#clayjackson

“I wish you could see yourself right now.”

Dutch opened his eyes and smiled dreamily up at Hosea, limbs trembling and a pinkish flush coloring his face. “Don’t get sappy on me, Mr. Matthews.” He sighed happily as Hosea caressed his cheek, leaning into the touch that was familiar and thrillingly different all at once.

“Why shouldn’t I?” Hosea asked as Dutch reached up and gripped his wrist gently. “You’re beautiful. Never seen anything like you before.” It wasn’t a lie. He could easily see Dutch gracing the cover of some hack romance novel. Maybe not the way he was right this second, flushed and panting on the forest floor with leaves in his hair after an adrenaline-fueled quickie, but on the cover.

Hosea never knew what to expect when riding out on a job with Dutch. He certainly didn’t expect to rob a bank, leave with about 900 dollars worth of gold, and race the local law with Dutch beside him when he woke up this morning. He didn’t expect them to lose the sheriff and his deputies on the other side of a moving train, and for manic laughter to fill the air as he and Dutch galloped away with what had to be a sizeable chunk of the town’s money. Most of all, though, he didn’t expect Dutch to lead him into a wooded thicket, leave the horses behind (”with the money?!”) and drag him some ways away before pouncing on him like a starved cougar leapt at an elk.

And yet, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Dutch gently tugged Hosea’s hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles. “... I love you.”

“Love you too,” Hosea responded, pressing his forehead to Dutch’s and feeling his smile grow when fingers tangled into his blonde hair. God. “You know,” Hosea whispered, smiling down at Dutch, “I’m kind of glad you caught me stealing from you.”

“Gimme time. I can change that.” Dutch smiled back playfully, restrained laughter in his voice. “Twenty years from now you’re gonna be sitting around complaining about me to whoever’ll listen.”

“I do that now.”

Dutch finally let a bit of a chuckle escape him. “God, you’re lucky you’re so handsome. Come here and kiss me.”