What the Mountain Provides
I have been binge watching Outsiders, the show from 2016 with Joe Anderson, Ryan Hurst, and Kyle Gallner, and was dismayed to learn it was canceled after only TWO seasons. Now I love Supernatural, it's one of my comfort shows, but if I could trade a couple seasons of it for new seasons of Outsiders, I would.
Well of course this news was disappointing but I figured I could read the fanfic that surely followed suit. Even Kyle made a tweet about it. However, I'm finding that stories are few and far between. Sasil seems to be the main type and while I love the ship and the characters, I also have a love for reader inserts or other OCs. So I guess the only thing I can do is write my own... without further ado here's my first Outsiders Fanfic. At the moment it's a one shot but because it's me, it will more than likely become a multi-chapter. Either way, I hope you enjoy.
What the Mountain Provides
Pairing: Asa Farrell x Female OC
Words: 2550
Warnings: Slight Spoiler, Swearing, Talk of death and dying
Divider by: @saradika-graphics
Summary: {set after Asa shoots Big Foster} Asa finds himself being taken care of by a young woman from his childhood.
There hadn’t been a set plan when he’d come back down the mountain. All he knew was he could never go back home and the pain that hit him was like a shot to the heart. At first, he tried telling himself to just hop a train and go wherever life took him, but the wolves descending told him that this was the end of the line for him. He couldn’t have G’win, he’d killed Big Foster, and he couldn’t see the light at the end of this tunnel. Perhaps he should’ve pulled the trigger that night rather than return to the mountain; maybe things wouldn’t have gotten so bad at home. Sure, the coal company was still a problem, but the internal war that was waged… was that all his fault? Was he cursed? Had he brought some sort of evil back home with him?
At least giving himself to the wolves would provide sustenance for the creatures. Perhaps they’d even carry parts of him back up the mountain. His spirit might not be fully at peace scattered about, but did he deserve peace at all? Standing, facing the three predators, he resigned himself to death, closing his eyes and holding his arms out as though he were embracing a friend... but then the sound of soft humming reached his ears, and he could see the soft light of first morning behind his eyelids, the smell of coffee and bacon assaulting his nostrils, and when he reached down, his hand was met with the softness of nice sheets.
The humming became softer, but he could tell the person behind the noise was coming closer, and he managed to crack one eye open as the door slowly opened. When the owner of the voice and the room came into view, his breath suddenly caught in his throat. She reminded him of summertime on the mountain; her hair shimmered like the soft glow of a summer evening, kissed by the sun, yet cool as the pale beams of a full moon; a gentle fusion of warmth and ethereal light, a tapestry of blonde that seemed almost otherworldly in its delicate brilliance. She had a fae-ish look about her, and all of the stories his kin would tell of the Fae didn’t seem so farfetched after setting eyes on her… and then she smiled at him, and he was positive this must be some kind of heaven because he was certainly looking at an angel.
“Glad ta see you awake.”
She had the same accent as most folks around here, but hers sounded closer to music than simple conversation, and it was taking his brain a second longer than usual to realize that this wasn’t a hallucination and he wasn’t dead. The woman waited for a moment before stepping closer, the tray of food held out in front of her, and he could see that she was being cautious but was unsure what the caution was aimed towards. Was she afraid of him? Possibly, but he didn’t think she’d bring him… wherever they were if that was the case. He was so lost in his head that it didn’t register that he was full-on staring at her, his eyes tracking her every move, but if she was bothered by it, she didn’t say anything. Simply placed the tray on the bedside table and stepped back to give him space.
“I hope you like bacon. I wasn’t sure if you ate meat, but figured it was a pretty safe bet since most folks around here do. If I got it wrong, I’ve got something else I can make ya. Got some cinnamon rolls coolin' in the kitchen if you’ve got a sweet tooth or”
“This is fine. Thanks.”
She gave him a small nod, and while she wanted to ask him about a million questions, she didn’t want to overwhelm him. When she’d found him, he’d been delirious, screaming about wolves coming to devour his soul. He didn’t swing at her or react violently when she helped him to his feet, but he’d sobbed the entire way to her truck, asking if she was the angel of death and muttering about the mountain never allowing his spirit to rest. It would be considered odd if she hadn’t been raised in the area; her mother and Meemaw taught her that as long as you respected the mountain and the magic within it, it would bless you and keep you safe. When she’d hit her 20s and gone to college, she’d tried writing it all off as superstitions, but since being back she’d seen things she couldn’t explain. Fae playing in her garden, shapeshifters at her back door, her name being called while hiking… she wasn’t sure if this type of magic only resided within the Appalachians or not, but she’d spent the past 12 years learning how to work with that magic and lived a peaceful life. Something she didn’t think her guest could relate to.
“I’ll leave ya to it then.”
She turned to leave when he reached out and grabbed her wrist, causing her to pause and turn back to look at him. She was close enough that he was given a better look at her and was mesmerized by her eyes: one hazel and one blue. She had full lips and a slightly upturned nose, and for the first time in a long time, his thoughts weren’t stuck on G’win.
“What’s your name?”
“Ivy Rae Calloway.” She could see the glimmer of recognition but didn’t think he could fully place her. “You can call me Ivy.”
“Asa. Asa F-”
“Farrell. I know.” He was caught off guard by her knowing, at the very least, his last name. Most people in this town had a hatred for his kin, but she didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. “My Meemaw used ta be friendly with your Bren’in. I’d go up with her from time ta time. You taught me how ta swim.”
He searched his memories for this lovely woman and stumbled upon a memory of him at 12, a 10-year-old blonde girl chasing after him and begging him to teach her how to swim. He’d refused at first, having better things to do than befriend a townie, but he told her he’d help if she could keep up, and she had. Even when he’d purposely taken a difficult trail to the pond, she was right on his heels, and by the end of the day, they were well and truly friends. Whenever she’d come with her Meemaw, the two of them would go off on some adventure, often with a few of his cousins in tow. They’d spent five summers running all over the mountain, and he was ashamed to say he’d forgotten all about her. He’d recognized the name when Lady Ray had mentioned her in passing but didn’t truly remember until this moment.
“I heard tell you moved.”
“For a little bit. I went ta college for a few years, but it wasn’t for me; I was back home by 23. Things I learned from my ma and Meemaw have done more for me than anything I learned in university anyhow.”
That was something he could relate to: college and the outside world not being for you. He’d tried it for ten years, but the mountain called him home, and now he was wondering if she had something to do with that. At first, he assumed G’win was the pull he’d felt, but with how things worked out on that front, he had his doubts. Ivy though… he didn’t believe in love at first sight, but there was definitely something special about her.
“I know the feelin.”
“I know ya do.” She smiled softly but didn’t expand on the statement. “I’ll let ya eat in peace.”
He gave her a thin smile, but the way he tucked into the food was thanks enough for her. She had no idea why the mountain had placed Asa in her path but she knew better than to ignore such a blatant sign. She’d sent offerings to the spirits, praying that they’d send someone her way so she didn’t have to be so alone. Her ma had been gone these past 4 years, the cancer took her too quickly, and if she hadn’t had her Meemaw, she didn’t think she’d have survived that… but there had been no one here when the older woman had passed. Ivy hadn’t understood what happened to her then, just that she hadn’t seen it coming. One morning, Meemaw woke up and told her she had to accompany someone important to her to the other side. She’d said similar things in the past, helping a spirit cross over, showing them to the light. As a death witch, it was her job to lead the lost souls to their final destination, so Ivy hadn’t batted an eye when she started talking like that. However, she hadn’t expected her Meemaw to walk into the forest and not back out. The police had found her body a mile from the Farrell homestead with no sign of trauma, and the coroner said she hadn’t had a heart attack or anything like that. For all intents and purposes, she fell asleep by the old oak and hadn’t woken up.
Ivy found out a week later that Lady Ray had passed on, and everything clicked into place. She had been her Meemaw’s best friend, and while they hadn’t visited the home in many years, the older women would often meet in the forest and spend the day swapping stories and sharing the bounty of whichever harvest they were in. Ivy had always loved their friendship and wished she’d had something like that; unfortunately, while Meemaw was Lady Ray’s best friend, that didn’t mean Ivy had been allowed to hang around the family. The moment they found she’d gone to college, they’d shunned her… if they only knew the reason behind her departure was the man currently eating in her guest room.
⸸
A couple of weeks passed, and Asa was finally beginning to relax around Ivy. Initially, he’d been so sure she’d end up treating him like everyone else, intimidated by the Farrell name, but she was at complete ease around him. She’d explained where she’d found him and the things he’d been saying, and he’d admitted to having hallucinated wolves. Ivy had listened to him talk about the things happening within his family and the coal company. It hurt her heart to hear about all that chaos weaving its way through the Farrell land, but she’d told him that it wasn’t his fault it had happened. She believed that Big Foster had been the one to set things in motion, the darkness in his heart tainting what she knew to be an important ceremony in their clan. His actions against Lady Ray only solidified, in her mind, that the mountain was now punishing the family for his actions. It didn’t sound like anyone was trying to make amends with the spirits, and one of the biggest things she’d been taught was never to disrespect the spirits and expect to be let off the hook.
“So, you’re tellin’ me that even after goin’ to college, you still believe in magic and all that?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Most townies don’t.”
“You callin' me a townie Asa Farrell?”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Their teasing tones showed how easily their friendship had picked back up. They fit so perfectly together, and it helped that Ivy was as honest as Li’l Foster; Asa wasn’t sure either of them was even capable of lying. She didn’t see any sense in spreading falsehoods or saying what you didn’t truly mean; all that got anybody was heartache, at least in her experience. They’d even played two truths and a lie, a way to get reacquainted, and her poker face was completely non-existent. It didn’t matter that her truths were things others would find insane, he knew she was being completely honest with him. She wasn’t raised as far in as he’d been, but Ivy was still a daughter of the mountain.
“Good. Now, I gotta go into town today… it’s not my favorite activity, but I’ve run outta flour and yeast and have a dozen or so loaves of bread ta bake by the end of the day. Wanna come with me?”
“I uh, I better not. It ain’t been that long since… I don’t wanna cause you no trouble.”
“Ain’t no trouble.”
“Ivy.”
He thought for sure she’d push this. G’win always did whenever she wasn’t getting her way, but Ivy just smiled and left it at that. The townsfolk weren’t exactly thrilled with her existence either, but the shit they’d say about the Farrells…
“No worries.”
“I don’t mean ta be callous or nothin'. I just”
“I get it, Asa. You ain’t gotta explain yourself ta me.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, besides, havin' you here gives me an even bigger reason to hurry.”
“Bein in town ain’t enough?”
“You might be surprised.”
He thought she sounded sad, and it wasn’t a tone he enjoyed hearing come from her. One of the best things about Ivy was her happy spirit. She was quick to smile, and though he’d seen her get cross at her vegetable garden, whenever he stepped into view, she lit up like a firefly.
“You alright?”
“I’ll be fine. Just been a little harder than usual after Meemaw passed on. Gets kinda lonely when I’m all by myself.”
“You’re not by yourself no more.”
“For now.” She shrugged, shaking herself out of this funk. “I’m sure you don’t wanna stay around these parts after everything.”
“At one time, I’d agree with you, but now… was thinkin’ about stickin’ around. If you don’t mind me crashin' in your guest room?”
“Not at all. You can stay forever if ya want.”
“I’m gonna hold ya to that.”
“I’m a woman of my word.” She promised, reaching her hand out and shaking on it. “Are you a man of yours?”
“I try ta be.” He answered honestly, surprising her when he gently yanked on her hand and pulled her into a hug. “Be careful today, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t know where these feelings were coming from, but he didn’t fight against them either, kissing the top of her head and refusing to overthink this. He hadn’t expected to find his savior in a fellow lostie, but he was thankful for it all the same. She also lived in the in-between, too mountainy for townsfolk and too townie for the mountain folks, but she didn't seem to loathe it like he did. Of course, he had a pretty damn good reason to feel the way he did. Unlike his kin, hers had welcomed her home and taught her in the old ways. He couldn't fault her for their different experiences though, and while she felt more strongly about the magic aspect of the mountain than he did, they still had a lot in common, and it didn’t hurt that she was damn pretty.
“You got a favorite candy or somethin?”
“Nah. Ain’t nothin' gonna compare to your cinnamon rolls anyway.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.” She teased, going on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “See ya later, Asa.”
He watched her all the way from the kitchen to the front door, giving her a small wave as she left the house. The impossible had become possible: Asa Farrell had caught feelings for someone other than G’winveer.