Hello. Love your blog. 😘 ehm, you asked so could I request number 4 and Dutch and Hosea. If you don't mind of course. (Totally optional suggestions: Perhaps Hosea being the conman that he is played a prank of some sort. Or Dutch tried to con Hosea for once.)
Firstly, thank you so much for this lovely message! I really appreciate that. Secondly, apologies that this took me a few days, it’s a little longer than what I was originally going to write. I made these two proper dads in this ❤️
Warnings: None. Word Count: 860
Summary: Dutch plays a prank on Hosea...(#4 was - “I can’t believe you believed me!”)
Hey Dutch,” Hosea quipped, patting his friend on the back.
“Good morning Hosea,” Dutch looked up from his book.
“Say, how about we ride into St Dennis?”
“Sure, why not.”
As the two old friends rode along the dusty roads, and past the photo studio, a plan started to formulate in Dutch’s head.
“Hey Hosea, hitch up here a second.”
Hosea raised his eyebrows, wondering why they were pulling up outside such an establishment.
“I meant to tell you, we’ve been invited to a party by Thomas Baron, you know he’s a man of great esteem in these parts.”
Hosea nodded, not liking to confess he had no idea who Thomas Baron was.
“The only stipulation is, they need photos beforehand.”
“Photos, like mugshots?”
Dutch shrugged, “Not exactly…,” Dutch paused to think of how to explain this, though he knew he needed to be quick, “It’s a very exquisite, decadent party, you know only for the cream of the crop.”
The words rolled off Dutch’s tongue so easily, so persuasive was he in his language, so certain of himself. “They don’t wanna let any old riff raff in, so they need photos beforehand, to make sure the guards are letting in the right people.”
Dutch watched with glee as Hosea nodded in understanding, “And this party is necessary to our cause?”
Dutch nodded in earnest, “Yes, of course, he’s a powerful man with the right connections, you never know what we might learn.”
“Okay, sounds good.” Hosea agreed.
Yes, yes it does sound good doesn’t it, Dutch thought.
The two of them walked into the photo studio, “How about you go first,” Dutch encouraged his friend.
Hosea took some time in choosing what background he would like, Dutch, ever the good friend helped him to settle on the background of Niagara Falls, it made Hosea look like a well-travelled man, which of course he was.
“There, that’ll give them the right impression about you,” Dutch said as he folded his arms, watching Hosea walk up onto the stage.
“Why don’t you try a few poses, see what you’re most comfortable with,” Dutch suggested, egging his friend on.
Hosea stood normally at first, tall and smiled at the camera, then he got his gun out and posed with it as if in the middle of a fight, Dutch had to stifle a laugh then. There was one in particular that nearly had Dutch rolling on the floor with laughter, Hosea looked so serious, arms folded, head held high. The photographer snapped away enthusiastically.
Afterwards Dutch paid the man and photo in hand, left the studio.
“Hey, aren’t you getting your photo taken?” Hosea asked.
Dutch could take it no more, he turned around to face his oldest friend, tears in his eyes, “Just look at you!”
Hosea felt himself going red and tried to take the photo from Dutch, who pulled his hand away.
“You look so serious in this photo!” Dutch mocked.
Hosea managed to snatch the photo from Dutch and turned beet red looking at his own ridiculous expression and just how seriously he’d taken himself. The only satisfaction he had in this moment was knowing that his friend would have to stomach the same humiliating ordeal.
“Well that’s mine done, now for yours,” he said with a smirk.
Dutch was stood in a wide stance, “Mine?” he asked and pointed at himself. “Oh no, no, friend, I won’t be getting my photo done today.”
“But what about the party? You said this was for…” a strange feeling crept over Hosea, one he wasn’t used to, as he witnessed the cheeky grin on his friend’s face widen.
“Hosea, do you know who Thomas Brown is?” Dutch asked, taking a few steps closer to his friend.
“I…err,” Hosea scratched at the back of his head.
“Mr Baron…doesn’t exist, the party doesn’t exist, but this,” he kissed the back of the photo, “This beautiful proof that I got you, oh this is real.”
Hosea felt furious, but only for a moment, how many times at he played pranks on the others? Especially on Dutch, he prided himself on being an excellent con man and being no man’s fool, but it seemed today was one of those rare occasions when Dutch bettered him. He found he couldn’t stay mad at his old friend for long.
“All right, you got me, very funny.”
“I can’t believe you believed me!” Dutch laughed.
“You owe me a drink.”
“I’ll take that,” Dutch grabbed the photo from back from Hosea’s hand.
“And what exactly do you want with it?”
Dutch winked at Hosea, “Never you mind old man.”
“Old man! Huh! Look who’s talking.”
“I’m not the one who fell for such an obvious trick.”
“Van der Linde, I will get you back.”
“Is that a promise?” Dutch asked, giving his friend a coy smile and patting his shoulder.
The two of them mounted their horses, “So what did you really need to come into the city for?”
“Say I can’t remember, nothing really, just nice to escape the children.”
Dutch laughed, “That it is friend, why don’t we go get that drink I owe you?”
