Chapter Text
The night was starting to draw in and you found yourself sitting with a few of the others around the campfire. Javier was sat nearby on his bedroll playing a beautiful melody on his guitar, while Lenny & Hosea were deep in conversation about something.
“Think this belongs to you” a familiar raspy voice boomed from behind you. You turned to face John for the first time in several days to see him holding your notebook “Found Jack scribbling all over it earlier on”
“Thanks” you smiled “He saw me sketching and wanted to try it out for himself” You took the book from his hands & opened it to see what Jack had spent the afternoon doing and chuckled at the child like doodles in front of you “Though lookin' at these I'm not sure if it was Jack or you who drew them”
“Some gratitude that is” he laughed sitting next to you as Hosea & Lenny looked over in your direction
“What's so funny?” Lenny asked while Hosea glanced to assess the situation between you & John.
You turned the book to face them showing them Jack's interpretation of Cain next to another drawing of a giant face filling the page
“I was just trying to work out whether this is the work of a talented 4 year old – or a dumbass 26 year old” you teased before John gave you a playful punch on the arm.
“Well considering Marston can't even write in a straight line, I reckon those pictures are far too advanced for him” Arthur chimed in as walked over to sit next to Hosea
“Very funny Morgan”
“Whose face is that meant to be?” Hosea asked walking over to take a closer look. A host of names were listed as each person around the campfire tried to guess.
“Nope” John smirked “When I asked him he said it was Lilly”
“No way are my ears that big” you joked “and is my face really that fat?”
“Plus he has you smiling, which is clearly wrong” Javier piped up from his own tent, carefully placing his guitar down before heading away to take up guard duty. You turned the page and saw that Jack has been practising his spelling, as the whole two pages were covered with different sized “Jack Marston”s including a “Jack Martson” and a “John Marston Jr.”
“Looks like your writing lessons are working old man” you complimented Hosea while leafing through the remaining pages until you reached one of your own sketches.
“Well he's definitely improving” Lenny joked “but I think you skipped a page there Lilly”
“I did?” you turned back a page and your stomach sank. On the left there were few faces with names underneath.
Hosea, Dutch, Oncle Arhtur, Mis Tily, Parsen, while the right had two stick like figures smiling & holding hands alongside a smaller one next to them patting a creature with three legs & a tail
Cain, Jack, Ma and Pa
Trying to clear the lump that suddenly developed in your throat, you coughed gently. Hosea having already glanced at the page and then your own expression, leaned forward to offer you some of his drink before trying to steer the conversation away.
“Some fine penmanship he's developing there - we'll have him filling out the ledger for us in no time” he joked
John raised his own drink up towards him “He's learnt from the best”
“Something we can both agree on” Arthur nodded slugging back the rest of his drink.
“Well I think it's time I turn in.” Hosea announced slowly rising himself off his seat. “Arthur, Lenny get a good nights sleep you'll need it for tomorrow. As for you two” he pointed at you & John “no causing trouble like the old days”
“I ain't making promises I can't keep” John smirked
“No, you'll just run away from them instead” Arthur grumbled walking towards the house.
An awkward silence filled the air between you & John
“Well, er..., I better head back upstairs too” he announced sensing your discomfort at being alone with him. You looked up at him. He stood up to make his point, but he was frozen in his tracks looking at you. Knowing him so well, you knew he was waiting for you to say stay a while, but you knew in your heart that if you did that you'd never let him leave you again.
“Wait a second” the words fell out your mouth and you melted as his eyes lit up and that smile he only ever seemed to have for you crept across his lips. Lifting yourself up to face him head on, you ripped the Jack's drawing out of your journal and placed it into his hands. “Take this to remember you're doing the right thing” you whispered before kissing his scar inflicted cheek gently. He turned his head slightly to meet your lips and you hesitated for the briefest of seconds before making the conscious effort to pull away before he drew you back into him.
You walked away with tears brimming in your eyes. Knowing he would still be stood watching you, you walked into the downstairs room you shared with the other girls, found a spot on the floor and cried yourself to sleep.
You hadn't quite drifted off when you heard his familiar footsteps walking through the house towards you. Keeping your eyes closed you smelt the whiskey & tobacco on his breath as he leant into you
“I know you're awake, but I just wanted to say thank you Lil'” he whispered “Thank you for helping me do the right thing for once in my life.” He softly kissed your forehead before making his way up the stairs to his own room.