This is for the one and only @strwxberrymilk, who won 3rd prize in my 1 Year Anniversary competition!
Summary: after a difficult time in Colter and the promise of a brighter future on the horizon, you and Hosea enjoy some much needed quality time together.
Pairing: Hosea Matthews x Reader (platonic relationship, more like a father/daughter)
Word count: 625
You closed your eyes and felt the soft spray from the waterfall paint your face with a cool, refreshing sheen. The din of the water hitting the river below was almost deafening this close up, but it was oddly calming. It certainly made a change from the constant babble of camp; the barked orders, the bickering, the whinnying of the horses, and Dutch’s gramophone at 6am. You heard Hosea breath out heavily, as if every bone in his body was gradually remembering how to relax.
Life had been a spectrum of difficulties lately, made worse with being entombed by snow in the middle of May. You had barely seen Hosea, which stung even more than the cold. Every time you tried to keep him company he’d smiled sadly, giving your hands a squeeze, before telling you that he really couldn’t right now. He’d seen your face fall and felt his heart break a little more every time. He tucked your scarf into your coat, gave you his own gloves, and told you that the second you were both surrounded by grass again, he would be all yours.
He’d kept his promise – at the first opportunity you found after reaching Horseshoe Overlook, he’d given you a smile and told you to grab your coat. He loaded up Silver Dollar with a blanket, a small hamper, told Bill to mind his own business, and off you went. You had your arms wrapped around his waist as you breathed in his usual, comforting smell that reminded you of molasses. The previous day, when you had been riding with him and Arthur in the wagon, you’d seen the river snaking down from the mountains and had commented on how you’d like to see where it came from. As you gently cantered along the grassy banks, you realised that’s exactly what you were doing now.
“We won’t go too far out today,” Hosea explained. “not with things being the way they are. But I figured we could both use a change of scenery that didn’t involve Colm O’Driscoll or that Cornwall feller.”
You followed the river until you could hear the distant roar of the falls. Hosea helped you down from Silver Dollar, offered his arm, and you had walked down to the water’s edge. The muddy ground gave way to slippery rocks, caked in moss. Hosea tested each one, making sure they were safe to walk on before he gestured for you to follow. His hair ruffled in the spray but he pressed on like an adventurer in search of gold. You called out to him, asking him not to go too far, trying to keep your voice light but feeling it wobble as the words left your lips. He’d catch his death, you told you him, he’d take a tumble, and would you ever explain that to Dutch? Hosea paused, but didn’t look back at you for several seconds. You called his name again.
He turned to you now, his face solemn, before he steadily walked back to your side. He wrapped his arms around your shoulders, nuzzling into the top of your head. You found yourself holding onto him tightly, desperately. He chuckled softly.
“I’m not going anywhere, kid.”
“Better not.” you mumbled into his chest. He sighed.
“Why would I? There’s always gonna be a new waterfall to find. And when I’m old and decrepit, you can tell me about all the ones I’ve missed.”
You smiled, but your stomach felt tight. You breathed in his scent and tried your best to forget how much he’d been coughing lately, or the sickening feeling you got whenever you thought of the future. You focused on the water, on the sun on your back, on this precious time that felt rarer than any gold in the world.
