Chapter Text
“Bloody Hell Jackie, It’s cold enough to freeze my balls off.” Nathen had shivered.
Jackson chuckled at his partner, “Really? Maybe it has to do with the fact that ‘cha wearing somethn’ so thin.”
Neither of them exactly planned their journey into the west Grizzlies. Their plan was to stay in Blackwater for a while, get money legally (and illegally if needed), then move on to the next place. Maybe New Hanover? It was a huge state to lay low in. But their plan didn’t work out very well, turns out there was this huge massacre that happened only a couple days before they came through. Apparently it was bad enough that once they entered town these detectives, Pinkerton's, Nathen would remind Jackson, that shot at them. So left with no choice they ran north.
“Well, I don’t see you helping me here. Isn’t that your job?” The Englishman huffed.
“Oh? Is that right? Well… if you really want my jacket you could just ask dear Nathan." Not that the jacket around him would do much to help. It was only really a light dress coat. Not suitable for winter. It was the end of winter, beginning of spring but even then the snow kept falling, and falling, and falling…
The snow was blowing into their faces, feeling like tiny pins pricking at their eyes and cheeks, Jack pulled his hat down to cover his eyes. The weather was absolutely terrible, the snow was so thick it blinded them both. The wind was also picking up- it was howling in their ears.
“Shit- Jack! We have to stop and rest soon the horses-” Nathen shouted over the wind. Said animals were in rough shape, being shot all the way up here and having to run for so long.
“Yeah, I know!” Jackson shouted back. They wouldn’t survive if they didn’t get out of this damn storm…
“Jack, over there- I see a light!”
Jack saw it too, to the left of them was the glow of fire and the outline of cabins. Someone was living there but maybe if they were lucky they could stay there for the night, or even longer if it came to it.
So the two spurred their horses onward to the light.
Together they entered the camp- only to be held at gunpoint by some uh... Rough looking men. An older man, with greying hair and frail frame stepped up to them. His hands on his belt, ready just in case.
“Hello there. May I ask what’s got you two doing here?” He wasn’t hostile, but his tone was off. Jack glanced at the men- and women apparently- surrounding them. Through the snow Jack could see that the man wore a dark green wintercoat, furs around the collar and all. It was a lot more suited for the weather than Jack’s own. The man must be the leader of this gang. Jack hummed to himself. He surely looked the part.
Jack opened his mouth- but Nathen spoke first. Jack always adored his quick thought and silver tongue. “We’re sorry to bother you sir. But would it be possible for us to rest here for a little while? At least until morning. We have been riding all night and- well my leg isn’t good for such activity anymore.” Nathen motioned towards his prosthetic limb
The older man widened his eyes, “Ah.”
Then another man came up to them. He was younger than the other, his coat was made of dark furs. The snow peppered the man’s coat. His hair was slicked back. Why he thought to keep up appearances in the middle of a snowstorm was beyond Jack.
“Ah, it sure does seem like you two have been riding for a long time.” He held out his hands, motioning them to come down from their horses. “Dutch van der Linde, and it is a pleasure to see you both… You know, I have a sayin’. We shoot fellas that need shootin’, save fellers that need savin’, and feed fellers that need feeding.”
A shiver ran down Jack’s spine, and he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the cold. The man’s words were undoubtedly a threat. The only question was… What one did he and Nathen fall into? Jack unmounted his horse. He then gave Nathen a hand- bad leg and all- and helped him unmount. “We cannot thank you enough Mr. van der Linde. We’ll stay out of your hair.” Nathen waved Jack away, and the blonde backed off. He really didn’t want Nathen to kick him in the shins again.
He shuttered at the thought.
“Ms. Grimshaw! We have guests!” the man called out, and that seemed to break the spell. The men and women that have been surrounding them dispersed. Only the old man and a middle-aged rugged guy. Jack glanced at them but turned away to follow Nathen and van der Linde.
***
They were given a room in one of the houses. It was small and cramped, with no bed. Jack however, couldn’t care less. He laid down his bedroll next to Nathen’s Most of their stuff was still on their saddles, with the horses. Well, this is why we only keep light things with us. The blonde sighed. The two of them rarely carried anything heavy, and if they did they kept it on themselves. Jack kept his sketchbook and paints in his satchel, Nathen kept his stolen goods and money.
Both men stripped themselves of said satchels and boots before falling onto the bedrolls in exhaustion. “Fucking hell…” Nathen groaned.
“Your leg?”
“Yeah. Can you?-”
“Of course my dear.” Jack carefully undid the leather straps keeping the metal leg in place. With a swift and gentle tug it slipped off smoothly. Nathen let out a grunt once it was gone. With the leg carefully placed away from their beds but close enough to grab in the morning the two of them lay together.
Jack held Raven close, arms around the raven-haired man’s waist. Nathen in turn rested his head against the other.
“You trust these guys?” Jackson whispered.
“Not one bit, but we won’t survive here with just the two of us.” Nathen replied with a heavy sigh, “Worry about this tomorrow. I want to sleep.”
“Of course Raven dear.”
Hopefully staying with this gang for a while wouldn’t damn them.
Nathen stretched out his leg, bumping against Jack’s legs. He blinked awake, the sun was just starting to light up the room. Jack was holding him, his arms tight around his waist.
They needed to get up before anyone came to wake them and saw them together like husband and wife. Although they were basically married already. “Jackie.”
Jackson only tightened his hold. “Mm…”
“I swear to god, Jackson let me go!” Nathen huffed. Wiggling in the other’s hold.Raven ended up jamming his elbow into Jack’s stomach. The blonde groaned and let him go.
“Asshole…” Jackson mumbled before he rolled over and fell back asleep.
Nathen took the next moments to put back on his prosthetic leg. The fake leg was mostly metal, it was made specifically for him. An old friend's design. (but he did steal it after it was made to avoid paying.)
He tightened the straps over the stump of his leg. “There we go…” he said to himself as he grabbed onto the wall to hoist himself up. With a tentative step he made sure his prosthetic was snug, when it didn’t give out, he left the room.
Outside he shuttered, it was wet and cold and bright. Christ-
“Ah, another early riser.”
Nathen jumped at the voice. Turning he saw the older man from the day before. “Oh, hello sir.”
“Hosea. Mr. Mannings, right?” Hosea asked.
“Correct.” Nathen nodded, “Um… May I use the fire to make tea?”
Hosea raised a brow, “I don’t see why not? Why? Ya think you and your friend are banned from the fire? No, you are welcome here no matter if you are one of us or not.”
Nathen chuckled, “thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
So Nathen headed to the horses, searching through the saddle bag until he found a metal cup and his tea leaves. Eventually he ended up with a cup of tea and stood around the fire.
“Well sir, you seem like you are right at home.” someone else joined him.
She was an older woman, hair tied up in a bun. She was intimidating and held herself like she owned the place. And honestly? With the way she was looking at him… he fully thought he did.
“Well, I do not mean to intrude on any of you.” Nathen took a sip of his tea, “If it makes you feel better me and Jackson are willing to help with whatever.”
“Good.” She nodded, “I’m glad we don’t have another Uncle on our hands.”
“W-who?”
“Oh, just our resident Parisite.” She smiled and shook her head.
“O-okay then… um- what is your name ma’am?”
“Susan Grimshaw. But call me Ms. Grimshaw.” She didn’t ask, it was an order if Nathen had ever seen one.
“Of course Ms. Grimshaw. It is a pleasure.”
***
Raven was sitting in the cabin, soaking in what little warmth from the fire gave him when Abigail, one of the ladies he had become acquainted with, rushed up to the newest to join the fire. He tried not to pay too much attention, partially because he didn’t give a shit.
“He hasn’t been seen in-” Abigail paused, “In two days…”
Oh? Well this jot got interesting. The man- Arthur- only agreed to go once Hosea ordered him and another man to go find John. Who was John? Abigail’s husband or something. So Arthur and Javier left to go find him.
“Who is John?” Nathen asked while he rubbed his hands together for warmth.
“Jacks father and Abigail’s, husband? Something like that.” Tilly explained, “half the time it seems like they hate each other though.”
Abigail made a sound but didn’t correct the younger women.
“I get that, sometimes the person you love is just so… stupid.” Nathen tried to comfort the woman. Especially seeing as she had a child.
“That’s…nice of you Mr. Mannings.”
“Of course Abigail.”
***
Raven was still near the fire, ideally sewing patterns onto Jackson’s bandana. The door opened and Jack came in, kicking the snow off his boots by the door. Jackson hated wet floors, saying that it just led to mold and other gross stuff.
“So you had it. I was looking for it earlier.” Jackson huffed.
“You left it on your mare. It’s not my fault I found it.” Nathen looked up from his work to smirk at his friend. It wasn’t the first time and it certainly would not be the last time Nathen took this particular item. The raven-haired man adored sewing birds onto the fabric with different colored thread. Though mostly they ended up just being black. The birds were all different, some in flight, others standing or sitting. It was a reminder to the stupid name Jack was so obsessed with calling him.
“Yeah? Well, I’ll need it back soon enough.” Jackson shoved his hands onto his coat pockets.
Nathen waved him away, “yeah, yeah…”
Pulling the needle through the fabric one last time, he decided to continue later. So he tied off the thread and handed the fabric to Jackson.
The blonde took it and tied it around his neck, “I was thinking of going to look for food.”
“Isn’t the weather still bad?”
“Maybe. But I’d rather risk the cold than starve.”
Nathen stared at Jack. He knew the man too well for him to worry about himself starving. No, more likely he was scared of all those around him starving. It just cemented Nathen’s wonder on how he even became an outlaw.
Hours passed, Jack ended up returning with a rabbit. It wasn’t too impressive. But Mr. Pearson was happy with whatever he could catch.
It was later in the day when Arthur and Javier returned with John. They carefully removed him from Javier’s horse into the women’s cabin. Marston’s face was cut up by some kind of animal- wolf maybe? And his leg also was injured, though Nathen didn’t quite know the reason for that injury.
Abigail was happy to have him returned- relatively- safe. Marston limped over to the makeshift bed and immediately plopped down on it. Nathen considered making a joke- bad leg? Been there buddy. But by some miracle, he refrained.
Instead he just turned away, letting them have their moment. He spoke to Tilly if there was any sewing work that he could do, needing to feel busy.
Tilly smiled softly at him, handing him some pants to sew up and fix.
Fucking hell this was going to be a nightmare here.