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1899
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No one talks about what happened on that boat. No one talks about what happened on that mountain. No one needs to mention the scars on Johns's face. The camp's luck has taken a turn. Now they have to hide away at Horseshoe Overlook. But people talk about what happened on the boat. They talk about what happened to John. They talk loud, in John’s mind at least. Javier was able to speak fluently after years. But of course Micah gives him shit for it, even though Micah had only joined recently.
“Hey John!” Javier waves at John. John waves back, he notices his own breath hitch up.
“H-Hey Javier, how you doin?”
“Doing quite fine, hows the face?”
“Healin… I’m feelin lot better, all it is, is its now just tender. I ‘ont need bandages no more”
“Well thats good! I’ll catch you later though, I got guard duty.”
John nods
“Hey, how bout later we hit up a saloon down in Valentine and pick up some chicks then? It’ll make you feel better”
Truth be told John didn’t like the thought of picking up women at the Saloon, hell even picking up women in general didn’t sound like fun. With his own problems with Abigail and Jack. He was trying to be a good father and partner but its getting harder and harder when he gets yelled at by Abigail or Jack pushing him off.
The nightfall rains and Javier walks over to John and grin
”Ay Marston! Ready to go to the saloon? Get wasted? Get women?” Javier snickers and elbows Johns arm. John sighs and nods.
”Yeah… Yeah lets get going…” John gets on his horse Old Boy, and follows Javier into Valentine. The ride was quite, as John was not sure what to say or what to do. Once they get to the saloon in Valentine, they hitch their horses and walk into the saloon. Javier leads them to the bar, he orders 2 shots and 2 beers. Javier gives John his shot and cheers.
”To the gang!” Javier grins, John nods, Javier downs his shot, and John takes some sips of his own.
”Ay! Mierda!” Javier spilt some oh his shot on himself. John looks away from his drink and sees Javier with a small spill.
”You aint even drunk yet, how are you spillin on yer self?” John softly chuckles
Javier chuckles back, as he grabs a handkerchief from his pocket
”I’m not normally this clumsy! Promise!” Javier grins
After a while, a girl comes over, John looks away, due to this Javier shrugs him off and talks to the girl, John glances over and sees them talking. It makes John upset, but he’s not sure why. John doesn’t have power over who Javier can and can’t date. Why was he feeling mad seeing them talk.
The girl giggles a little and Javier snickers. John starts to feel a little more upset, to the point where he ends up slamming his shot glass down and leaving towards the restroom. The slam makes Javier jump a little, he turns back to see John is walking off, but again. Javier shrugs it off as John is leaving to the restroom. John looks at himself in the mirror. he then splashes water on his face to get him out of a trance. He prepares himself to get back out and leaves the bathroom.
John walks back to see Javier is waving to the girl as the girl walks off.
”I thought you would’ve ended up fuckin her” John try’s to play it cool and chuckles
”I mean I was but she’s to… to much of a talker, I don’t wanna fuck a chatter box, I like vocals but not like that” Javier laughs
John rolls his eyes with a smile. His anger cools down after knowing that.
”Why haven’t you had anything else? You had a single shot, come on have some fun! You normally drink a lot!” Javier pushes John to drink more.
”Javier, I have a son and a partner. I can’t be drinking all the time anymore, I can’t pick up chicks either with you, Javier.” John sighs and speaks with matter.
”I… I just thought you’d want to relax, take your mind off of it. You’ve been seeming tense. All the time, and you’ve also been zoning out. I just want to help you.” Javier furrows his eyebrows speaking.
John stays quite, feeling bad for not enjoying himself when Javier, but he feels like if he did enjoy himself it would take a turn. John exhales deeply.
”Yer right.. I’ll try to enjoy myself tonight.”
Javier smiles and hands John a beer, John accepts it and drinks with Javier.
——
Javier ends up being wasted off of a lot, John is pretty sober still.
”Hey Johnn! How bouta nother rounndd… Onnn me!” Javiers speech slurs a little, he ends up tripping a little and grabbing onto John. Johns heart races, Javier is close to him. A little too close in Johns opinion.
”N- no.. Javier lets go back to camp…” John reassures Javier to go to camp with him.
”But Johnn.. Please…?”
John shakes his head
”No.. Dutch is gonna worry. Now lets go.” John drags Javier out of the saloon.
Javier try’s to walk on his own, he hobbles around and try’s to get on his horse.
”No no, you can’t get on yer horse, yer too drunk to ride”
John helps Javier on his own horse, John hops on Old Boy, Javier wraps his arms around Johns waist, throwing John off guard. He can feel his own face heat up. But why? Is he getting sick? John try’s to brush it off. John whistles
”lets get going Boaz!” Javiers horse follows right behind them.
Not a long ride back, Javier rests his head on Johns back, John try’s to brush it off and just keep riding back to camp.
“Hey… Johnn?”
”Hm…? What’s up Javier?”
“Are you happy with Abigail…?”
”…”
”Well?”
”Yeah… Yeah I am…” John can’t stand Abigail’s yelling when she’s mad at him, and thats most the time.
”okay.. just wondering”
—
They make it back to camp and Javier lets go of John and demounts off Old Boy, almost falling. When Javier let go John felt an empty sensation. But brushed it off as feeling lonely.
”Goodnightt Johnn” Javier waves and stumbes to his tent.
John waves, as he sits on his horse a bit and thinks about what Javier said.