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Cobb laughs, straight from his gut.
For those in Mos Pelgo, it’s an unusual sound. He doesn’t normally laugh like this. In fact, he doesn’t laugh at all, usually. With the town citizens and rare travelers passing through, he’s gruff - a real stickler for the rules. When citizens or travelers are out causing trouble, he knows.
At this point, foolish teenagers out past curfew know when to barter with him, begging eyes telling him not to tell their guardians. But he always lets them go. He was like them once. He and Y/N used to run that town – they used to fool vendors into giving them free food. When they couldn’t fool them, they’d steal. They’d run citizens into circles together, simply because it was exciting.
But now, he’s a lawman. He doesn’t get to have much fun anymore. Well, except when he’s with Y/N.
With them, Cobb laughs. It’s like sunlight as the sky darkens, the moons rising from the east. Of course, it comes naturally when he’s with them. He’s able to let go. While citizens normally call him “Cobb the Castle” for his metaphorical steel walls, Y/N sees him without them. And it’s a beautiful thing.
Out in the hills of that old mining town, he and Y/N walk together, fingers brushing as they walk side-by-side. Y/N nearly nuzzles up to him, their shoulders almost touching.
But Cobb doesn’t seem to notice. He doesn’t seem to notice the little things – their words, how they say them, how their touch lingers when it can. They want to flirt with him, truly flirt with him, but to tiptoe along that line of an amusing chase and facing serious feelings terrifies them.
Instead, while Y/N considers this, Cobb talks about his day. Of course, Y/N listens, their hand aching to intertwine with his. But they’re friends, just friends. Though Cobb is always willing to move it to the next level, they stay in their comfort zone, unable to swallow the fear of eventual rejection.
Sure, he likes them now. But will he like them when the chase is over? Every smart hunter knows that the excitement of a catch only lasts for so long.
But they find comfort in him talking about his day, no matter how uneventful it might be.
Today, he went to talk with some travelers who wandered in on the other side of town. He’s heard stories about them, but he insists you can never be too sure about people until you actually meet them. He shrugs. “But I was right about those folks. They’re not bad.”
Y/N nods.
When Cobb looks down at them, it’s like he’s checking up on them. He studies them to make sure they are happy. And they are. They can feel the warmth pooling in between their lungs. They want to reach out and touch him, reach out their fingers, and finally intertwine them with his. So, they do, for a moment, their fingers brushing, this time close enough to hold them.
He notices. A grin finds its way onto his face. “Y/N.”
“Yeah?” they ask, their voice level. Casual.
“Are you flirting with me?”
Y/N stops. They nearly pull their fingers away when Cobb stops them, fully taking their hand in his. He brings it up to his lips and softly kisses the top of it before his lips fall into the most dazzling grin. “Well, feel free to continue. I enjoy it.”
Y/N narrows their eyes at him, breaking from their spell. They slap his chest with their free hand. But they still laugh.
He joins in, straight from his gut.