#established lovers

After that, you'd spend days with Flaco, enjoying each other's company before returning to the gang. He told you to "be careful" when you mentioned that the gang had recently moved to Blackwater, telling you how he ended up becoming wanted down there. That was the last known location of you, and no matter how many times his men scouted the area, there was no sign of you. But one of his men stormed into his cabin one day, informing him that they'd seen someone that looked exactly like you nearby. Flaco told them to go and have another look, to be certain that it was you. He couldn't risk going out in the open, even if the strangers nearby weren't Pinkertons. He has more than just the law after his ass, but he's willing to risk everything if it actually is you. "It is her. Flaco, it's her," the same man had confirmed after returning later that day. Flaco was straight to his feet, shoving the knife that he was playing with into its holster and whistling for his horse as he left his cabin for the first time in weeks. He'd been so depressed without hearing from you, refusing to leave the barely standing shack, personally paying his men to fetch him food as he just didn't have the energy to go out and hunt by himself. Flaco told his men to stay nearby but hidden, just in case. You felt awful that you hadn't had the chance to walk over that hill and visit Flaco, but you were needed here, tending to the injured and pulling your weight. Any time that you did have spare, you'd spend practically passed out in bed from exhaustion. You'd told Dutch that you needed an afternoon to go and see your partner, to inform him that you were safe, and Dutch understood and had arranged a time for you to do so, though it was still another couple of days away. The gang was aware that you had a sweetheart, though you'd refused to tell them who he is, not wanting to risk anything that might lead to the law finding his whereabouts. A handful of them thought you were lying, that you were single but just refusing to admit it. Uncle had joked that you were crazily obsessed with a man who didn't even know you existed, but you laughed and assured him that you were definitely not that crazy. Even if you did tell them, they wouldn't believe you. If you were honest and told them that your other half was Flaco Hernández himself, legendary gunslinger, a man wanted in 8 states, and the Terror of the Grizzlies, then they would obviously laugh and think that you were joking. And even if you pushed and told them it was true, they still wouldn't believe you. Why would they? Although, they wouldn't be surprised if that legend had managed to snatch himself a much younger woman, a trophy wife as some would call it. A part of you wishes you did tell them, just to see their expressions of "oh shit, she wasn't joking," after what happened today. Javier was on guard duty, as always. He seemed to be taking up those shifts a lot, wanting to keep himself useful and busy in this frozen wasteland. He'd spotted the stranger as he rode around the back of the stables, practically jumping off his horse as he entered the camp, leaving his horse unhitched and free to roam. "You, stop right there!" Javier had called out, though the man twice the size of him barely paid any attention to him. "Where is she, huh? I know she's here," Flaco had half-asked him, half-called out to you. Javiers shouting had attracted the attention of a few camp members nearby, exiting their cabins to freeze in shock at the sight of the Flaco Hernández storming into camp. "Come on. One of you be useful and tell me. Where is she?" Flaco shouts again, scouting around the strangers but still not seeing your face. You'd noticed a few people moving but hadn't caught on to anything else, too focused on your current chore. Your ears suddenly perked up to a far-too-familiar voice calling your name outside, demanding to know where you are. Was that... Flaco? He shouts again and you're quick to your feet, rushing over to the door to be reunited with your sweetheart. You stop in your tracks when Flaco calls you something he's never said before. "Where is my wife?" Flaco calls out, making your stomach turn and your chest go warm. There's already a smile on your lips as you push past the people at the door, who are already staring at you, but that smile grows even more as you see Flaco stood there, staring around the camp. His eyes meet yours and a smile crosses his face. "Flaco!" you sigh, attempting to run through the snow, meeting Flaco halfway as he strides through the thick blanket to finally be reunited with you. "There she is," Flaco says with a laugh, easily picking you up as he clings onto you, spinning you around in a loving embrace. "There's my wife," Flaco says as he puts you back down, cupping your jawline with both hands as he steals a much-needed kiss from you before you can question your new name. The array of onlookers begin to trail back into the cabins, every single one of them confused on how you were apparently now married to this legend. He was clearly a good few years older than you, something that would creep most people out, and he wasn't as handsome as he seemed to be in his younger days. Maybe he was just as good with other things as he was with his guns, or maybe he was secretly paying you for your time and affection. You were definitely going to be bombarded with questions the second he left. But for now, Flaco continues to kiss you, eventually breaking the kiss just so he can gaze at you again as he tells you "I was worried, chica. I hadn't heard from you in so long, I feared for the worst." You open your mouth to reply to his comment but quickly shut it again, making Flaco tilt his head slightly in confusion. All you can ask is "your wife?" Flacos smile quickly disappears, a worried look covering his face instead. "You don't like that?" he asks, genuine heartbreak to his voice. "What? No.... I mean, yes? I love it!" you tell him, quickly reassuring him that you were definitely more than fond of the new name. "Mrs. Hernández suits me, don't you think?" you say with a smile, making Flaco grin from ear to ear. "Mrs. Hernández. I love it. You're mine, my wife, Flaco's wife. I knew I was going to wife you up someday the second you trailed into my cabin," Flaco says with a deep laugh coming straight from his chest. He places a few playful kisses on your cheek, making you giggle as you steal a few kisses from him in return. Flaco then pulls you against his chest, giving you a long-awaited bear hug. He places a gentle kiss on the top of your head before unwrapping one arm from around your waist, dipping it into his pocket. Flaco gently pulls you away from him so he can speak to you. "I got a little too eager, huh? Calling you Mrs. Hernández before I've even asked for your hand," he says as he shakes his head disapprovingly, scolding himself. "But I want you to call me that," you reassure him. Flaco can't help but smile; if he had a tail, it'd be wagging faster than a racehorse. "If you want me to call you that then you won't mind wearing this, hm?" Flaco asks as he opens his palm, revealing a pair of wedding rings, one much larger than the other. "I may or may not have tried it on you already when you last saw me. You were sound asleep and I just wanted to make sure it'd fit before asking you," Flaco confesses with a small shrug. "Who'd you steal these off?" you joke. "Nobody!" Flaco grumbles. "I ordered them and sent one of my men to collect them a while ago. You deserve only the finest, no stolen rubbish for my esposa," Flaco tells you. You slip off your glove and place your hand out, tears strolling down your cheeks as Flaco slips the ring onto your finger. Flaco urges you to do the same with his, placing his ring just above where his fingerless gloves cut off. A tender kiss is shared, along with a few tears from both of you. As the kiss breaks, Flaco holds you in his arms, muttering the words "mine" and "my wife" over and over, making you laugh against his chest. The gang isn't surprised when they check outside on you to see that you're gone, along with your horse. Hell, you deserve it after how hard you've worked these past few days since arriving in Colter. They're still surprised about who your sweetheart is, even more so when you correct them. "He's my husband, not just my sweetheart," you say with a smile as you flash the ring on your finger, eventually telling them how he'd married you on the spot before whisking you away to spend some time together. Whilst you're here, Flaco is only over the hill, and you manage to sneak away every night to spend time with him. Your husband.