponsor advised me to always make it clear, I don't introduce myself as 'I'm John, alcoholic' to everyone, but this is like a job, so... I should make it clear." You nod as you understand what he's referring to and smile again downplaying it.
"All right, well, with that we can discharge you. I'll process it today so that you can use it tomorrow."
"Thank you very much, that reminds me that I have to clean the raft." He says wryly and you can't help but chuckle and look at him with mock pity.
"You're in for some rough days." You joke and he agrees with a murmur. "Do you need anything else?"
"I didn't want to take it away so soon, but... Do you have sacks of corn grain? I've started tilling the ground so I'll start planting what I already have ready." It's one of the things to cross off his to-do list and the sooner the better.
"Yeah, sure, do you know how much you're going to need?"
"I'll take a couple of sacks for now, if I need more, I'll be back." He shrugs as he follows you through the huge place to where you have the sacks laid out, there's corn, barley, wheat, even animal feed on the shelves next to it. "Thirty kilos, yes, I think two will be enough." He thinks out loud and helps you put them on a cart to better carry it to the car.
You go back to the main counter, charge him for the sacks of corn and help him load them into the truck. John thanks you once again and you shake your head.
"So... Are you adjusting well?" You ask him curiously.
"For the time being, ask me next week." He jokes rolling his eyes. "I forgot, I need a power tiller for the orchard, do you guys bring machinery?"
"No, sorry..." You tell him sorry for not being able to help him. "But I can ask around, maybe I can find some old model that someone is trying to sell..."
"That would be enough, thanks." He smiles and you shake your shoulders.
"It's nothing, I have your phone number on the form, so if I hear anything, I'll let you know."
John nods again grateful for your attention. You wave goodbye to him as you hear your coworkers call your name and head back to work, the new farmer stands there for a few seconds, before turning around as well and getting into the truck, heading back to his farm.
"So the new guy, huh?" You hear the voice of one of your coworkers and you frown.
"What?"
"That you seem to be getting along with the new guy." She repeats and you stammer for a second.
"I was just giving him a hand." You fight back and pick up the form. "I'm going to sign him up for irrigation so he can get water from the canal tomorrow." You try to ignore your partner's sly smile.
"Do you want to give him a hand with anything else?" You hear the laughter and roll your eyes.
"Shut up already." You whisper trying to concentrate on the form.
**
John feels himself getting dizzy on the tractor. He shakes his head and stops it. He hasn't noticed the time, he's been sitting there in the sun for too long and hasn't eaten anything since first thing in the morning. He doesn't have much time left to finish planting the corn, but he's exhausted, and if he goes on any longer he's afraid he might fall off the tractor.
He turns off the engine, gets out of the vehicle and walks back to the house, turns on the tap of a small sink on the side of the house and wets his forehead and the back of his neck to reduce the heat that runs through his body. When he arrives, he prepares himself something quick and grabs a bottle of water, sitting down on the sofa, feeling his body relax. He doesn't know how long he lays there transfixed but he opens his eyes as the bottle slips from between his fingers and it's already starting to get dark.
"Shit..." He whispers sitting up and picks up the bottle leaving it back in the kitchen, he needs to finish with the tractor, if he gets the water passage tomorrow as you told him that morning, he needs to get everything ready today.
"I see you are getting serious about being a farmer." He listens as he leaves the house, discovering that Hershel is there and seems to be waiting for him. He nods to him and walks down the stairs to join him.
"I haven't done anything serious, just plowing the land a bit and putting out the corn grain." He explains, crossing his arms.
"Not bad for a first day, you've fenced the land." He says as he sees that the tractor is tucked into an area surrounded by some wooden fences.
"Actually it was already fenced in, so I just took advantage of the fact that the area was already limited... Should I fence it all in?"
"Are you going to have animals?" He asks and John shakes his head. "Then it's not necessary, but when the corn starts to grow maybe you should keep an eye on those fences to make sure they resist wild boars that want to come in."
"Thanks." He looks at him relieved and notes the information in his mind. "What are you doing here?"
"Yeah, I got a call this afternoon because someone was looking for a power tiller and I wanted to come over to find out what exactly you need." He smiles kindly and John laughs through his nose. Your name comes to his mind and he thanks you for the help.
"I'm not sure yet, I wanted to start with the strongest thing first and then the whole orchard, I don't want something too big, so..." He shrugs and then laughs. "I don't know what exactly I want to grow either. I'm going to need help with that."
"Don't worry, when you get it all figured out, I can give you a hand with that."
"I'd appreciate it, but I need to finish that first." He points to the tractor.
Hershel snorts understanding the dilemma and weariness the young farmer presents, he gives him a few gentle taps on the back to cheer him up.
"Have you been discharged from irrigation yet?"
"Yes, I brought the form today, one of the girls helped me with it." When he says your name out loud, Hershel smiles under his beard.
"Very well, in that case I'll let you finish so you can leave it watered tomorrow." He bid him farewell. "Will we see you next meeting?"
"Sure, I'll be there." He nods and as Hershel walks away he walks back to the tractor.
**
Water rushes out of the raft tube beginning to fill. John howls with glee as he sees the clean water begin to fill his well and lets it continue to do so, when it is about to fill completely he will open the canal to fill the corn field. Today he is going to focus on the water, he doesn't want to lose a drop or have it overflow from the pond and not notice. He has some papers to sort out so he goes back inside the house listening to the splashing of the water behind him.
The house papers are finally in order, the last bills that were in his name are paid, everything he had in the city finally seems resolved and for a second he feels his heart soar, he is tempted to call Mark to tell him that everything is resolved, that his debts are settled, but he restrains himself, no, he can do this on his own, maybe he will call him later or talk to him at the meeting next week, but not now.
He hears a motor in the street that alerts him. He gets up from the couch walking out to the driveway, a pickup truck parks next to the corn fence. He frowns, the raft isn't full yet, but he takes the opportunity to approach too and opens the channel so that the sprinklers start watering the field. Then you get out of the truck and greet him with a smile.
"Good morning." You say approaching towards him, John relaxes and nods when you are closer.
"Good morning... Is something wrong?" he questions you rubbing his hands against his jeans.
"No, no, Hershel asked me to come and bring you something." You play it cool and point to the back of the vehicle.
John raises an eyebrow curiously, makes sure the water is under control and follows you discovering in the back a power tiller strapped down with several straps so it wouldn't move from the rattling dirt ground. He gasps in surprise and leans against the truck, looking at the tool with curiosity. It may be about five years old, but it's in perfect condition, the blades are still sharp, the wheel hasn't lost any air, there's no rust at first glance and no major parts are missing.
"It's fantastic, but... I don't think I can afford it."
"No need, Hershel says he doesn't need it, at the farm we use a newer model." You explain and climb into the load of the truck to untie the power tiller.
"Are you his daughter?" he asks you as he climbs up too to help you, it's a heavy machine and he doesn't want you to hurt yourself.
"Hershel's? No." A laugh escapes you. "I'm friends with one of his daughters, Maggie, I give them a hand with the animals and the fields." You shrug and between the two of you lower the device to the ground.
"Do you help out in the fields too?" He looks at you in surprise and reaches over to shut off the water as the raft is pretty full and lets it run off into the corn field, then fills it back up. "When do you sleep?" he jokes and you let out a chuckle with a shrug.
"I like it, I do it in my spare time, I'm not always there, and less so now that the winter season is approaching." You laugh again and John watches you silently.
"Hey... Can I ask you a favor?"
"Yeah, sure, tell me."
"I need advice about fruit trees." He gestures to you and you follow him to the other side of the farm. "I want to put all the fruit trees here, peach, almond, some plum, lemon or orange trees, or both..." He bites his nail thoughtfully. "Maybe a hundred of each... What do you think?"
"Not a bad idea... You said you were going to sell some at the nursery, right?" John nods and you mentally do the math. "In that case you should put in two hundred of each... otherwise the production will be too tight for your consumption and then the sale." You explain.
"Can you advise me what will go best for this time of year? Or for this land in general."
"Sure, you can stop by the nursery anytime and we'll look at what we can order, we'll have it all ready for the winter season, which will start in mid-December..." You look at him hesitating a bit as you imagine he would want to get started on something already.
"Uhm and if I buy them now, from those you have in the nursery..."
"They're a bit more expensive, I wouldn't recommend you buy them like that..."
"Ok, then tomorrow I'll come by the nursery."
"Okay, well I've got to get to work now, I'll see you tomorrow, John."
"Yeah, and thanks for bringing me the tiller." He looks at you gratefully, you smile sheepishly as you shake your head and walk back to the truck along with his company. "See you tomorrow." He bids you farewell and lets you leave his farm, following the trail of the car with his eyes.
When the car disappears from his field of vision, John checks the corn field, turns off the water and lets the raft fill completely and pulls his phone out of his pocket to call Mark.
"You remembered me sooner today, I'm flattered." He listens on the other end and snorts through his nose.
"If I don't call you you get all hysterical mother, so I go ahead." He defends himself.
"Speaking of mothers, have you called yours?"
"Yes, you know I have, I'm sure she's called you too."
"A couple of times, just to make sure you're okay, are you okay?"
"I'm fine..." He rolls his eyes. "That's why I'm calling, I'm still working on the farm and it keeps my mind busy."
"I'm glad, I think this change will do you good, John."
**
He closes the van door walking towards the nursery entrance as he puffs hard on his cigarette and blows the smoke out his nose. He flicks the butt on the ground before entering and walks up to the counter where one of your coworkers is standing.
"I think they're surviving." He laughs softly. "I was just coming to take a look at the trees you have..."
"Hi, how are things at the farm?" She asks him curiously.
"Did they explain the rates for the campaign?"
"Yes, but I wanted to take something with me already anyway, so I'll have something in advance next year."
"Very well." With a shout she calls out to you and you appear through one of the greenhouse doors. "Will you show him the fruit tree display?" She asks and you nod.
"Sure, come with me, John."
"Thank you very much." He says to your companion, Rachel, and follows you to the other side of the enclosure where you have several lines of trees already two or three years old.
"Have you decided yet?" You ask him and he shakes his head.
"Not yet, but I wanted to see what you have first."
"I think I'll take ten of each..." He rubs his chin thoughtfully.
He wanders through the different lines of trees, cherry trees, apple trees, Kakis, pear trees, there is a little of everything, he also finds lemon and orange trees, some even already bearing fruit, he smiles brushing his fingers over a still growing orange and you watch him curiously. You cross your arms waiting for him to decide on something, the morning is quiet, you were busy taking inventory and that is certainly more entertaining than crunching numbers.
"We can leave them ready for when you come looking for them..." You nod watching him examine each tree, he may not be an experienced farmer, but he knows what he's looking for.
"Can I leave the order ready for everything, including these?"
"No problem with that, I'll leave everything ready for you."
As you prepare his order your companions don't take their eyes off him, he's only been in town for a few days, he's still an outsider, he knows that, but he didn't expect people to be so intense, nor brazen, he can feel their eyes burning into his skin and he feels nervous. He can't tell exactly if they are judging him or just curious about him.
"Are you alone at the Moonson farm?" one of your companions asks and you stop writing, opening your eyes wide.
"Excuse me?" John blinks several times.
"You always come alone...we were wondering if your wife and children..."
"I'm not married." He cuts off her explanation and looks away, uncomfortably. "Yes, I'm here alone..."
"The house must get huge when you're there."
"Well, I try not to think about that too much, I concentrate on the field." He purses his lips into a line, an uncomfortable smile.
"The order is done." You rush to finish it and give him a copy. "For the display trees you can come by anytime to pick them up and the rest we'll call you when we have it ready." You explain and leave the counter to escort him out so your coworkers don't keep bombarding him with questions.
"Well, thank you, you're really being a great help." He laughs sheepishly and you shake your head.
"That's what we're here for, for anything, you know where to find us." You say goodbye to him and go back inside the tent. "What was that all about?"
"I was just curious, besides, this way you could clear your doubts."
"Doubts?"
"Don't look at me like that, we've all noticed that you like him."
"Oh for..." You mumble and cover your face with both hands. "He's cute, but he's only been here a week, I don't even know him! I-I'm just trying to be nice." You defend yourself but your companions' faces don't change and you decide to hide back in the inventory.
You need to get your mind on something else.
**
John parks the truck in the driveway of the Greene family farm, he wants to thank Hershel for the power tiller. As he drives up to the house he notices how large the man's land is, he has animals, crops, horses. He is a really busy man. He hesitates for a moment when he reaches the front door, but knocks and steps back a few paces, waiting. Beth opens the door and smiles at him.
"Hi, can I help you with something?"
"Uhm, I was just coming to see your father, is he home?"
"He's in the stables, treating one of the horses."
"Then I'll come another time, I don't want to intrude."
"No, no need. Come with me." She leaves the house leading John toward the stables where Hershel is handling a mare who looks uneasy. "Dad, John Rollins is here to see you." She tells him and the man releases the animal for a second.
"John, hi, I wasn't expecting you here."
"I was just coming back from town and wanted to stop by to thank you for the power tiller." He explains holding out his hand as a thank you, Hershel shakes it tightly and smiles under his beard. "As soon as I'm done with the orchard I'll give it back to you."
"No, that's not necessary, consider it a welcome gift."
"I can't accept it, it's in perfect condition, I... I can pay for it in installments."
"We don't use it here anymore, really you can keep it." He insists. "Don't do that to a poor old man."
"Dad..." Beth interjects and Hershel laughs again.
"It's okay, I don't want there to be any fighting." John jokes. "I'll keep it, but on one condition."
"You say."
"Let me help you in your fields, I need to learn to cultivate my own..."
"I can help you with yours, I can ask one of my boys to give you a hand, surely they remember it all better than I do."
"But I'd still owe you a favor." He protests and Hershel snorts thoughtfully.
"In that case help me with Nelly, I have to change a shoe that's bothering her and I alone can't handle it." He offers, John doesn't particularly like horses, but accepts the deal. "And then you'll help me with the barbecue, today my men have worked hard and deserve a good dinner."
"Of course." John smiles a little more cheerfully, Beth leaves them alone and walks over to Hershel laying his plaid shirt over the door of the horse's stall as he holds it from the bit.
"All right, hold her steady." He asks him and the two men get down to business.
Managing and handling Nelly is more difficult than he expects. The animal is skittish and nervous, every time Hershel holds her paw the animal keeps kicking and rolling around, but they finally manage to change her shoe and leave the animal alone who is already starting to get stressed.
"Thank you, John."
"It was nothing, shall we go get the barbecue?" he jokes wiping the sweat from his forehead.
**
The atmosphere is pleasant, Hershel and his family have set up a large table near the barbecue with wooden benches so that everyone can eat comfortably, he smiles turning some pork ribs, there are several employees, Beth talks to a young guy that he imagines is Jimmy, Hershel places the plates and cutlery next to Patricia. Then he sees you appear with Maggie and an Asian boy who is holding hands with the Greene's oldest daughter, you are still wearing your work clothes, but your face is more relaxed and you laugh with the couple quietly.
"Would you like one?" Beth's voice brings him out of his thoughts and he sees her offering him a can of coke, John smiles gratefully taking the can.
"Thanks, it's actually too hot in here." He jokes and the young blonde smiles sheepishly.
"Dad likes to barbecue, but he always tricks someone to avoid the fire." She laughs looking at him regretfully and he gestures, understanding and nods laughing as well.
"He's a good player, no doubt."
"I'll let Jimmy know to take care of the meat, in case you want to walk around and talk to someone." She shrugs and walks away leaving John alone again.
When Jimmy replaces him and walks around the table, a few people stop to talk, introduce themselves and John feels comfortable, some are carrying beer in their hands, but he doesn't feel uncomfortable around them, he feels a touch on his arm and sees you next to him with a soda.
"Learning to be a farmer?" you joke pointing to his tank top and plaid shirt tied around his waist.
"Horse breaker." You both laugh at his comment. "I came to thank him for the power tiller and he's roped me into making the meat." He jokes again and you nod.
"Oh yeah, that's Hershel's best trick, be careful or he'll do it every chance he gets."
John eats and stands on one side of the table watching curiously, the group is varied, both in age and people in particular and they all fit together perfectly, they talk to each other, share stories, laugh out loud. It all seems really familiar. Their eyes fall on you then, with the Greene sisters, talking and laughing too, joking, you are totally at your ease, comfortable, relaxed, enjoying the food and the company. Your gazes meet for a moment, your smile doesn't falter, but stop talking without looking away from him, John smiles a little too, but doesn't look away either.
