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GABE.

–

Gabe gives a doubtful hum, certain that his friend has plenty to give beyond bull riding, but he doesn’t press the issue. These days, Gabe isn’t feeling like he has very much to offer himself. Easing out a long sigh as he watches the others practice and prep for their big night at the rodeo, Gabe knows that Buck is right. Should Tyler ever want to take up bull riding, he’s already far behind most of the other riders his age, but Gabe doesn’t pretend not to know why, “Addison never wanted him anywhere near it,” he supplies with another sigh, but he doesn’t blame his late wife. After his own riding accident, he knows she had her reasons for wanting to shield their kids from the life. He’s not even sure it’s something Tyler would want for himself anyway. “Nah, I’d never force him,” Gabe answers, bringing his cigarette to his lips again, “I just want him to find somethin’ to help center him, y’know?” He glances over at Buck, hoping that whatever he’s trying to say makes sense to his friend. “It don’t have to be this,” he says, gesturing at the ring in front of them, “He just needs his true north. We all do.”

RYDER.

open starter → Farmers Market

You could almost always find Ryder at the Farmers Market on Sundays. Early in the morning it was usually quiet. He’d find himself lingering at stalls and chatting with people he hasn’t seen in weeks, or just letting them describe that weeks crop or whatever they were trying to sell. Most of the time he walked away with some pastries or premade food, because he knew his way around the kitchen but he was in no way professional there, so a lot of these fresh ingredients would be lost on him. Or end up rotting in his trash can when he inevitably ordered a pizza instead of cooking dinner for himself. But today’s trip was anything but quiet - it was a beautiful day and Ryder got a late start that morning which meant he was battling crowds of families out enjoying their Sunday morning. 

So instead of strolling casually from stall to stall, the ranch hand found himself looking for spaces to between large groups of people and making sure he wasn’t running into any screaming kids. He had been buying a pack of homemade dog treats for Holly when someone came at him from the right. He didn’t hear it, but he felt the kid colliding with his leg sending him running into someone standing the next stall over. “Fuck, sorry,” He said, turning to steady whoever he smashed into, looking down to make sure he hadn’t knocked something out of their hands before he snorted. “Never thought a group of kids would be able to knock me down that easy. Y’good?”

The Farmer’s Market was where Buck liked to get his syrup of all things, hating the grocery store brands. So he braved the busy streets in order to find his favorite local syrup and honey. Soon enough, he was colliding into Ryder of all people. In an alternate universe, he’d know about his daughter’s love life and whatever was going on with Ryder. Unfortunately, however, he just knew Ryder as a Ward ranch hand. If he knew that Ryder was involved with Becky, he probably wouldn’t be as nice to him. 

BECKY.

STATUS — open LOCATION — riverside park

“There’s a trash can like three feet away.” Becky huffs, stooping down to pick up the crinkled water bottle in the middle of the walking path. She’s usually not one to jump up on a soap box like this but for whatever reason, she finds the litter especially annoying today. Maybe it’s because Holly, the Australian shepherd at her heels, had taken it upon herself to try and make a chew toy out of it. Or maybe the heat is just getting to her. “This is why the planet is falling apart. People have no respect for it.” 

“Oh yeah, that totally wasn’t me, Bex.” He tried to say in his most convincing voice, unsure if she knew when he was lying or not. Though honestly, it wasn’t like they spent a whole ton of time together to begin with. He also liked to play that basketball game where he’d shoot into the garbage can at the buzzer, but usually missed. “I mean, I got respect for it cause this is how our animals live and they need a healthy planet. Do you advocate a lot for this? Cause I’d like to see you in action.” 

NICO.

Nico peers over at Buck Ward– obviously, Nico knew of him at the very least. Of course, he wasn’t afraid of grabbing something from behind the bar– meanwhile, Nico would end up having to pay off whatever bartenders (or cops) might look his way. “Or… you could do it. I like that plan,” he decides. “No one wants to think that the firefighter around town will steal their booze if their house is on fire. That’d be something,” Nico shrugs. “So booze me, Buck.” His hand holds out as if it’s grabbing the drink Buck’s already made. Hey, he’s the one that said that the owner, himself, won’t care.

“You gonna pretend you had nothin’ to do with this idea too?” He asked with a chuckle, not jumping at the opportunity to play bartender. “If I serve you then I gotta serve everyone and that takes all the fun outta coming here.” He liked the brewery because there were so many options when it came to the beer and he eventually got drunk from said options. “But if I did happen to go and pour some for us, which beer you lookin’ to get?” 

SAWYER.

-

Sawyer grinned before taking a sip out of the wine glass that had been brought to her by the bartender. “Oh, but wouldn’t you be so lucky If i had been your wife.” She teased, before setting the drink back down on the bar. “I figured that was why you grew the beard. All your fucks had gone out the window.” It had been years since she had seen any members of the Ward family, before she had come back to town. “Pool is a shitty game anyways. That’s why I never learned how to play.” 

“I dunno, I feel like we’d get annoyed with each other within like two hours, tops.” It would’ve been...interesting, that was for sure. “I still got some fucks. Like I give a fuck about my family and ‘bout the idiots over there who won’t stop lookin’ over at us. Think they’re fans of PBR?” He always brought his sharpie with him just in case. “Alright, only people who suck at pool say that. If you’re good at it, it’s fun. You’re smart, you could definitely do it. You just gotta angle it right into the pockets.” 

THATCHER.

-

“Don’t start underestimatin’ the runt of the litter.” Thatcher watches the smallest goat in the heard, a tan little doe speckled with white like paint splatter. “She hit’s ‘em low every time and it still takes ‘em by surprise.” By now he’s usually got a decent sense of their personalities but he hasn’t hah as much a hand at raising this years fresh batch of kids and calfs. This small showing of farm animals aren’t the prize of the Ward Ranch, but Thatcher has taken a liking to raising them, bringing a new round of offspring to the festival every year. Call it a hobby, call it a passion, either way Thatch hasn’t had as much time for it ever since their dad got sick. A lot of the work has been offloaded to other farm hands and hired help. 

Thatcher offers his brother a cigarette when he pulls one out for himself. Better get it in before the families start showing up. “Same as every year,” he shrugs. “Kids always get a kick outta the zoo. You workin’ on something or just showin’ up for a good time?”

"I ain’t underestimatin’, just pointing out the obvious,” Leave it to them to disagree when it came to a potential chicken fight that wasn’t going to actually happen. But what else were siblings for it not to challenge exactly what they said? He gladly takes a cigarette from Thatch, lighting it up with his own lighter. “I’m gonna check out the rodeo for the most part,” There’s no where else he’d rather be. “I’d offer help here but I’m no good with little kids.” At least kids that weren’t his own. And even then, that was questionable. “You really wanna deal with these kids torturing some of these guys?” 

LORI.

A laugh escapes Lorianne as she’s walking inside, one hand reaching up to swat the air. “No, you’re not in trouble. Trust me, you’d know if you were in trouble with me, cowboy.” The woman replies teasingly, taking a seat at the kitchen table. 

She removes her purse from her shoulder, setting it down beside her chair. “I wanted to talk to you about something you said at the fair, though.” She begins, turning to Buck, “You told me that nobody asks about you and I guess I just -” Lori shrugs, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay…”

LIZA.

“Maybe that’s what I’m lookin’ for — stupid and obedient. I’m the bull, just need a rider.” Except that’s not true at all, and Liza would fuck one of these idiots maybe once and then toss him aside out of boredom, but it’s the thought that counts. She’s almost one hundred percent sure her brother has no interest in hearing that from her, but she cracks a wider smile anyway, unwilling to tone down her crudeness even for him. The redhead shakes her head when he brings up the goldfish, just another thing on the long list of casualties Buck has contributed to in her life. Leave it to him to bring up some childhood fair trauma from decades past — but Liza figures it’s only fair, since she’s convinced her brother is mentally six years old from all the brain damage he’s endured. “You win me a goldfish and I’m shoving it up your ass. I’m just trying to laugh at these stupid fucks getting knocked on their asses in peace. I know you think it’s a very serious sport, but I hate to break it to you, Buck — it’s fucking funny.”

What the hell was she smiling about? “You wouldn’t want a rider on you for eight seconds. We both know you don’t like being told what to do.” He figured that’s what she meant by the metaphor, right? Maybe it was going right over his head but he figured that’s what she meant although her smile was definitely giving him mixed messages. “What’s funny about it?” It was the one thing he had been good at, so the accusation that it was funny was something he took extremely serious. “It takes years to even be able to go on a bull and for a second, and to do it without a helmet? It’s hard.” He knew his sister wouldn’t change her opinion, he wasn’t that stupid, but he was going to defend his livelihood. “What’d my sport ever do to you?”

GABE.

WHERE: Rodeo Grounds WITH: @buckwcrd​

Although his focus rests almost entirely on running the brewery now, Gabriel’s heart is still very much with the rodeo. It’s why he’s spending his afternoon watching a few of the young guns practice on the grounds and silently envying them, all behind a steady stream of smoke billowing up from the end of his cigarette. In his prime, Gabe had looked to bucking broncos and barrel racing to get his thrills. Even now, he still catches himself wishing for one more day in the arena, but his body, mangled and somehow pieced back together like a jigsaw puzzle, won’t allow for it. And so he simply watches from afar, living vicariously through the newest generation of riders whenever he can. Stealing another drag from his cigarette, Gabe feels a presence at his side but doesn’t need to look in order to know who it is. “Ever miss it?” He asks Buck, dark eyes never leaving the group of men and women sharpening their roping skills. It’s mostly a rhetorical question, but it’s something to fill the silence. “Keep waitin’ for the day Tyler asks me if he can mount up,” Gabe continues, holding his cigarette out for Buck to take, if he wants, “Might be good for him, y’know?” Addison would turn over in her grave, but Gabe can’t think about that— not when he’s left to figure out what’s best for his kids all on his own.

Bull riding was his livelihood. That was it. “Always, man. I ain’t got nothin’ to give besides bull riding.” There wasn’t much else he was good at. At the mention of Tyler, he gave Gabe a nod. That was his mistake with Becky and not getting her to ride, or so he thought. He figured it was just because he didn’t bring him around. “It’s gonna be hard goin’ right to bulls if he didn’t have any steer riding lessons.” That was the good thing about Jim, he eased him into the bull portion of riding, though that was probably at the instance of his mom or else he would’ve been riding bulls since he was five. “It’ll definitely teach him some things if that’s what you’re lookin’ for. Do you ever think he’d actually wanna do it? Or would you force him to if you had to?”  

SANTINO.

After knowing the Ward family for so long, he can always recognize when they were in a tough spot. And this was certainly a tough spot, especially for Buck. They were all playing the long game, attempting to gather their composure at every corner, and Santino wishes he could make it better. But all he could do was offer a helping hand in hopes that it might suffice. 

“He’s a stubborn man, that’s for sure.” Santino says, looking to Buck, “But I’m sure he appreciates you stickin’ around to help.” The older man offers, hoping it might patch up any of Buck’s internal wounds in regard to Jim. Still, words were just words, and his father was dying. But Santino does what he can regardless. 

Laughter sounds from him then, happy to see that he was still able to shed light onto the whole thing. Santino moves to stand, grabbing his keys from the kitchen counter. “Wherever you wanna go. Neon Moon it is.” He says, the smile on his face growing. “You’re talking to the man with a limp, Buck, you’re always gonna show me up on those damn contraptions.” More laughter weaves through his words, his head shaking a little. “Come on, I’ll drive.”

"If I ever get that stubborn and grumpy, you better put me outta my misery.” Yeah Santino was older than him but he always assumed he’d be the first out of the Ward siblings to go. “He doesn’t appreciate much, I doubt he cares if I’m here or not.” Though that was probably more true for Liza than him. 

NICO.

open

location: zodiac brewery

Propped up at the bar enjoying his tradition of the after work drink at the Zodiac Brewery, Nico positions himself to signal the bartender once more. Back in his hey day he would’ve already pounded back six beers, three shots, and made out with two different women. However, ever since the accident, he’s been feeling his age far more than before. His body ached in ways they hadn’t before and now he was on his second drink of the night and well, he’s been eyeing someone. Peering to his right at the patron beside him, he gives them a half-assed attempt at a smile. “Wonder if this bartender’s ever heard about caffeine?” he asks, waving a hand at the slow-moving bartender. “Anything? Nothing?” he says before pulling his wallet from his pocket pulling out a hundred dollar bill to hold up and wave around. “I just need a drink– probably for my neighbor too. Maybe the whole bar,” he nods. 

Maybe it was just the boomer in him, but Buck did appreciate speedy service. Though he didn’t notice how slow this bartender was until Nico pointed it out. “Might as well go back there and do it yourself,” He suggested as he swigged around the beer in front of him. “Or you know, I’ll go back there and do it myself. Gabriel can’t get mad at me.” It paid being besties with the owner. Or having the last name Ward. 

ARIANA.

@buckwcrd​

Location: Ward Ranch, Stables 

“Hey, have you seen my dad? He’s not answering his phone, and I gotta ask him something” Ari asked the minute she spotted her uncle. Like her father, Ari hadn’t really been close with her uncle. Aside from family members and their shared last name, it wasn’t as though the two had much to bond over - plus Ari wasn’t the best with small talk. Which is why she tried to all but avoid her father when there was nothing to talk about. Until about eight months ago, Ari couldn’t remember the last time she saw her uncle Buck. Maybe when she was 8 or 9? Her mother kept her home with her more often than not, or maybe on the off chance she was visiting her grandpa. “What are you doing out here?” She asked with an arched eyebrow, walking over to one of the horses and slowly raising her hand to pet it’s muzzle. 

He wasn’t close with his niece at all, but he blamed that more on the fact that he was traveling and she wasn’t living in Great Falls after a certain point. Even now he wasn’t really making an effort to get to know her much, figuring it was too late for that. He was be fine being the cool and funcle when it was needed, though. Maybe he should offer to take her out for a beer or two one of these days but ehd din’t even know if she liked beer. “Your pops is always gonna be runnin’ around here, it’s impossible to keep track of him or know where he around here.” At least he was being honest, “You need him for something specific or can I help?” He offered, before giving her a shrug, “I’m cleanin’ their shit up.” He could make new ranch hands do that but honestly, he found it pretty relaxing to have some alone time with the horses. “Do you wanna help?”

SANTINO.

starter for: @buckwcrd​. location: ward ranch.

Long work days on the ranch meant pain everywhere. It’s a good pain, mi hijo, remember that. His father’s voice sounds in his mind, a reminder as to why he was so deeply hardworking, even in the face of pain. Santino came from a line of determined people and he’ll be damned if the line ends with him. 

As the day comes to an end, he rests in the Ward’s kitchen after checking up on Jim. It was hard seeing him the way that he was known, stubborn and close to the end. It makes something inside of Santino to break and he can only wonder how the Ward kids are doing right now, especially Buck and Thatcher. Liza’s dynamic with him was a different story, it seems. 

“I think he’s heading in for the night.” Santino says to Buck as a greeting, smiling warmly at the other man. “He seemed a little better today, I think.” He continues, shrugging his shoulders. “What’re you doing tonight, amigo? You wanna get a drink?”

It was hard for Buck to watch his dad go. Even though his dad wasn’t the mushy type, he was still his dad and Buck had a lot of respect for him. His dad helped him find his purpose, so even if sometimes Buck wanted to tell off the old man for being so damn...himself, he was just going to suck it up and do whatever his dad said on top of helping out around the ranch. 

SAWYER.

@buckwcrd​

Location: The Griffith

“I think you I like you better without the beard.” Sawyer commented as she spotted Buck at the bar as she walked into the bar. The seat was empty next to him, so she took it for herself before asking for a gin and tonic. The blonde had never really been a fan of brown or dark liquor, even when she was younger, she tended to lean towards the clear stuff. Though, when she was younger she was a lot more of a wild card than now. Now, she found herself to be unbothered by things that younger her would have thrown a glass bottle at someone for. “Hard day, or were you stood up? I would believe either reason.” She smirked before taking a sip out of the glass the bartender sat in front of her.

LORI.

starter for: @buckwcrd​. location: ward ranch.

Now that the fair was over, life was back to normal. Lorianne went back to working, trying to help her mother, and excess amounts of small-town boredom. After her shift, she grabs her things and heads for Ward Ranch, hoping to see Buck. In truth, she couldn’t stop thinking about what he said at the fair. Something about how nobody asked about him and how he was doing. Which is why she was heading over, hoping to get to the bottom of just that. Call her nosy, call her worried, she might have been both at the same time.

She knocks at the Ward’s front door, patiently waiting for someone to answer. Thankfully, Buck answers, just the man she was looking for. “Hey, Buck.” The woman starts, “I was wondering if we could talk?”

Buck was just getting up, giving him some time to sleep in considering the hangover he was now having to nurse. It sucked getting old. He was pouring himself some coffee when he heard a knock at the door, slowly making his way to the front door. 

LORI.

A sincere smile spreads across Lorianne’s face, the apples of her cheeks turning a tad pink. “Well, thank you. That’s sweet.” She insists, a chuckle escaping her after she speaks. Once they reach his car, Lori leans back against it, her palms facing the sky once more. She winces a little at the sight of them, ready for them to be bandaged up so she can continue about her evening. 

“Really? God, I’ve always been a lightweight, I think. You’d think my body would be used to it considering I’ve been drinking since I was like, fourteen.” The woman jokes, more laughter sounding from her. “I guess that means we should go and get a drink after this, don’t you think?” Her eyebrows quick upward teasingly. When they circle back to Liza, she can only sigh, a small shrug being sent Buck’s way. “Me too. I’m sure she’ll leave soon. I really wanted her to have a good time but she just seems…distant, I suppose.” Perhaps Lorianne would always worry about Liza. She was her best friend and that much would never change. But things seemed different this time, especially with her being back from New York. “I’ll always worry for her, I guess, especially when she’s back in Montana. I just want her to be happy.” Lori leans in then, nudging Buck a little. “Enough about that, though. What’s goin’ on with you, cowboy? How’re you feeling?”

“Isn’t it cause we’re higher up or something? I remember hearing about that when I’ve been to bars in Colorado and Nevada.” Bull riding let him travel a lot. Fuck, he missed that. “Are you offerin’ to pay too?” He teased, “Since I bandaged you all up.”