#strawberryswalker

[mettleborn-a]

@strawberryswalker said:

Thaddeus was used to providing for himself. But seeing the other bounty hunter was always a nice surprise. Carson and Thaddeus had a lot in common. Thad gives a wave as he finishes up selling his pelts, then turns and puts his money away. “Hey Carson, how you doin? Nice to see you.

===========

Carson Payne is a name that easily strikes fear into the hearts of many, though that isn’t the case for those Carson has fostered a mutual respect for. Payne prides himself on being a man others can get along with, though admittedly ‘getting along’ is mostly a way for Payne to ‘get ahead’. In Thaddeus’ case, the man is one he considers an ally and one who is known to produce excellent animal pelts. Dismounting from his horse that doesn’t have a name, mainly because Carson stole it a couple of towns over, only a day ago, the outlaw pats the beast and offers it an apple in an attempt to keep it sweet. Heading over to Thad, he inspects what is left of his wares; slim pickings it seems.

“I’m good, I’m good…” He answers, pluming a large breath of smoke up into the air. “Headin’ up to the mountains in a couple of days to meet up with the rest of my gang. I’m lookin' for a decent pelt to keep me warm, and if you’re interested, an extra pair of hands that can shoot. Interested?”

[scribedhorror]

@strawberryswalker​ || X

That much was obvious as the other young man spoke, the smell of alcohol coming off of him in waves. He didn’t have to get any closer to know what kind of alcohol he had been drinking either. The wind picked up and the scent only got stronger as it picked up the residue from the empty bottles that surrounded them. Bill didn’t need to squint to see them, he also could make out the broad brunette in front of him in great detail. 

He could smell the sweat and see the tension in him the fact that the guy was drunk would have been easy for anyone to spot. If he had been in a fight recently, Bill wouldn’t have been surprised in the least. The brunette looked like the type, however that was just about the last thing the wolf wanted right now. 

Lips quirked upwards at the other’s mention of the wolves, eyes shifting as he looked back over his shoulder towards where he had just come from, gaze scanning the tree line briefly. His chin tipped upwards as his head turned back towards the much taller man in front of him, the sounds of howls echoing around them, making him itch to turn back and join in.

A hand raked through his hair, chuckling to himself before answering. “Me? Oh, I’m talking to the wolves.” His grin widened at his private joke, not all that concerned about the brunette remembering any of this come morning. Not with how much he had consumed. At most, Bill would be just a strange drunken dream to him when the sun rose.

[frontierbound-archive]

continued from: x

@strawberryswalker:

Thaddeus feels a little stiffer now, even though Samuel is close and still very handsome. But those weren’t the words that turned him on. If anything they made him falter and, worry. He was lonely, but he hadn’t realized that he was being bad by being lonely. Or at least, that's how he interpreted it.

“Can’t I do both?”

Thad asks, with a pained smile, his eyes furrowed though.

“When you come around, I don’t feel so lonely...And yer handsome, and you’ve got a timber in yer tone that can send a shiver down my spine..”

Thaddeus looks to the other, Samuel was no Dante, but Dante was no Samuel either.

“Feels nice bein’ sweet on you...I don’t think many have been sweet to you.”

Thaddeus has only just found tenderness in recent years. And it’s what he craves most. Because this world is harsh, winters are bone chilling, and bullets can kill. But the feeling of strong arms wrapped around him, or hands in his hair, touching his face, whispers of pretty tall tales..It’s all he wants.

“Dante has room for others in his heart, wh-why can’t I?”

==================

Maybe Thaddeus is right, maybe many haven’t been sweet on Samuel but that’s as much Sam’s fault as anyone else’s. Truth is, Samuel has difficultly trusting. Something physical, something of the moment, with men and with woman, well, that is something he knows, something he can enjoy, anything else is dangerous territory and Samuel knows better than to venture into such places. He is a man that is always on the move, always tracking down the next big pay day, bounty hunting just isn’t the kind of vocation Sam would ever be happy pursing part time, he’s too driven, too obsessive, too righteous to be anything but dedicated to his craft. That makes anything more than a night with him, near impossible, which is probably why Thaddeus’ mention of his ‘heart’ has Samuel backing away a little.

“Don’t need no one to be sweet on me, Thad.” It sounds defensive, denying even and that’s because it is, because, deep down, Samuel longs to be the man someone thinks about a night, that can make someone’s heart skip a beat just at the very thought of him, but he can’t ever be that man for Thad, because, for Thaddeus, that man is Dante and always will be.

It’s a selfish notion really, to want to be the apple of someone’s eye, while retaining distance, but it is there none-the-less; the need to be wanted without being left wanting.

“Truthfully, I weren’t looking for room in your heart Thaddeus, was only offering you space in my bed tonight…I ain’t the kind of man you should ever offer any part of your heart to, trust me on that.”

[vanderking]

♞ Stranger insisted: 🌶  @strawberryswalker​​

Send 🌶 to learn what my muse thinks is hot about yours

❛ It’s mighty fine how you gave old Colm the slip. A slippery kinda guy like yourself probably is just as evasive in other elements of his life. ❜ A debonair smile ensues. ❛ I also can’t help but imagine the look on Colm’s face when he sees you riding with me. You’re still open for the taking ‘cause y’ain’t found yourself a new gang yet. ❜ And Dutch hopes to be the one to claim Thaddeus.  

❛ Excuse me for being intuitive but I’m convinced I’ll gain your unbending faith and loyalty in time. O’Driscoll would be envious of your dedication to me when he couldn’t break you himself. ❜ He had always had a lust for taking what was not his and claiming it for his own.

[mettleborn-a]

Another Kiss Prompt

@strawberryswalker said: a kiss stemmed from jealousy - to Sam

“He’s bad news that one…don’t waste your time.”

Sam’s eyes narrow at the man staring at Thaddeus from across the bar, there’s a cold rage simmering in his stomach, not simply because he thinks Thad deserves better, but because that particular cowboy has a habit of playing rough and Sam’s been there, one time too many, frankly. Hell, Thad has better sitting right next to him, doesn’t he?

Grabbing either side of Thaddeus’ face, Samuel plants a firm kiss against his lips, the movement causing a rowdy cheer from the bar’s patrons who have clearly assumed the kiss to have been in jest; a ‘fuck-you’, rather than a fuck-me.

Watching as the man who’s been making bedroom eyes at Thaddeus all night, finally takes his leave, with an annoyed grimace, Sam allows his hand to covertly sit softly on Thad’s knee for a moment as he glances over at him.

“Don’t go gettin’ soft on me or nothin’ now, just don’t wanna see you get hurt, that’s all.”

[scribedhorror]

@strawberryswalker​  Thaddeus found a few kittens this morning in his barn. Mama kitty must be out hunting for food. But Thaddeus brought three of the small babies inside the cabin to a sleeping Bill. Where he gently lets the kittens crawl and mew atop bill to wake him up. Thaddeus gently sitting on the bed and watching the kittens crawl and mew on his love. Smiling. New additions to the family! Always needed more barn cats!

The first thing that registered in his sleepy mind was a strange shifting pressure that was in several small spots on his body. He didn’t think it could be Thad because the man was much bigger and although he could be incredibly gentle and tender, he didn’t remember the man having extra hands. The next thing he picked up on were soft, high, cries and those got his bright blue eyes opening fairly quickly, the confusion evident in his gaze as he looked around for the source.

“Thad what---?” His brow creased having spotted the larger man on the bed and then the small kitten that hopped up on his knee. As he turned his head he saw two more, both walking over his prone frame as if he were furniture. “And who are these little ones?” He asked, a tired smile spreading across his face.

[scribedhorror]

@strawberryswalker​ || X

Bill had taken his time telling the tale, wanting every twist and turn to have the proper impact and to make sure that the mood of the story was right. Sometimes he would just make up a story on the spot, more than happy to indulge the larger man’s request even if he didn’t have a finished product. Thad was just about the only thing he loved more than stories, after all, and the fact that he had his own personal ones warmed him. Hopefully the other man felt the same.

This one, however, was a finished book that he had been eager to share. Thaddeus was a big man and there was very little in this world that could put him on edge as Bill had learned. The fact that his stories could --- when he went the horror route --- get to him was a point of pride. It was the perfect time of year for something a little spooky.

A wide grin spread across the shorter man’s face, lifting his chin form where it rested on the crown of Thad’s head so that he could meet his lover’s dark gaze. “I dunno. Just sort of comes to me,” he replied with a shrug and a chuckle. They were cuddled perfectly together and he had been able to feel every hitch in Thad’s breath as he told the story. He reveled in each of them and every involuntary twitch of muscle. “You think so? I thought it was pretty good.” And so had the publication company that had commissioned it. They’d be getting a nice chunk of change for this book, and Bill was happy to be able to provide. Relying on his family’s wealth wasn’t something that he was all that fond of.

The writer breathed a laugh, leaning in to catch the other man’s lips in a kiss. “You say that about all my stories, Thad,” he teased.

[scribedhorror]

@strawberryswalker​ || X

Everything had happened so quickly that the writer hadn’t realized what was going on for longer than he wanted to admit. The day had been wonderful so far, but when they made their way through town on their way back home from one of the larger places nearby shit had hit the fan. Bill didn’t know why or when things started going wrong, but one moment he was waving fondly as Thad climbed off their wagon to go and talk to whoever it was he needed to talk to while he considered what to prepare for dinner and the next there was yelling, a crowd and his lover was running faster than he had ever seen him move before.

Bill had no idea who these men were --- and they certainly didn’t seem to care who he was --- but Thaddeus clearly knew them. He was left staring after the brunette and the men that were chasing him like an idiot in the middle of this town that he didn’t know all that well. And yet he still wished that he would be able to help in some way. He knew that if he tried to get involved, he’d just be in the way or worse, a burden to Thaddeus. Bill never wanted to be a burden to his lover and all too often he felt like he was.

He had descended the wagon slowly, making sure it wasn’t in the way of other travelers and planned on going after the brunette. Even if he wasn’t exactly a fighter, he wasn’t going to let Thad face this alone. At the very least he could help him back to the wagon after and get him home so that he could be taken care of properly.

When he finally found them again, it was just in time to see his lover slump over next to a large tree and lean up against it. As quickly as he could, Bill was kneeling in front of him, looking him over and holding his face gently between his hands.

“I saw them, they look terrible--- I’m more worried about you though,” he answered honestly, taking in every bump and bruise on the taller man. “Do you need some time to catch your breath?” Bill wanted to get them both the hell out of there and back to their home as quickly as possible, but he also didn’t want to push the other if he wasn’t ready just yet. Who the hell those guys were and what all that had been about were questions for later.