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       teddy thought to brush the request off. a smile pulled across his face for just the occasion. a quick glance away. a shake of his head to follow. but when he had looked back he saw something severe behind javier’s eyes. something serious and his mood was quick to shift and meet him on that same plain. something about javier’s life... some act, the lifestyle, or something different altogether must have been haunting him something terrible.

        ❛ hey... ❜  teddy moved in closer, placing a hand on the man’s shoulder, staring into his eyes. ❛ you can. okay? you can. ❜ it wasn’t as if teddy believed javier needed him or anyone else to tell him that in order for it to happen. maybe more-so that javier needed to hear it in order to believe it for himself.  ❛ you want to, and let me tell you; that’s as good a start as any. ❜

       from her hands, the can hit the dirt, rolling and rolling until it hit the boots of a cowboy. leaning down, he scooped it up into his hand and gave the woman a smile as he approached, offering to return it to her. ❛ don’t mind me, ❜ he said with a smile. ❛ just trying to look chivalrous. ❜

       teddy looked over the man in his arms. it wasn’t unusual to see mac with bruises, or even bullet holes, but this was too much, even for a callander. despite all teddy’s efforts, there was no hiding his own panic. it was in his breath, and even more clearly in his eyes. a hand hovering hesitantly over mac’s body, unsure where to be placed. where doesn’t it hurt? the two couldn’t stay like this for long, teddy knew there was a need for urgency. but the way things were looking, mac wouldn’t get far. not quickly anyway. 

       and as he was weighing the risk in his own mind, teddy heard mac speak. leave? he looked at him with shocked disbelief, a thin gloss in his eye. ❛ no. ❜ teddy replied firmly. ❛ and damn you for thinking i would. ❜ this man and his brother had been saviors to teddy not all too long ago. savior, partners, friends, and even brothers. and it was long past time teddy paid his debt. 

       teddy would never be as rough and wild as the callanders, nor would he ever completely agree with their ways but they won his loyalty all the same. ❛ we’re getting out of this, you hear me? the both of us.❜ he said before lifting the man over his shoulder. ❛ just hang on… ❜

       a horse… all they needed was to find a horse and they’d be home free. and not a chance in hell teddy would stop til then.

       teddy was never too fond of drunks. aggressive one’s least of all, but that was just what had found him this evening. it was unavoidable, of course, seeing as he’d made the town’s tavern his scene for the evening. and it was certainly a fine one before this guy had come along. teddy had found himself some good company seated at the bar and they were deep in swapping stories when their words were interrupted by the slurs of a rather gruff looking man. to which teddy sighed deeply. the others were quick to move away as teddy seemed to have the brute’s focus. 

       turning around, teddy’s brows furrowed taking in the sight. ❛ i’m thinking you misheard something, friend, cause we for sure weren’t talking about you. ❜ there was no tone taken with the man. a drunk was too unpredictable to provoke. ❛ now, why don’t you have a seat before you fall over on yourself? ❜

       it was unlikely that she’d noticed his eyes softening up that much more after hearing her words. there was already a fond gleaming in them for her up to this point, even as he’d shared a sad tale of abandonment and lost love, behind the sadness was his ever-growing affection. 

       after a moment too long of pensive silence, teddy laughed softly, breaking it and his gaze from her. it’s only half a moment before he’s turning back, a pleasant disbelief in the smile he gave her.  ❛ well, gee, sarah, i… ❜ his words are broken by a soft chuckle before he’s collected himself. ❛ i’m grateful. truly, i am. i don’t think i could ask for a better partner. ❜ his words are said with a smile. 

       ❛ and hey, ❜ he says softly, taking her hand into his. ❛ don’t think for a second i’d leave you, either. ❜

She can’t help but WHEEZE when he lifts her into his arms, hanging limp in strong grip. “This a-ain’t your fault…” A wisp of a smile, melting back to tears as she’s pulled closer to his chest. She feels FRAGILE, a bird that’s been snagged in the claws of a cat, tossed back and forth until it was finished with its fun. The woman can’t help but cry, face in his shoulder, hands holding, SHAKING, in the fabric of his shirt. Angry that they had sought such fun in it all, terrified for what might lay beneath the blood. “Please… Pl-please don’t go.”

Spoken quietly, between bitter sobs as she was hauled to her feet. Left before, to bleed out. She could still remember it, shuddering in the dirt as people cowered away from the scene. Spluttering blood onto his collar, trembling apology cracking out as she slung an arm over her saddle to keep herself upright. “They took my fuckin’ money… Everything I had on me.” Nostrils flaring as she tried to pull herself up and onto the stallion. Stopping as legs shook, fresh blood freckling the grass, shaking breaths sending her vision hazy. “SHIT! Can you just- just…” Trailing off, head hanging, ashamed. “Please help m-me, Teddy. I’m a mess.”

       she assures him he’s not to blame but teddy can’t help the guilt he feels in the pit of his stomach. had he been there... maybe things would have turned out a bit different. maybe he would have seen something or someone to avoid them getting the jump of her. he’d spend a lot of time beating himself up over it later, whether he could have changed something or not. he held her close, laying his head on hers. ❛ i ain’t going anywhere, sarah. not without you, least ways. ❜ the stain of blood and tears wouldn’t bother him, though he hated seeing either from her. 

       he could understand her frustrations. he’d been nearly done in by several men lesser than himself, ten times over. but what they took was material. ❛ the way i see it, you’ve still got what matters most. don’t mean i won’t gun down those sons of bitches if i ever catch ‘em, but, well... ❜ he’d save it for later. 

Head THROBS, sun blaring down on her as eyes finally crack open. Nothing feels right, face feels all too numb, hands are coated in something slowly running sticky. A groan, looking down to what she can now recognise as BLOOD, congealed onto her skin, what clothes that weren’t torn soaked crimson. It’s a haze. She remembers but it’s a haze. Knocked from her horse, passed back and forth like a TOY until a boot cracked into the side of her head and sent the world running black. Wheezing as she sat, clutching at her gut when the pain rose, spitting blood to the dirt. Ready to try to stand until she hears oncoming hooves. FLINCHING, ducking down into the grasses until blurry vision can focus on the shapes. CHASKA. Alive, still in one piece, despite her blood staining his coat, tailed by another.

”T-teddy? Teddy!” Voice cracks, BURNS, tears spilling over cheeks as she pulled herself up. A few trembling bounds taken before collapsing back down, spluttering in the dirt when the beasts skidded to a halt. “I-i don’t know what happened- It all happened so quick and then I b-blacked out and… and…”

@chivalryshot || starter call!

       last the two had seen each other wasn’t all that long ago. they’d been working a bounty that turned out to be a success, but overall ended with the two of them being separated. teddy had spent a long while searching for her, and hadn’t stopped when chaska had found him, but he’d seen how well she was at handling herself, so wouldn’t claim to be all that worried. that is, until he laid eyes on her in her current state. ❛ sarah! ❜ he calls as he sets his eyes on her. he doubts he’d of been able to find her if it weren’t for chaska. not like that. he’s quick to leave his saddle and run to her side.