“Slicker” | 21 | Male | Member

Slicker grabbed the beer that William slid him with one hand, pulling William closer as he listened to the shorter man’s words.

“Now give me a light will ya? And then ya can ask mush-head over there for yer next one.”

Slicker snickered at William’s aggression. Was it dumb to think William was cute when he was mad? Probably. Slicker was not a fairy after all. Why would Slicker be attracted to guys? It was not like every time he got drunk his thoughts grew filled with lewd ideas of the men around him, not like he had absolutely no interest in women, or had fantasies of pinning his best pal to the wall and just— No, he was no fairy. He might have been before but Slicker promised himself— no, him— that this would never happen again. Quickly distracting himself by sipping from his beer, Slicker tried to focus less on William’s lips and more on his words.

“Seemed really friendly you twos…”

Oh?~

Slicker could not help but smirk at this revelation that Slicker came to, setting down the drink which he had already chugged half of by this point. His liquor stained breath inched closer to William’s face as he stopped with his lips a mere few inches apart from the other. Slicker could not help but chuckle softly before asking William in a whisper: “Is someone… jealous?~”

Snickering, Slicker pulled away slightly, biting his lip as he watched William’s reaction with glee before reaching into his pocket for his lighter. Normally, he only used this for special occasions since lighter fluid was so expensive, but it felt rude to give William just some spare matches. Placing the metal lighter in the man’s hand, Slicker’s hands lingered for a moment. Christ, his hand was just a tiny bit smaller and softer than Slicker’s. How adorable was that? After a moment, Slicker let go only to place his hand on the inside of William’s thigh to pull the man closer and also because— Dear, God, forgive him for those thoughts!— the rush of excitement it gave Slicker just to touch him less than half-way up his inner thigh.

“Hmmm… maybe I will go back to my buddy over there,” Slicker mumbled softly, breathing hot air on William’s neck as he pressed into the side of William’s body. “I mean, we both know yuh don’t want me to leave just yet, but I am dyin’ to know: what’ll ya do to make me stay, pretty boy?~”

William Brant | 19 y/o | Male | Member

William glared at Slicker as he waited for the lighter, he just wanted him to be more careful, that was all… No other reason… Obviously.

Instead of being handed the lighter that he was waiting for, he noticed the smirk on his friend's face as he leaned closer… And closer… Oh god he was so close…

The brown-haired man’s cheeks felt hot, slowly turning red as his gaze started softening while he held eye contact with Slicker, feeling his warm breath on his skin. His heart started beating faster as his gaze shifted down to the lips of the man, dirty thoughts filling his head.

“Is someone… jealous?~”

Slicker's words made William’s face flush red and he was quick to look away while the other just snickered at him. Was it that obvious?

Suddenly there was the sensation of cool metal being placed in his hand and he quickly looked over again, realizing that it was just Slicker’s lighter. Just the lighter and the other man’s hand. He could swear that Slicker let his hand linger for just a little bit longer than one normally would, but he wasn't certain, maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him, filling him with hope… Hope for what though? He wasn't interested in men, he really wasn't… It had to be the alcohol messing with his head, surely that was all.

“Thanks…” William mumbled quietly, turning away to light the cigarette when he felt a hand on the inside of his thigh and he tensed up for a moment as his face flushed red once more and before he seemed to melt at the other's touch.

Fumbling a bit with the lighter as he struggled to remain calm while Slicker pulled him closer, William finally got the lighter to spark a fire and he lit the cigarette before placing the lighter on the table. Quickly he inhaled the smoke of the cigarette, trying to repress the thoughts racing through his head. When that didn't work, he took the cigarette with his right hand before grabbing his glass of beer and quickly chugging about half the glass.

No matter how hard he tried to think of something else, his mind was filled with the image of Slicker’s lips, the sensation of his hands on his body, his hot breath on his skin– Oh god, why was he like this?

“Hmmm… maybe I will go back to my buddy over there.”

As he took another inhale of the cigarette, Slicker spoke again, the sensation of his hot breath on William’s neck almost made the man shiver. And the feeling of his body against his… This was just too much..!

“I mean, we both know yuh don’t want me to leave just yet, but I am dyin’ to know: what’ll ya do to make me stay, pretty boy?~”

His first instinct should have been to snap at Slicker for such an assumption, why would he care about what Slicker did? But the truth was that he actually did…

Slicker was right, he didn't want the man to leave, nor did he want to try and put a stop to the man's current behavior. He knew he should. This wasn't right, it shouldn't be happening.

He chose to not listen to that voice of sense that he could hear in the back of his head though. Instead, William put his glass of beer down and turned slightly in his chair to look Slicker in the eyes as he put an arm behind the other man's neck, leaning closer and placing his forehead against the others.

“Will ya touch Mr. Piano like this too, hm?~” he asked in a low tone, slightly slurring his words due to the alcohol that was slowly taking control over him. “I don't want that..” William admitted with a mumble as the arm behind Slicker’s neck moved further down, now wrapping around the back of the man and his hand finding its way underneath the shirt of the other, pulling the man even closer to him, as if they weren't already pressed against each other.

His hazel gaze was kept on Slicker's green one as his head dropped to the man’s shoulder, laying it on the side and only looking away for a second to smoke a drag from the cigarette before glancing back up at the other man.

“Ain't I alone enough of a reason for ya to stay?~ Is it ‘cause I can't use my fingers as well as mush-head?~” William continued mumbling as smoke escaped his mouth and he placed the hand with his cigarette over the one Slicker had on his thigh. “Ya want me to get on my knees and beg ya to stay? Is that it?~ Or perhaps I need to convince ya in another way? What do ya want from me Slicker?~” the young man asked as he looked up at the other.

Deep down he knew better than to act in such a manner as he currently was, he knew better than to allow this, to act on the feelings that Slicker made him feel on an almost daily basis. But how was he supposed to stop? He wanted to be close to the man, not to sit by and watch him with someone else, it stung to see. Slicker was his, he knew him better than those strangers he would drool over. Could Slicker not just focus on him instead?

| Roxie Sweet | 24 | Female | Ex-Member of Philip’s Gang |

-

Roxie had never been so disgusted in her life, or at least she wished this was the limit. There was definitely worse, but watching the two guys she’d just met doing whatever this was, in the middle of a saloon, in front of her, felt like it should be a public offense. She had it in the right mind to stop them now before shit got even tenser, but she took a moment to think. I would have never left my peaceful life with Sarah if I knew this is what I was getting into.

Yeah, Sarah… she could've been talking to Sarah right now, but instead she was babysitting two drunks… Sarah, with her pretty, long black hair and striking blue eyes you could get lost in…

Nope, nope, she was getting distracted now. Shaking her head, she tried to look away and pet Sadie instead, but she could still hear the two men whispering, distracting her even further,

Taking another swift chug of her whiskey, she finally had it in her to tell them off. “Boys, boys! No! No, no, no! Not in the middle of the fucking saloon!” she whispered frantically, trying not to draw attention to them. “You can do whatever the hell you want later, but not here.”

She immediately wished Ollie would come back, though if he was seeing a glimpse of what she was seeing he’d probably get sick. He just had a weak stomach like that, Roxie on the other hand could take it, but she knew the people in the saloon would definitely judge them, and she didn’t want to get caught in the middle of that.

Everything happening in front of her should be none of her concern, and yet if she wanted to get into this gang, not scarred for life, it was gonna have to be. Roxie wasn’t expecting things to turn this way, so suddenly. She was instead thinking more of having a conversation with two badass outlaws from the west, who had high bounties on their heads and could crack a man’s skull like a walnut, but that idea had since been burnt to a crisp, instead she got two dunces, soaked to the bone with alcohol and practically making out in front of her. She hardly cared that it was two guys at all, she just didn’t want them to get too rowdy, especially with her head starting to spin from the whiskey. She couldn’t deny the firewater was starting to get to her, but she’d try her hardest not to let it.

“Slicker” | 21 | Male | Member

In a million years, Slicker never would have thought William would ever flirt. It was like asking a fish to fly. Yet… William leaned back into Slicker and mumbled back slurred, suggestive words. Slicker had expected— he had been prepared— for William to shutter and have a faint redness on his cheeks but this? No, this was the thing he least expected. William was reciprocating his affection and Slicker was absolutely not complaining at this fact.As William wrapped his arm around the back of Slicker’s neck, he couldn’t help but move closer, placing his free hand on William’s waist. William’s words were like music to his ears when he spoke in this tone, intoxicating Slicker as his hands crawled up and knotted themselves in William’s hair.

“Hmm… maybe I will touch Mr. Piano if it gets you acting more like this…,” Slicker mumbled more to himself than William as he looked the other man over with half-lidded and lusty eyes. One of William’s hands found their way up the back of Slicker’s shirt and the other over Slicker’s hand as Slicker could not help but inch his hand further up William’s thigh. As William met his eyes, Slicker had to restrain himself from thinking and acting more irrationally with William. Christ, he felt like he was boiling just from the single look alone! “That guy might be good with his fingers, but I think I’d have more fun with you knowing how good you are at using your mouth~” Slicker gripped his thigh a bit tighter as he inched closer to William’s lips. “But, gee, if ya really want me to stay, I wouldn’t be opposed to you doin’ all ya said and more in the bed—”

That was when the other woman, Roxie, interrupted. Slicker almost had not realized she was still there until she hissed at them to stop, causing Slicker to burst into a fit of drunken laughter. Slicker swat his hand dismissively at her as he downed the rest of the beer.

“We’re just a bit tanked up and having some grand ol’ fun, lass. We’re two grown men who can handle ourselves!” Slicker mumbled drunkenly before standing, albeit shakily and nearly toppling over in the process before having to catch himself on William’s shoulder. “I guess we’ll go have our fun elsewhere, eh William?~”

“Excuse me—” before Slicker could slink his arm back around William, suddenly a tiny woman was taping him on the shoulder— “but I was wondering… would a fella like you be looking for a scream?” She was fidgeting nervously as she looked up at him with pleading eyes and a pleasant smile. Oddly enough, she was one of the women that was seated with the girl of the pianist’s dreams. “I-I would love to just share one dance with you if that’ll be alright? I just figured— You look— Oh gee, I am just fumbling with my words now like a southpaw with a ball!” Slicker chuckled and leaned closer to the woman, just enough to see her scarlet blush even in his heavy state of drunkenness.

“I’d absolutely love to,” Slicker replied before quickly tacking on: “but I can’t.” The girl’s disappointment was immeasurable. “I’m a busy man, you see, and right now I have someone I gotta take care of first.” Slicker giggled drunkenly as he pressed into the woman and had to lower himself so he could whisper in her ear. “But I’ll try to make room in my schedule for a looker like you…~” The now flustered woman pulled away after having not breathed at all in Slicker’s presence, waddling away as she shakily regained her breath.

Did Slicker like her or find her attractive? No, not one bit. He just felt bad for her.

“Now, come on,” Slicker mumbled to William as he steadied himself with one hand on the back of his chair and the other on the table. “Let’s go get our room key…~”

Esther Reed | 28 y/o | Female | Leader

Esther’s eyes narrowed as Nike forced her to look at the others, speaking in a much harsher tone than what she would normally.

“Look at Del, look at Vera, and Aiden and the other two women. You are in charge of them whether you like it or not.”

Opening her mouth to protest, Nike was her responsibility too, she was part of the gang too. If she was staying to deal with the killers of Jacob, then so was she.

“Frankly, I don’t think you’ll be a good leader. I think you lie to yourself and others too much to be good at what Jakob wanted you to do.”

In an instant, Esther's eyes filled with hate, how did she even dare to say something like that? If it wasn't for the fact that she had the others staring at them she definitely would make her pay for saying such a thing but she needed to keep her composure.

“Please, please, prove me wrong and take care of them for me.”

What did she think? Just what did she think she was trying to do? Have even more of them fall dead? Just where did she find the nerve to say such things?

The woman felt nothing but hate towards Nike right now for her words. What was even the woman’s intention? Was she trying to be some sort of hero now? To go down as the one who saved them all while Esther ran away like a coward with the rest?

Esther turned away from her, looking down at the corpse of Jacob and stroking his cheek gently, her gaze filling with sadness. She wasn't ready for this, she knew that. But that did not mean Nike could say that.

With a heavy feeling in her chest, Esther grabbed the hat of her former leader that had fallen to the ground next to him, putting it over his head to cover his face. Doing that was the closest thing to a burial she could give him…

“Esther, grab Del!”

Esther’s attention was pulled from Jacob’s lifeless body when she heard Vera screaming and she looked over at the woman before her gaze turned to Delaney who sat frozen in fear on the ground, eyes darting from person to person but not making a single move. He was just a young boy after all, it was natural that he would feel fearful and confused in a situation like this.

Looking over at Nike one last time, Esther gave the woman a cold look, she had nothing left to say to her, the woman had chosen this herself, she had chosen that she wanted to die at the hands of the law, it was not Esther’s decision, that was Nike’s own.

Rising to her feet, the blonde woman grabbed Del’s arm, pulling the young boy to his feet and starting to run with him after the others, Del making no struggles as he followed her with an apathetic look on his face. The young boy didn't know what to make of the situation, right now he was just letting himself be led by Esther.

The pleading sobs of Aiden filled any brief moments of silence that were left between the gunfire that was ringing out through the otherwise still forest. She could not care less though, all they needed to do was to keep running and for Aiden to shut up. They had to get away and find a hiding place, after that she would have to think of a plan but right now the safety of the remaining gang members was priority, it would have been Jacob's priority.

“Aiden! She’s doing this for all of us so keep running and don't stop until I say so!” she yelled at the boy, hoping to shut him up and realize that Nike was gone, yelling would not change the decisions made. The woman’s fate was sealed the moment she chose that she would be staying and sending the rest of them away.

Lucile Mason | 27 | Female | Ex-Member of Red’s Gang |

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Lucile scrambled onto Traveler’s back, trying to keep herself upright as the horse had already been trying to scamper off. Pulling back on his reins a bit she was finally able to get herself over his saddle, and the horse didn’t waste anymore time as it hastily moved closer to the two boys and women who were finally starting to flee. She had Traveler stop only a couple feet away from them, hoping by this point it was clear she wasn’t trying to shoot at them and instead trying to help.

“Hey, boys!” she shouted at the two who she’d met earlier. “I don’t know what's goin’ on here, but get your folks and move.” reloading her rifle, she aimed above their heads, trying to get the cops into view again, but the brush was now blocking them. Grunting with annoyance, she had Traveler turn on the spot, ready to make a quick escape. Did these people have enough horses? If they didn't, one of them could go on the back of Traveler, though she doubted any of them trusted her at all, so she didn’t offer. If one of them needed a ride they would ask.

Her attention snapped back to the bushes, where one of the cops was peering at them, his gun raised. Lucile took no time and no chances, pulling the gun back up and aiming a quick shot to the cop’s face. He fell backwards, out of sight, and Lucile was really wishing to hurry out of here now. She wasn’t going to leave these people now that she was already here, but she'd appreciate it if they were a little faster. Their lives were on the line and they were too busy crying in each other's arms to get going. Lucile understood the pain they felt with losing somebody they loved, but the pain was for later, getting out alive was now.

William Brant | 19 y/o | Male | Member

Every little touch from the other man filled William with excitement. Being so close to Slicker made it hard to keep himself in control, especially with the alcohol filling his head with ungodly ideas. With what little sense and self control William still had left, he had to fight not to throw himself all over the man more than he already was.

“That guy might be good with his fingers, but I think I’d have more fun with you knowing how good you are at using your mouth~”

The blush on the young man's cheeks grew as he had to look away and smoke a drag of his cigarette to remain somewhat calm.

“If ya can stop drooling over all them other folk then I might show ya just how good I am~~” William offered with a soft smirk on his face, excitement rushing through his body as he felt the other’s grip on his thigh tightening. He was going insane trying to contain himself. Oh how unfair this was of Slicker, doing this to him, filling him with these thoughts and feelings.

Suddenly they were interrupted by the female stranger, what was her name again? Err- Roxie! William looked over at her when he heard her hissing and he could only follow Slicker's lead and laugh. They were just joking around, could Roxie not see that? It was nothing but some drunken joking… Nothing but that…

As Slicker stood up and placed a hand on William's shoulder, the man looked up, meeting his gaze as he smoked the last drag of his cigarette, just about to agree to leaving when they were interrupted once more, this time by a smaller woman, dressed in a fancy dress and clearly trying to look like she was of higher status than she truly was. She wasn't attractive anywhere yet now she stood here in front of them, trying to ask Slicker to dance and steal him from William.

“I’d absolutely love to.”

That was all he needed to hear for him to turn his head and swat Slicker’s hand off his shoulder, that man was just impossible…

With a frown on his face, William put his cigarette out, tossing it in the empty glass of Slicker’s as he grabbed his own glass of beer and began chugging down the rest of it.

His gaze met the red haired woman’s from across the table and he put the now empty glass down before resting his head on his hand and sighing softly.

“We ain’t no fairies, he's like that with everyone, see..?” William muttered quietly, slightly defensive and trying to prove to the woman that whatever she was thinking, she was wrong but what was even clearer than that, was the fact that he was unhappy with Slicker's flirtatious behavior as soon as it wasn't directed at him anymore. He clearly disliked the man flirting with the woman who'd come up to their table, not that he would admit that though.

“Now, come on. Let’s go get our room key…~”

William looked up when he heard Slicker speaking to him. He had expected him to go with the woman and having completely tuned out their conversation to avoid further disappointment, he had completely missed him rejecting her. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he rose from his chair, excitement filling him once more.

“Yer sleeping on the floor like the absolute dog ya are though~” William said with a grin, his mood having instantly having been lifted as a result of Slicker rejecting the woman.

He put an arm around Slicker's shoulders as he took a wobbly step back and closer to the man as he looked at Roxie with a drunken smile. “Well, since we ain't allowed to have fun here, we oughta go but we’ll see ya around Rox, don't go getting yerself in no trouble,” he slurred as he grabbed his hat off the back of his chair and put it back on his head, winking at the woman with a chuckle.

It was crazy that Slicker could change his mood this easily but the alcohol was also at blame for it. He hated seeing him with other people, he always did, but usually he would not let that show, it was the alcohol bringing this side of him out, showing how jealous he really would feel.

If he wouldn't be drunk right now, he would for sure feel ashamed about his feelings and how clearly they were showing but he didn't have it in him to feel ashamed right now. Slicker was his more than anyone else's, and he didn't want his Slicker flirting, or even looking, at other people right now.

| Ollie Bright | 31 | Male| Ex-Member of Red’s Gang |

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Ollie made his way down the stairs of the saloon and into the snowy streets of PurePoint. Gwynn trailed right behind him, barking softly as she took the lead. He let her go ahead of him, knowing the dog knew exactly where they were going, though with the thick snow and dimming sky, it was difficult to make out too much of the street in front of him.

She looked back every few steps to see if he was still following her, her pawprints guiding him through the now thickening blizzard. They both were too used to the cold weather and pouring hail to be bothered by it though, keeping up a steady pace as the lights of the doctor’s office came into view. Gwynn barked again, stopping just short of the office and waited for her owner patiently.

Ollie’s pace quickened as a slight breeze started up, flurrying the snow on the ground. He grunted and hurried to the office door, knocking impatiently. Gwynn trotted up next to him as the door opened and both were rushed inside.

Ollie looked around as Aiden slammed the door. “Sorry, too cold to leave it open-”

“All fine with me.” Ollie glanced around the office filled with people. Burns, cuts, gashes, all of which were as Ollie thought as nasty, disgusting, putrid, and rotting, covered the bodies of the injured people stacked in the office. He could never be a doctor himself, having to stay in a place like this, with all the grime and decay.

Ollie hated the way these people looked at him, some of loathing and others of pure bliss. He glared at all of them equally as Aiden led him from the room and into the back where he opened a hatch to what seemed to be a basement, letting Ollie and Gwynn inside first.

“The hell are we going into this damp place for?” Ollie sniffed.

The room was large, but colder than it had been upstairs. Wooden floors, wide stone walls, and what could be considered a decently comfy looking living area with armchairs, a table in between, and a lonely looking fireplace with hardly a spark in it.

“I honestly can’t take another minute up there at the moment, sorry.” Aiden sighed. “I’ve had half the town in here since two weeks ago and some of them refuse to leave even though I’ve done all I can for them. I’ve had to get Vincent and Emmet in here and everything, though of course people will listen to them… Here, sit down.”

He beckoned Ollie over to one of the chairs, to which Ollie nodded thankfully, sitting down. Gwynn laid on the floor next to his feet, closing her eyes and looking relaxed for the first time in days.

-

-

| Roxie Sweet | 24 | Female | Ex-Member of Philip’s Gang |

-

Roxie fell into silence for a while, quietly sipping her whiskey as she glared at the two guys, her mood worsening the more she drank, but the disgust she felt for what she was watching was hardly dimming. Her disdain for the two men just grew and grew as she watched, and at this point not even her gracious thoughts of getting to see Sarah again could stop her from wanting to throw a chair at them, these… she was now having trouble coming up with words for just how frustrated she was with them right now, her face bright red and half covered by her hand as she glanced from the two men towards the saloon door, hoping Ollie would show up any minute and save her from this wretched place.

Her muttering was interrupted though, when a young woman walked over to the table. She was short, and fairly pretty, but when she asked Slicker to dance, Roxie found herself surprised. He surely wasn’t good looking, at least to Roxie he wasn’t. She was also surprised the woman hadn’t seen what Slicker and William were just doing. Roxie glanced over at William, who seemed to be sulking now, almost getting a laugh out of her, but she forced herself not to.

“We ain’t no fairies, he's like that with everyone, see..?”

Roxie’s eyes narrowed at the comment. “You think I could give half a damn if-” she stopped when Slicker turned back to William, and the short woman had scurried off. She watched the two men get up, frozen in her chair. She was completely shocked by the complete mood swing with William, and as they turned their backs, for a second she really thought she might as well throw a chair at them, just to get her point across they were being stupid. Her grip tightened on the wodden chair next to her, but she let go quickly, instead laying her head on the table and sighing. “This wasn’t what I expected…”

“Slicker” | 21 | Male | Member

“You’re really gonna make me sleep on the floor, William? Damn, I didn’t know you were into that…~” Slicker snickered into his ear, surprisingly calling him by his name for once as they left Roxie. “Not gonna, lie, I pegged you for the guy who’d prefer to be called a ‘good boy’ and treated like a dog.”

Stumbling over to the counter, Slicker leaned his arm on it for support as he laughed drunkenly. The woman behind the counter sighed as Slicker lightly tapped the bell, looking up from whatever unholy magazine she was reading to glare daggers at the two men.

“The Pearl?” Slicker asked with a snicker as he pointed to the half-naked image of a woman on the cover. “Gee, have you absolutely no dignity, woman? So scandalous!~”

“It’s the only magazine my family sends me,” she replied boredly, giving no mind to Slicker’s antics as she slapped his hand away when he tried to push the pages down so he could have a better look at what page she was on. Clearly— in Slicker’s mind, at least— she had no soul because how could she not even apologize when Slicker pouted upon being hit? “Whatcha here for? The bar’s that way, lunkheads.”

“We’d like una habitación, por favor~” This caused the woman to look up with her eyes in pretty noticeable confusion. Slicker pulled William a bit closer and looked over at him with a smirk as he spoke. “Estoy tratando de moler a este tipo—” Slicker looked back at the woman— “ya catch on?~”

“I don’t speak Spainesse, ya schmuck,” the woman responded harshly.

“Rooms. One room, actually.”

“That’ll be a dollar.”

“Ya know, money is just a social construct. I mean, I could go on and on about this. Blah, blah, blah! But, I mean, think about it! Why should I pay it? It’sss just sooo dumb! I mean, really, why should we even—”

“It’s one fucking dollar, ya lush.”

“Sheesh, ‘ya this’ and ‘ya that.’ Lay off will yuh…” Slicker leaned his whole side on the counter as he fished through his pocket as he grumbled under his breath. “Can’t believe this, William. I really can’t.” The woman did not look up from her magazine as Slicker slammed down a one dollar bill. Slicker leaned his head on William’s as every part of his body felt like a melting wax candle as he waited for the woman to hand him his key. After what felt like forever, she closed the magazine, turned her back on them, and handed them a key.

“And you have a splendid night at the—”

“Yep, yep, okay, thanks, bye!” Slicker said as he cut off the woman from her cringingly forced dialogue as he handed the key to William and dragged him towards the stairs. “Christ almighty, she was annoying… Gee, I’m glad she didn’t hold us up for the whole night!” Slicker chuckled into William’s neck while slurring his words. The two drunken men stumbled down the halls until Slicker crashed into the wall opposite their door with a chuckle. “This is our room, ain’t it? Ahhh let’s just try the key anyway, why don’t we!”

After just a moment of silence, Slicker spoke as he slid down the wall a little as he was crumbling under his own weight. “Gol-ly, we’ve had such a shitty day, haven’t we?” Laughing, Slicker watched as William stumbled to the door and tried to slip the key into the hole. It had been a horrible day, hadn’t it been? They had lost so many members of their gang in such a short amount of time and so far the rest of the gang had yet to show themselves. Slicker had to cover his quivering lips to quiet his laughter. Slicker really did not know why he was laughing. Maybe it was just because pretending was easier than admitting that Slicker felt the weight of their death’s added to his heavy burden. Slicker had always been good at pretending.

Slicker suddenly fell silent, deathly so. He did not want to pretend anymore, but he really had to. Although, it would be nice if Slicker could just distract himself for a little while instead. Yes. Yes! Yes, a distraction would be nice. A break from the acting to just allow himself to slip up. Cigarettes and booze were always nice, but now he was craving something more. He needed something more.

William looked good in those pants. He filled up his shirt quite nicely, too. Slicker had noticed both these facts and more long before this moment, but leaning against the wall all he watched William try and fail to slip the key into its slot, packed with ideas that he had only implied doing earlier. Slicker wondered where William was most sensitive, what he was into, and— No, he should not have been thinking these things. It was taking every bone in his body just to control himself from—

Why should I control myself?

“Heyyy… William~” Slicker murmured lowly in the other man’s ear as he creeped up behind him. Placing his hand on William’s waist and the other on the wall in front of him, Slicker pushed William into the wall as he pressed into him. “How about this: you don’t make me sleep on the floor and you don’t have to do much to convince me to stay ever again. All you gotta do is just uhh… have a bit of fun with me…” Slicker’s voice drifted off as he could barely focus on his own words when William’s body was right against his. Slicker’s hand snaked around to William’s front as it dipped into his pants. Pressing more into William, Slicker placed sloppy kissing leading down his neck before marking William with a dark hickey at the base of his neck. “Hurry up with the keys… I’m getting impatient, William~”

No more ‘pretty boy.’ It was only William now.

Vera | 26 | Female | Member

After a surprising, brief silence— the gunfire had quieted for a while— the trees were suddenly pierced by bullets that sprayed out an explosion of wood on impact. Esther ordered for Aiden to quit his yapping and keep running, her voice loud and clear despite Vera needing to duck and weave through the trees’ debris. Vera did not have the time to look back at Aiden as she darted over the holes and ditches, but his sobs were broken and muffled as he squeezed Vera’s hand tighter. Just behind them, under the sound of now dwindling gunfire, the sound of their boots pounding against the forest floor sounded more like a massive pack of animals in pursuit of them rather than coppers. Vera did not know how long she had been running but her arm ached from holding up the unconscious woman and her legs burned. Even Aiden was slowing down as Vera found herself having to tug him along more and more.

Ahead of them, three horses were caught in an unending panic within the brush. Comanche had run into Nike’s horse, Victory. While Victory was biting at the other if she dared come close to Harry, Frank’s warm-blood horse, Harry had his bridle tangled into a nearby tree as he tossed his head in distress. Victory still had her halter on but the lead attached swung about like a pendulum that spooked Frank everytime the horse snipped at Comanche. Rearing and pacing and biting, the horses were all in a frenzy with their ears pinned and voices shrill. Vera could see Harry’s coat was still stained red with Frank’s blood. Vera knew it would waste time to untangle Frank in his panic and then mount him with another person in hand, but Vera did not know how long she and Aiden could keep running from the coppers like this.

“Aiden, grab Victory,” Vera instructed the boy whose eyes were red from tears just like Vera’s despite her having more time to let her’s dry. As Aiden grabbed the mare’s halter who reared and snorted, Vera looked back to Esther as she approached the horse caught in the tree. “Can Comonchie—” she butchered the name due to her accent— “hold you and Del?” Vera instantly turned back to Harry as he heard his panting and heaving through his muzzle as she drew closer, trying to be quick while also not startling him as she snapped the thick branches his bridle had snagged on with one hand, holding the blonde woman into the other. Harry backed away as soon as he was released from the branches while Vera grabbed the reins and silently hushed him and soothed him. Looking nervously over her shoulder to check where the coppers were, she stroked his muzzle as his snorting slowly drew quieter. Vera did not have time to fully calm Harry so him being moderately stable would have to do. Placing the unconscious woman on the back of the horse, she then boosted herself onto the bloody saddle. With Aiden sitting bareback on Victory, Vera and Aiden followed after the new woman who had joined the group out of nowhere, not knowing if she could be trusted but choosing to follow her nonetheless.

William Brant | 19 y/o | Male | Member

Stumbling over to the counter with Slicker, William carried a bright, drunken smile on his face. He put one hand on the counter for support as he glanced at the magazine the woman was reading, a look of disgust washing over his face briefly. He didn't get what people found attractive about women, all the curves and the soft porcelain skin, and that long hair that they could spend hours brushing, pampering and styling, or whatever… Just no, it was ridiculous and he didn't get it, there was nothing hot or even remotely attractive about any of it.

He wanted someone masculine, rough-skinned, a sharp jawline with that slight stubble covering it, a flat masculine chest and that short messy brown hair paired with some lovely green eyes- Now he was just describing Slicker…

William glanced at the man in question as Slicker pulled him closer and a blush appeared on his face once more, he had no idea what Slicker was saying, he had never learnt Spanish but knowing Slicker, it was probably best he didn't know, the smirk on the man’s face told him more than enough.

A low groan escaped the one-eyed man when Slicker and the woman and the front desk got into their mini argument about the costs of the room and William leaned his arms on the desk, all he wanted was to go to bed.

When William felt Slicker’s head against his, he couldn't help but to smile again, putting a hand on the man's cheek. Maybe he and Slicker could do more than sleep- No! Now he was really letting his mind run wild… Ugh, maybe he was drunker than he’d thought…?

Finally they were handed the keys to the room and before he knew it, Slicker was pulling him towards the stairs in search of the room. Staying on their feet definitely wasn't easy as they searched, not when they were both stumbling worse than the other. And as one might have already predicted, one of them soon went crashing into the walls, Slicker being the unfortunate one to do so.

Like instructed, William started trying to get the key into the keyhole, only it was proving to be quite a difficult task with the alcohol in his body. Quietly, the young man cursed under his breath when he couldn't get it in, giving the door a light kick out of annoyance.

“Gol-ly, we’ve had such a shitty day, haven’t we?”

William gave a light chuckle. “Sure have…” he then added with a mumble as he leaned his forehead against the wall next to the door, giving it another light kick. Everything had gone to shit today and for all he knew, him and Slicker could be the only ones left alive. Well… The little rats Aiden and Delaney were probably still kicking it back at camp with Nike, at least one could hope so…

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted when he felt a hand on his waist and the body of Slicker’s pressing him against the wall. William’s face flushed red as he glanced back at Slicker, taking a deep breath before opening his mouth to ask the man what he was doing, but before he could, Slicker answered that on his own.

“How about this: you don’t make me sleep on the floor and you don’t have to do much to convince me to stay ever again. All you gotta do is just uhh… have a bit of fun with me…”

Feeling Slicker’s hand finding its way into his pants made his knees buckle a bit and William gripped the door handle tightly. “Slicker…” he whined out softly as he glanced back at him, his eyes closing when he felt the kisses on his neck.

He wasn't going to do anything with Slicker, he had already made up his mind about that because he knew it would be the wrong thing to do, he would regret it, surely he would. But that didn't mean that the feeling of Slicker's body against his didn't feel good, and the kisses… Oh he knew he wasn't supposed to but Slicker was doing a good job convincing him otherwise.

“Hurry up with the keys… I’m getting impatient, William~”

Despite the last sensible part of his mind screaming no, William still opened his eyes again and managed to fit the key into the lock before twisting and pushing the door open and squirming his way out of Slicker's grip. He grabbed the hand of the other man and pulled him into the room before shutting the door behind them. Things would happen in this room that most people would kill them for if they found out about it, and while William knew deep down just how wrong this was, desire had quieted down that part of his brain, desire and booze.

“Ya ain't off the floor yet…~ Ya will have to impress me if you want a spot in the bed~” William told Slicker, a soft smirk on his face before he continued, “If ya don't… Well, we gonna have a problem ‘cause now ya got me all riled up~ Fucker…~”

William stepped closer to Slicker, putting a hand on the man's chest while using his other hand to unbutton his own shirt. He needed this. He wasn't supposed to, but God knows he wanted it.

He had wanted this for quite some time now actually, probably since one of the first few times he met the man. Slicker was definitely his type, weirdly enough, and no matter how much William had tried to not let it, the man’s relentless flirting and his charm, it had gotten to him, won him over. The sober William could keep himself in check and turn Slicker down, the drunken one, not so much.