Sol! May I request some William angst for your event please? Hm maybe Roll 4 times for AU, 1 time for dialogue, and 2 for trope please 🥺💕? Thank yoh in advance!
A/N: Lyra! Yes of course! I hope you enjoy it :) It was interesting to write a Western AU William 😂 The dice really made this an angsty one
Bonus: listen to 'jupiter' by Wrabel
Warning: Drunk man makes a gross comment and grabs your arm
William Angst + Western AU! + First Love Reunion + "Try that again, I dare you."
William’s chest felt heavy as he rode into town, he had known that coming back here might affect him, but he hadn’t thought it would be this much. The buildings looked like they hadn’t aged a day, but he knew that wasn’t true, it had been years since he had set foot here. His life as a bounty hunter didn’t lend well for settling down, and so he had left this place and a piece of his heart with it. However, a job was a job, and he had received reports that a notorious outlaw had been spotted in the area, and William wanted to be the one to catch him.
He half prayed that there was another option, somewhere else he could stay for the night, but the sun had long sunk over the horizon, and the only place open now would be the saloon and conjoined inn your family owned. He hopped off his horse, tying him off on a post. There was a water trough nearby, so that should be suitable for the time being.
You didn’t see him come in, his hat pulled low over his eyes; if you had, you most certainly would have dropped the glass in your hand, sending it tumbling to the wooden floor below. He grabbed a spot at a table in the corner, heart clenching at the familiar face behind the bar. You still looked as beautiful as the day he met you, but you looked happier than the day he left, the day he broke your heart. Something about the way your eyes crinkled as you chatted with a miner at the bar made his heart ache, you were so close to him yet so far at the same time.
One of the saloon girls interrupted his thoughts by asking for his order.
“Just water please.” He said hoarsely, trying to ignore how much he wanted to grab a seat at the bar and talk to you.
“Yes sir! That’ll be right out.”
She returned swiftly, a cool mug of water set upon the table. “Are you stayin’ here long cowboy?”
William looked up at her, a forced smile on his face, “No, just for the evening.”
As he looked up at her, the light happened to reveal his face to her, her expression changed, and she hurried away to tend to other customers. He sighed softly, taking a sip of his water. He was used to this happening, people had almost always reacted to his birthmark this way, some people were convinced he had some sort of plague. The woman’s reaction was another painful reminder of how much he missed you; you were the only person he’d ever met that had touched his face with tenderness.
-
You were at the bar, fulfilling orders and chatting with customers when a particularly unruly man sat at the stool in front of you.
“Hello sir, what can I get you?”
The man smiled wickedly, it was obvious he was already drunk, “Are you on the menu?”
The question made your skin crawl but you forced yourself to smile, “I’m afraid not sir.”
William narrowed his eyes, that was the man he was looking for; now was not the time to act though, there were too many people around to risk getting in a shootout inside the saloon.
The man wouldn’t take no for an answer though, and when you were turned for a split second he lunged to grab your arm.
William was over in a flash, grabbing the man’s arm with a vice-like grip.
The saloon went eerily silent as all eyes were fixed on the scene at the bar, “Try that again, I dare you.” The words were dripping with such venom that William surprised even himself.
The man let your arm go, but fixed William with a defiant grin, “Or what? Is this your lover or something?”
The corners of William’s mouth twitched, “Do you know who I am?”
His smile faltered, but the man’s voice was even as he spoke, “No, why does that matter?”
William smiled wickedly, knowing his prey was about to be caught. “Maybe this will refresh your memory.”
He tilted his hat up from his face and the man instantly paled.
“Y-you, you’re him. You’re the bounty hunter, William Vangeance, bringer of vengeance.” The man’s voice shook and he tried to squirm away from him.
William chuckled, “That’s right Slim, I am. And now I’ll be taking you to the sheriff.”
Slim didn’t put up much of a fight as William led him out the door.
-
You stood frozen in place, memories rushing back to you all at once. A cold December night, a letter slipped under your door, running after him, begging him to stay.
The buzz of the bar soon returned, and you took a deep breath, trying to recenter yourself after the shock of seeing William again. You had long given up on him returning, but lo and behold he had, at least for tonight. Would he leave in the morning? Probably. It seemed as if he had only come for his quarry, but some part of you hoped that it had been more, that he had come to see you as well.
-
Hours passed, and you were closing the saloon. You swept the floors, and wiped off the tables, now all that was left was to wipe down the bar.
There was a knock at the door and you opened it to find William standing there, an uncertain look on his face. You were tempted to yell at him, take out five years worth of frustration and anger and regret on him, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do so. When you searched your heart, there was only sadness left where William was concerned, he had been your first love and he had left you cold and alone, with only the silhouette of him on his horse receding into the distance and your memories.
“I didn’t think you’d come back.” You said, your voice just above a whisper.
William glanced down at his feet, regret filling his chest, “I didn’t either.”
You lingered in the doorway for a long moment, then stepped to the side.
“Want a drink?”
He nodded and walked in, and you locked the door behind him. He took a seat at the bar as you made what he asked for, pouring water for yourself.
“Thank you for earlier.”
William shifted on his stool, “Of course, I couldn’t stand to let you get hurt.”
That’s rich, coming from the person who broke my heart. You wanted to say, but instead you forced a smile, “Well, I appreciate it.”
You and William stared at each other, both unsure of what to say.
“You look well.” William spoke up after a while.
Your lips twitched from the irony, “I’m making do.”
Silence prevailed once more, and you stared at your water glass, trying to will the dam of emotions to stay intact. You took a deep breath, clenching your fists on the counter.
“Why did you leave me?”
The question was soft, but it was filled with pain so sharp William could feel it cut him.
“You know why.”
Your head whipped up, eyes alight with anger.
“No I don’t. You were here one day and we were happy, and the next day you were riding off on that damn horse.”
“I--”
You didn’t let him finish, “I could have come with you William!” Your voice began to break, tears threatened to fall.
“Being a bounty hunter is dangerous work.”
“Don’t you think I know that? Do you have any idea how I worried for you once I found out what you were doing?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you?” You sucked in a breath, chest heaving, “Are you sorry for the way you broke my heart into a million tiny pieces?”
William stood, hand slammed on the counter, his voice strained, “It broke my heart too! I never wanted to hurt you Y/N.”
You blinked at him, “Never wanted to hurt me. So why did you? I would have gone anywhere with you, followed you to the ends of the earth, left all of this behind. I wouldn’t care if it were dangerous or uncomfortable, because I would get to spend my days with you!”
“I know! And that’s the problem,” He took a pained breath, “You don’t deserve a life like that Y/N! You deserve to be safe and comfortable and happy and I can’t give that to you.”
“I don’t want that, I just wanted you.”
William blinked his tears away, “I wanted you too.”
“Then why?” Your voice was soft, all the bravado and tension from before quieted.
“I’m not good for you.”
You laughed darkly, “William, that’s crap and you know it.”
William pulled a few bills from his pocket, setting them on the counter.
“Think I could get a room for the night?”
“Talk to Tracy next door.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry for the trouble.”
“This isn’t over William! Please don’t leave yet, are you leaving in the morning?”
“Goodbye Y/N.”
He walked away, heading for the door.
“Please don’t go.” You whispered, if he heard, he gave no indication he did so.
The door opened and closed, and you collapsed on the counter, for the first time that night, allowing yourself to cry.
William watched from the window, heart torn to shreds as he watched your shoulders shake.
