#handiwork series

The last thing he wanted to do right now was go through and double check his books for the auto body shop, so he decided against it. Even if he went through everything tonight, it’s not like it would be quality work.

He figured he’d just quickly make sure everything was in its place in the office and the garage to make paperwork easier for him on Monday and work easier for the guys in the morning. Then, he’d be able to join his cousin and her new farmhand at the bar.

Curtis was organizing his socket wrenches by size when he heard a rattling sound become louder behind him. He turned as he sensed it coming closer, seeing an old truck pull into his garage.

He looked down to check his watch. The shop had been long closed by now, and he had places to be. Based off the noise though, he couldn’t deny something was definitely wrong with the vehicle. If Curtis weren’t such a good man, he would’ve turned the patron away, but there was no saying how far a truck that sounded like that could possibly get.

He tilted his head, examining the vehicle and attempting to peer through the glare in the drivers side window when the engine turned off and he saw a pair of old, comfy shoes step down from the cab. His eyes traced up the body before him and Curtis was speechless. Your hair was just tucked under an old ball cap, nothing fancy.

“Hi, I hope you don’t mind, I’m not sure what this sound means and was hoping you had time to take a look at my truck. I know you guys are closed, so it’s no rush, but I’d really appreciate it. I’d rather know where my car is than get stranded out in the middle of nowhere.”

Curtis continued to stand there, mesmerized by you until he shook his head back into the present. “Oh, um, sure. I think I have the evening free, so let me just check on a few things real quick and I can take a look at it.”

Curtis pulled out his phone to text his cousin that he wouldn’t make it to the bar tonight.

He stuffed his phone in his back pocket, going to grab a chair from the front office as you followed. “Never good when a truck that old makes a sound like that.”

You nodded along. “Oh trust me, I know. Darn thing’s even older than me. Usually I’m able to figure out the minor stuff, but this is beyond what I know.”

Curtis nodded when he went to set a metal folding chair down by where you had pulled the truck onto one of his lifts. It scraped against the concrete floor, and he was surprised by the way you simply looked at it, as if you were offended that he’d want you to sit down.

“Oh, by the way, I’m Curtis, I own this shop.” The mechanic stuck out his hand, cleaner than you would’ve expected, and you shook it, introducing yourself.

“Ah, it’s nice to meet you. One of my coworkers actually suggested I come here when the truck started acting up. Said his best friend was the big cheese.”

Curtis laughed. “Um, he used those exact words? Or are those yours? Where are you from?”

You shook your head. “Oh no, sorry, those were my words. I think he just called you the boss, he’s the bouncer at the bar?”

Curtis clicked his tongue as he walked over to the hood of your car, propping it open. “Okay, you’re talking about my buddy, Edgar. Yeah, I’m glad he sent you to me. He works some shifts for me now and then. So you’re new to town? I go to the bar pretty often, I’ve never seen you there.”

You nodded your head tentatively. “Yeah, didn’t think it would be so noticeable I just moved here from Houston, but I’m really from here and there, lived almost everywhere. Been working at the bar for about a week now.”

Curtis nodded as he looked deeper into your engine, testing the tightness of parts and how full each fluid was. “Well how about that. Yeah, we don’t get too many people moving here, but I’m sure it’s a nice change from the city.”

You nodded and hummed, walking over and leaning under the hood of the car with him. “Agreed. I don’t think many mechanics would be this patient with me out there.”

Curtis lightly chuckled as he looked up at you over his shoulder. “Well I’ll be honest with you, patience is one thing, but you probably won’t think I’m very kind when I tell you this truck probably wont survive the next time you take a far journey if you plan to move…”

His small smile was replaced with a grimace. Maybe if he knew you were leaving soon like you seemed to do so often, he could hold himself back more. He could tell himself that there was no point in being attached, being himself for you to see. He’d hold off on the kindness that poured out to everyone he knew and loved, because it would hurt for you to take it and leave.

Your face held a small smile, though, despite his look of worry. “Well what if I planned on staying?”

Curtis looked back into the engine in an attempt to hide the redness in his cheeks. He was warm at the thought of you sticking around. He jiggled the loose part he found, grunting from leaning over so far, before he spoke up, partially avoiding your question.

“Well, you see this right here. I’d replace it and say it would be good for another couple of years.”

You beamed. “That’s good news!”

Curtis stood up to his full height and for the first time, you noticed just how towering his stature was. Anyone else would be intimidated from a distance, but from this proximity, you could see the kindness in his eyes.

“Yes and no.” It came out softer than he had intended. “I’ve gotta make a special order, and it will probably take at least a week to come in. Do you have another way to get to work?”

You nodded. “Yeah, my apartment isn’t too far from the bar. Walking shouldn’t be an issue.”

He looked at you skeptically. “Are you sure? I know you guys have some pretty late shifts.”

“Curtis, I’ll be fine. I’m tougher than I look.” He sighed in response.

“Alright, if you say so. I’ll put in for that part and in the meantime, your truck can stay here.” He walked over to the workbench and scribbled on a piece of paper, tearing it off and handing it to you.

“Here’s my personal number. In case you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me. I could even set up a ride for you if you change your mind.”

You took the paper, creasing it in the middle and stuffing it in your pocket. “Well, I’ve got a shift tomorrow and I think I might get there on time if I start walking now. Bit of a ways to my place from your shop. Any chance you could drive me home so I can sleep?”

Curtis sighed and checked his watch. “Yeah, I guess so, considering I’m holding your car captive. Come on, I’ll close up and we’ll get you home.”

As you waited for the new car part to be delivered to the shop, you kept working. Bills had to be paid. You had to keep living.

You were surprised the next day at work when Edgar had offered to walk you home after your shift, and every night after then, but didn’t question it. You were just appreciative to have a nice coworker you could trust.

Another surprise was the amount of take out orders that you’d have to give out from the bar. Most of which were going to a certain handsome mechanic.

It was Wednesday night, and the fourth time he’d come to pick up dinner this week. The man must really like cheese curds. You didn’t question it, though, as you handed him his order, asking for updates and waving goodbye with a somber smile as he left too soon, and spoke very little.

What you didn’t know was that Curtis had food at home, sitting in his fridge as he opted for the extra opportunities to see you. You also didn’t know how much he feared opening up his mouth and exposing himself by saying the wrong thing to the first person to make him nervous in a long time. Curtis was generally steady, driven, easygoing, but he could feel that world, that demeanor, start to tilt.

Curtis had a long week. A week much longer than he expected with the extra work he had to do out on the farm instead of in the shop. Sure, he was getting along better and better with Bucky, but that didn’t change the fact that there was too much going wrong.

Cole, that little shit from high school, was back and Curtis’s cousin had gotten stuck in a mine. There was no time for sleep, let alone stopping by the bar with this much of a crisis going on.

As soon as the rocks collapsed in the mine, Curtis was freaking out. “We have to call the police, the fire department, someone to get her out of there. She might not be injured now, but I can’t say the same if there’s a secondary collapse. We need to do something. Now.”

Bucky grabbed him by his collar. “No. No police. It’ll ruin everything.”

Curtis put his hands up in surrender. “Okay then, what do you suppose we do, big guy?”

Bucky paced back and forth, biting his thumbnail with worry. “Gimme a second. I’m figuring it out.” He stopped in his tracks. “Who all knows about the mines?”

“What? What does that ha-“

Bucky cut Curtis off. “Who. All. Knows?”

Curtis shook his head and shrugged. “I-I don’t know, not many people. Me and her, her college roommate, and Jake. That’s it, I think.”

Bucky rapidly reached into the pocket of his jeans and handed Curtis a card from his wallet. “This is my associate Sam. You’re going to call him and tell him those names. We’re gonna need all the help we can get.”

Curtis immediately pulled out his phone, trusting the judgement of his new friend. He called Sam, telling him everything he could about those who were close enough to have heard of the mines. After that, he got to work.

He assessed what all would need done in the next day and did as many small tasks as he could, staying up until he could greet the helpers on the way.

All Curtis wanted to do was sleep, this was taking a toll on him, but he did his best to not let it show, to not become a grump. He just put his head down and made himself useful while Bucky waited back at the mine. At the first available opportunity, he was going to drop into a bed and nap. This week was stretching him thin.

Meanwhile, you continued to work at the bar. After seeing him for several days in a row, it was concerning that Curtis seemingly fell off the face of the Earth. Surely that wasn’t your business, though. Maybe it was just a coincidence he was ordering food so often before. He had better places to be, like work, or maybe on a date.

Why would you care, though? He was just the nice guy fixing your car. There was no way he was going out of his way to visit; probably just had some late nights at the shop and that’s why he picked up dinner, not to see you. Anyway, work was always busy enough for your mind to be occupied. You’d at least see him again hopefully once that coveted car part came in.

After a much easier Saturday at the farm, Curtis was ready to have a nice, relaxing time at the bar. As the crew he came with went inside, he hung back to talk to Edgar. He clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey man, how’s it going?”

Edgar patted him back. “Good, I’m good. Been walking your girl home like you asked. She’s working tonight.” A smirk crept onto his face as Curtis looked down.

“But besides that, what’s going on with you?”

Curtis sighed and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. He turned a picture of Cole Turner towards Edgar.

“Um, I’m alright. A little stressed, but I’m hoping you can help. I’ve got something for you.”

Edgar looked up from the piece of paper. “What’s this?”

“Someone who we need to make sure stays out of here. And if you see him, you let me know, okay?”

Edgar nodded. “Sure thing. Have fun with your girl.”

Curtis rolled his eyes and walked through the door to catch up with everyone else.

You were pouring out drinks for the group that came in when a familiar tall, broad form approached from the doorway. You took in the way his shoulders pushed at the flannel fabric of his shirt as he sauntered into the room. You couldn’t help the way the smile already on your face grew to see him again.

“Oh hey, if it isn’t the big cheese.” He laughed at the nickname, shaking his head as he moved to take a seat at the bar.

“Yeah, sorry I haven’t been in for awhile. Had some family matters to attend to. Speaking of which, that’s them over there.” He gestured toward the group who had just ordered food and drinks from you before heading towards the booths on the far side of the room.

“Ah! Okay, in that case, this is for you.” You grabbed a short rocks glass from the lower counter in front of you and set it up on the bar top in front of Curtis. The glass made a small thud against the finished wood as you looked at him.

Curtis tentatively grabbed it and sipped. After swallowing he hummed.

“Sweet. Like a cherry.”

You nodded. “Oh yeah. That’s because it’s got extra cherries. Your buddies over there said you’d drink whatever, so I made you my favorite.”

Curtis lowered the glass and looked at you deeply with his warm, burning sapphire eyes. His voice grew low and raspy. “I wasn’t talking about the drink.”

He winked at you and you had no idea how your legs didn’t fail you right then. You were able to quickly recover, though, shooting a remark right back.

“Maybe if you’re nice, I’ll let you test that conjecture.” You could see his cheeks grow warm at the suggestive statement. You grabbed your rag and threw it over your shoulder, leaning closer to the towering man who was just confident, now evidently bashful.

“Curtis, are you…blushing?”

His eyebrows were quick to arch as his attempt of a scowl failed to break through past a shy smile. “No! Blushing is fake. It doesn’t exist. That’s just an old wives tale.”

You looked at his skeptically, not even attempting to hide the laugh that burst out. “What do you mean you think it’s fake? You’re so red right now.”

Curtis’s eyes shifted around the room, unsure of how to respond. “I just feel really…warm…when I look at you.” He muttered so low you could barely hear it.

You wanted to keep pushing before his embarrassment made him turn away from you.

“Hey listen, I’ll be back. I’ve gotta check in with the group, but keep this stool saved for me?”

You nodded. “Sure thing.”

As soon as Curtis returned, he was glued to his chair. He spent the entire evening chatting with you, asking about your life, and telling you about his on the farm and at the shop.

You were honestly grateful for the one bit of peace on a busy bar Saturday night. Every chance you got, you were leaning against the counter by him to take a breath, watching his friends ride the bull and dance together. What a group of great people.

“So, have you been able to make it home alright this week? I’m sorry that truck part still hasn’t come in yet.”

You nodded as you poured a line of shots for a group of girls waiting on the corner. “Yeah, it hasn’t really been a problem. Edgar’s been insistent on walking me to my door, which helps me feel better when it’s that dark out. Just makes me feel bad, though, because I think I finish a little later than his shift time is supposed to be.”

“Well that’s nice of him. If you want, I can drive you home tonight. Might take some of that load off if you’re worried.” Curtis’s eyes watched you slide the shots to the patrons as you came back to his seat and sighed.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you staying here later than you have to, either. It’s really okay. I can definitely take care of myself.”

Curtis shrugged. “I don’t doubt that at all, Cherry. But I’m offering. And I’d be a fool to prematurely end one of the best nights I’ve had in awhile. I really don’t mind.”

“Okay, then. Sounds like a plan.”

As the night was winding down, and Curtis’s group had already come over to close out the tab, the two of you watched the remaining people prepare to head out. Who was Curtis that he knew someone with a black card? Supposedly they were business associates of the farm. Was farming really that lucrative? You guessed so.

You rejoined the present as the last few slow songs came on the juke box and Curtis held out his hand.

“You know how to dance?”

You scoffed, “Curtis, I’m still working. But yes, do you think I could’ve gotten by all this time without a little bit of knowledge?”

He shook his head. “I would’ve been worried if you did. Come on, there’s hardly anyone left. Shuffle with me, you little Houston stranger.”

You sidestepped the bar and walked out the small half door to join Curtis on the dance floor, holding both his hands and looking up into his eyes. “I’d say we’re hardly strangers now. You don’t learn nothing after hours of talking like that.”

You began to swing to the twangy music, holding each other close. Curtis twirled you and pulled you into his chest where your ear could hear his racing heart. The warmth and the scent of his cologne were comforting. His arms blanketing you, shielding you from all other thoughts besides this moment. As the song faded out, you realized you two were the only ones left besides the other employees doing the final tidying up before shutting down for the night. You reluctantly pulled your body from Curtis, left only holding each other’s hands.

“I should probably go help with the closing duties. Can you wait for me by the door?”

Curtis nodded. “Of course. I’ll be ready whenever you are.”

Curtis watched you go back to your cash register as he walked back towards Edgar, keeping an eye on you the whole time.

“So, anything interesting happen tonight?”

Edgar nodded with with wide eyes. “Um, yeah. That guy you gave me a picture of, he came by. Threw a fit when I wouldn’t let him in. Some dude in fancy clothes and a mustache was with him, too. Not sure what that was about, but they at least respected the badge.”

Curtis huffed and nodded. “Okay, thank you.”

This was not good. Curtis pulled out his phone and texted Bucky.

Next >

Bonus A/N: Tbh, even I don’t know where this story is gonna go, but I love Curtis a lot and will need some time to find a niche plot that will do him some justice.

“Okay, cheese curd, ready to go?” He laughed as his cheeks flushed a little pink. He nodded, opening up the door for you and leading you out to his truck.

He helped you to hop up into the passenger seat before jogging over to his side to get in. You’ve never seen a man that big move so smoothly. It must be the farming, really. Man, you had wasted your time with those city boys. Once he was settled in and had started the car, he sat there, still for a second, before looking over to you.

“So, Cherry, have a good day at work?” It was as if he had just simply picked you up. Like this was something he’d done before and he planned to do way more in the future. You let out a giggle at his playfulness and nodded.

“Oh yeah, great day. There was this one guy who kept begging for my attention, though. But I guess it was alright, because his friend with the fancy credit card left me a huge tip.”

Curtis teasingly scoffed, but it morphed into a smile to which you returned a wink when he turned his whole body towards you in the bench seat, propping his arm up across the back of it. His body looked so big, taking up the truck cab like that, yet so inviting.

“So where to, Missy? I know a lot about you, but not exactly where you live.”

You nodded. “Oh, right. Yeah, start driving and I’ll direct you.”

You took the opportunity to slide in under his arm before he could to move it, as he shifted back to face forward. As you settled into his side, Curtis kept his eyes forward, but it was impossible to miss the way the corners of his mouth turned up and his eyes sparked as he took a deep breath, still otherwise unmoving for a second.

Curtis moved his arm anyway, just for a second, to shift the truck into gear, then put it right back to where it was around you, squeezing you closer than before and starting his drive.

Curtis insisted on walking you up to your apartment after the short drive, which seemed like no time at all with how easy it was to talk to him. He’d been so kind, and you know Edgar had been just as decent lately, but this seemed different. It seemed like…more.

When you got to the door, you turned around and were met with the view of Curtis with his hands in his pockets, shoulders slightly slouched forward.

As your eyes met, you could feel the tension in the air, not sure where to go next. Not sure if maybe he felt the same static around the moment as you. Perhaps he was just being nice with everything lately, and that’s how they simply were in small towns, but again, it felt like way more than that. Either way, the easy conversation somehow escaped you now as your eyes shifted between his. Before you could even help it, you blurted out, “Would you just kiss me?”

Your hands gripped the collar of his flannel shirt and Curtis was taken aback by your directness. Hell, you were, too. His brain was screaming out to him. If he would’ve been able to decipher the internal screeching and put it into words, he would’ve said something along the lines of “Of course, I’ve been waiting to since the night I met you,” but instead, the wiring to his mouth must’ve been cut, since all he produced was a, “What?”

You laughed and shook your head at his expression and inability to register your words, before worry began to seep in. “I’d like to think I’m reading this right and was hoping you’d confirm it? Would you ki-“

Curtis’s brain finally caught up from the lag, and he immediately leaned down and smashed his lips against yours.

When he finally pulled away, you were the one wearing the brainless expression, eyes open and owlish at his confirmation of your feelings. You watched as his eyes slowly opened and a goofy smile came onto his face.

“I don’t think you read that wrong at all.” Curtis whispered between small pants.

“I, uh. I’ve got an early morning, but I enjoyed chatting with you tonight. I’d really like to see you again…maybe this coming week? Outside of your work and outside of the shop, you and me could do something?”

You nodded and bit your lip. “Yeah, I’d really like that. I’ll text you my schedule.”

You unclenched your hands from the fabric of his shirt and ran them down his chest. His oh-so-firm chest, before you realized maybe that was too far for tonight. You quickly moved your hands to be busy with something else, fishing for the doorknob behind you. “Good night, Curtis. Thank you for the ride.”

He simply nodded, watching you close the door and listening for the lock before turning on his heel and heading back to his car.

That week, Curtis kept his word. On Tuesday, he knew you had off work, so he surprised you by showing up at your door with a picnic basket in hand, only having given you about an hour of notice in advance, which was just enough time to get dressed and ready.

“Hey. I made us a little something. Wanna go for a ride?”

You nodded and grabbed his outstretched hand, heading out to his truck and hopping up. You could see the blankets in the truck bed already.

You watched the country roads and fields go by until Curtis pulled into a gorgeous meadow. The sun, low in the sky, was casting a reflective glow across the wildflowers and golden grasses.

Curtis put the truck in park and hopped down, reaching for you as you scooted across the bench seat and into his arms, where he helped you down. The calluses on his well-worked hands traced down your arms to grab your hands, sending a tingle through your body, as he led you to the tailgate. He helped you jump up before stepping up, himself, once again more gracefully than you would’ve expected for someone of his stature.

He laid out the blankets before helping you settle in to the laid out picnic.

It was a perfect date. After the meal, which was surprisingly good, you and Curtis just sat there, cuddled up in the corner of the bed, where you were squeezed in between his legs to watch the sunset. The warmth on your face mixed with that of his body behind you was comforting-almost too much.

You began to shift in his hold, the weight of everything kicking in. Maybe this was too much, too fast. You had just gotten here, the last thing you needed was to let yourself get sucked in, even if he was just so kind. Did you even know enough about him yet to say that?

Curtis took note of the change in the tone of the environment and moved around your side to look at you.

“Hey, everything alright?”

Sure, it was. You had been the one mostly pushing for things. You had been the one to kiss him, so why were you suddenly so on edge? You tried to swallow the lump forming in your throat before nodding.

“Uh, yeah. Just, um… this is really nice.”

Maybe the care he was showing was unlike what you were used to. Everywhere you went, it was just…you. But suddenly, someone else cared about what was going on in your life and made an effort to take part in it. You’re cleared your throat and attempted to clear the tears from your eyes before he could see them. You turned away from his knowing gaze and looked out towards the field.

“Everything’s really beautiful. Can you tell me about around here? I just wanna hear you talk.”

Curtis grabbed your hand with both of his, rubbing his thumbs along the back of it. He gave you a reassuring look and just simply a nod, leaning back once more and going through the history of the farm, what all the fields were used for, and the different animals, his deep voice lulling you back to a state of comfort. He told you about the old country store on the one corner, with an old Coca-Cola sign, and how his aunt used to make the best sweet tea. You settled back against his chest easily, taking in the warmth again, losing the sense of false alarm which threatened your enjoyment, and finally accepting the peace you thought you might find here.

After that night and the amount that Curtis opened up to you, seeing him was a much more regular occurrence, especially once you had gotten the call that the part for your truck came in. The repair took longer than anticipated, though, since Curtis had to be careful of the other parts of the engine with them all being so old. The wrong move could result in the necessity of ordering yet another part and essentially having to start the process over again. And as much as he would’ve liked to keep having reasons to talk to you, he wasn’t looking for more ways to dig into your pockets, or better yet, his since unbeknownst to you, he already had decided to comp this whole job.

The long-stretching work resulted in a few late nights of Curtis taking you back to the shop with him so he could show you the progress, teach you more about the other parts of the engine you weren’t as familiar with, and maybe kiss a little bit in the break room after he washed his hands for the day.

Some nights you’d snag him dinner from the bar and he’d drive you back out into the fields, instead, sharing snacks, and conversations, and a view of the unhindered stars that lit up and reflected in his eyes. He was made for here. He matched everything so perfectly, and you matched him.

Every so often, things would switch up, Curtis would sit with his head in your lap looking up at the sky while you told him stories of your travels, what life was like in various cities, and how all the people were different. Those places were never home, though. But this place felt like it, maybe he felt like it.

You ran your fingers through his cropped hair, staring up at the sky when he spoke up between your stories.

“So you remember my cousin? And Bucky?”

You hummed and nodded, tearing your eyes from the sky to look into Curtis’s and moved your hand from the top of his head to scratch through his beard.

“Well Bucky’s only got a few nights left in town, and I know you’ve got a day off coming up. I think we’re gonna have a bonfire. You wanna join?”

You thought for a second. This was essentially Curtis asking you to meet his family. If you hadn’t felt so secure with him, you would’ve hesitated, but there was no question and you’d take any opportunity to be with him and those he considered closest. They were funny from what you remember. Kind, polite, and seemed just as decent as him.

“Sounds good.”

The night of the bonfire was almost like any other time with you and Curtis. Warm, comfortable, enjoyable. Well, at least on your end.

You were sitting with your back up against Curtis, the bonfire smoke struggling to fight off the bugs, as you sensed something was off. Bucky and Bee sitting across from you seemed…sad. Like there was a cloud over their heads despite the wonderful weather lately.

You tried your best to make conversation and keep it. Maybe even avoiding the fact that you thought Bucky was simply a temporary farmhand, but now he seemed more like a boyfriend. Who were you to talk? Curtis was technically your mechanic. Your strong, smart mechanic who if you didn’t know better, you’d say was keeping your car for ransom so he could keep driving you places. Perhaps purposely walking through every repair step twice. That wasn’t the point right now, though, so you tried to talk to Bucky: the one who you’d heard less about.

He’d asked you what you thought of town, and if your time with Curtis was any indication, you loved it. So you asked him, as well. He seemed really locked in, like he wanted to stay forever, despite only being here temporarily as had been explained to you.

“But you’re not sticking around, right? Curtis told me this was one of your last nights in town.”

At that question, the already humid air thickened and you felt Curtis tense up behind you. Oh no, were you not supposed to say something about that? You tried to hold your expression in. Maybe if you didn’t acknowledge the discomfort, no one else would, but you heard Bucky’s quiet answer.

“Yeah.”

Next >

Bonus A/N: Did I write another truck bed date? Yes. And would I do it again? You can bet on it.

The smell around him was familiar, yet different. There was a rich fertilizer undertone, paired with the apparent moisture in the air. It was crisp, yet toasty almost. He knew this one: barn with a hint of hay, not one of his, but likely local? The only other farm owner around was-

Curtis’s eyes were presented to a searing light as a black veil was pulled away. He tried to blink into adjustment under the lamp that hovered only a few inches above his head as the world slowly became clearer. A dirt floor was under his feet and he was surrounded by four red walls. They weren’t worn like the ones on his family’s farm, though. They seemed new. As his gaze continued to search around, that’s when he finally saw her, the one woman who had been at the bar, and suddenly he knew exactly what was happening.

You bit your nail on one hand, the other wrapped around your torso for comfort, as you paced across the rug in the living room of the farm home. After the fight had been handled and dissipated at the bar, Decks had driven you back to Bee’s house in your truck, in near silence. The whole ride home, you’d have been trembling if it wasn’t for the way she let you hold her hand with a reassuring squeeze, but now she was nowhere to be found.

Perhaps she was out wherever Bucky and Steve were, but you were pulled out of your thoughts about where she or Curtis could have possibly gone as Bee burst through the front door.

“Hey, I’m not sure how to say this, but I think it’s about time for an interrogation? Bucky’s men have Lloyd and Cole in one of the old barns. Weren’t sure if you wanted to be there or not for it.”

Her normally bright voice held a tentative and gloomy tone, as did her eyes. You dropped your arms with a sigh and nodded, following her out the door.

When you got to the barn, you saw it was lined with twice as many guards as the bar earlier in the night. You looked around at the men standing tall and alert, a look on their faces like they weren’t about to make the same mistake twice. Good.

You stopped at the open doors as Bee went in to find Bucky and took a deep breath and a moment to steel yourself.

You walked into the barn, boots scuffing the hay floor, head turning, taking in the sights before you. In two metal chairs, tied up, were the men from the bar: Cole and Lloyd who crossed well, everyone here.

Bucky stood in front of them with a menacing glare, Steve off to the side, leaning back against a stack of hay bales, arms and legs crossed as he watched the scene occurring.

They must’ve been at this for a little while now based off the bruises you could see forming on the mob boss’s hand, but the look on the mustached rival’s face wouldn’t have given that away. He smiled through the grime that physically and metaphorically coated him. Cole looked as scared and unsure as ever, evidently not cut out for this. You weren’t either, if you were honest with yourself, but you’d seen your fair share of things in your day. And you wouldn’t let yourself dare to think if Curtis was going through worse than what you witnessed now.

You calmly made your way over and stood next to Bee, who had leaned next to Steve. Sensing your arrival, Bucky came over and began lowly whispering his strategy.

“I can’t get jack shit with Lloyd here, fucking bastard. I know Cole will squeal as soon as he’s alone, though. We just need to-“

He was cut off by a sound that made you all turn your heads. The rafters of the barn creaked and down swung Decks, before landing onto the soft floor. The action caught the attention of the captives, too, as the watched her stalk over to them. Her shoulders were stiff, unyielding.

Steve made a movement to go towards her, but Bucky barred him with an arm, likely curious to see where this went. You strained your ears to hear her.

“I’ll give you one more shot. I’m sick of watching this dance. Where. Is. Curtis?”

A stuttering voice came out of Cole. “I-I don’t know.”

Smack. In a flash, his head was tossed to the side.

“Wrong answer.”

She took a step to her left, putting herself directly in front of Lloyd.

“Where?”

Her voice was alarmingly even. Calm, yet rage-filled. All you could see was the back of Lloyd’s shaking head, paired with his shoulders that appeared to be raising up and down with laughter. You weren’t sure if he took notice, though, at the way Decks’s fists tightened.

“Oh, come on, Pumpkin. You’re a smartie. Bet you’re a sweet peach just like your friend, too, but I’m not giving up whe-“

Punch. Right to the jaw. It was almost in slow motion as Lloyd fell to the hay floor in a heap with a dull thump and a rustle. She had knocked him out cold.

Her eyes were fixed on Cole again.

“Is that motivation enough for you to help us now?”

Cole furiously nodded and looked back over his shoulder at you. “I’ll talk to her.”

Your eyes went wide. You knew the least here out of everyone. Well, you guessed Decks knew less since she was in the dark for so long, but you were the farthest removed from it all. You were saved, though, when Steve shook his head, this time stepping forward without being stopped.

“No way. You lost your right to negotiate when you let Lloyd cross that line. You talk to me or you don’t have a tongue to talk anymore. Got it?”

You could see Cole swallow even from your distance as he nodded. With that, Bucky tilted his head in reference for you and Bee to leave the barn. When you searched for Decks to follow out, she was already long gone on her way back to the house.

Curtis had been here for hours now, but with the adrenaline running through him, it simultaneously felt like minutes and days. His wrists and ankles were getting sore from the tight restraints, but at least he wasn’t gagged. He guessed that whoever these people were didn’t think they were in for a tongue lashing. Boy, were they wrong. Every ounce of politeness was wrung out of him by now, if not from the torture he faced, then from having to listen to Lillian yell at seemingly incapable henchmen. Bucky would never. Curtis had seen what a tight ship he ran.

After rolling her eyes at a man furiously typing on a computer, she made her way back over to Curtis.

“Do you know where you are?”

Curtis let out a dry, humorless laugh. He’d been sitting here for how long and that was what she had to say to him?

“Not really, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell me. I might have a couple guesses, though. But really, thank you for your hospitality for finally getting around to that.”

Lillian continued to circle him like a shark in her red bottom heels, doing her best to blow off his sardonic tone. The floor of this barn wasn’t dirt like the ones on his own farm property. It was wooden, so he heard the obnoxious clunk with every step she took.

She stopped and crouched down in front of him, hands on her knees over the grossly inappropriate pencil skirt she wore on this occasion.

“I thought you were supposed to be a nice, kind country boy. Chivalrous. Polite. Especially to women.”

Curtis tried his best to hold back a scoff.

“Perhaps I’d change my tune if you hadn’t…ya know, kidnapped me. But based on your behavior in general, how you were treating my girl? Calling someone a bitch knows no gender.”

Lilian slapped Curtis across the face at that and he leaned to the side, spitting, lucky to find no blood. At least she hadn’t gone in on him that hard. Yet.

She turned around and strutted to the table where the henchman sat with a computer and leaned back on her hands against it, crossing her ankles.

“When I’m done with you and your little friend group, you’ll be lucky to find yourself in a speaking position at all.”

Curtis’s body wasn’t sure whether to shudder at the coldness or roll his eyes. Maybe if he just kept talking, he’d be able to stall enough until help came.

“I thought Lloyd was supposed to be the unhinged one”

An eerie smirk crossed Lilian’s face at that. “Where do you think he learned his skills? I rarely spent time this far outside the city, but, you know, I’d like to think of myself as somewhat of a cowboy killer.”

Curtis shrugged before he remembered why he was hardly moving due to the jolt of pain that ran through him from the ropes. “While that’s mildly concerning, I do feel compelled to tell you that I’m more of a farmer and less of a cowboy. I’d say the closest thing you know to one of those is your boy Cole.”

Curtis was taking in every detail he could of his surroundings as he kept this conversation going. One of those details, though, included how Lilian’s eyes slightly widened at the mention of the prick Curtis had spent almost his whole life despising.

“Huh, that got something out of you….” Realization took over his features. “Oh my gosh, you’re sleeping with him, aren’t you?”

Her previously cool and deranged demeanor had shifted. “Psh, what? That’s absurd. You’ve known Cole for how long? Why would I want to be with him?”

If he wasn’t careful, he’d say he was almost enjoying seeing someone who seemed like they had it all figured out make such a terrible decision. He had to tread a line, though. Keep talking without fully upsetting her and making the torture worse.

“That’s a great question, but I mean, I didn’t have great taste in romantic partners in my twenties, so I can’t blame you, really. So what’s this all about? You’re attacking Bee because she turned down Cole’s business proposal? No, even he doesn’t have the brain capacity for this sort of a vendetta.” Another moment of realization accompanied a gasp. “Oh my gosh, you used to date Bucky, didn’t you? It’s because of that? You want to take her down because of that? Like, come on. This is a bit much, Lil.”

She scowled at the nickname and accusation. “You’re ridiculous if you think all of this is over a lost lover.”

Curtis cocked his head to the side. “Am I? Am I, though?”

Lilian sighed and threw her hands up at exasperation, not only at being exposed, but at the fact that Curtis wouldn’t believe her fake denial at the situation. “God, you hicks are so dense. Never listen. I’m sure I could say anything to you and it would go in one ear, out the other.”

Curtis droppped his head and shook it. Yeah, okay Lilian. Believe whatever you want. It’s your funeral. He looked back up at her through his eyelashes. So sass only got him more insults, what about compliments?

“You’re right, I think you’re probably the only one with a law degree within 100 miles of this place.”

She nodded. “You bet I am. And one would think tha-“

She was cut off by a henchman coming up behind her and whispering over her shoulder into her ear. Her ruby red lips turned down into a frown as she rolled her eyes once again behind a mask of mascara, eyeliner, and dark eye shadow. The more he looked at her, the more Curtis saw a person. One capable of making mistakes, several, sloppy mistakes, that were hopefully to his advantage. The henchman stepped back, awaiting further instruction.

Lilian groaned. “Ugh, fine. Alright.”

She pointed at Curtis with a menacing squint. “You stay here while I investigate. Move an inch and I’ll pull out the knife. You haven’t seen me yet with one of those.”

You waited anxiously in the farm house, pacing the floor once again before you gasped in alarm, stopped by a hand on the shoulder. When you looked up from your feet, you were met with concerned eyes before you were pulled in for a hug. It was Decks.

Her chin was tucked over your shoulder and she squeezed you close.

“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. They’re going to find him. I bet they already have.”

You nodded and squeezed her back, holding tight to the baggy flannel shirt she wore. From the smell of it, you could tell it was an old one of Curtis’s. You couldn’t blame her, it was probably way more comfortable than anything she had left.

You pulled away, seeing the sincerity in her gaze.

“Yeah, I know. Doesn’t mean I’m not a little on edge, though. Thanks for what you did back there, by the way. I was afraid I was gonna have to jump in and show those guys who’s boss, but you had it covered.” You gave a watery laugh.

Decks gave a shrug. “Eh, anything for a friend. And you’re really the only one here that I’m not upset with right now.”

That brought a rare smile to your face. It was a little funny, but also sadly true. You knew she wasn’t dealing with this all as well as you, but admired her for sticking around. You could see so much honesty in her, probably a quality that drew her so close in her friendship with Curtis. It was comforting and exactly what you needed.

And speaking of comfort, a welcoming smell began to waft in from the kitchen. Bee was cooking, which didn’t seem super appropriate for the moment, until you looked at the clock above the stove.

It was early morning by now. Though the curtains were all pulled tight, through the seam in the middle, you could see the beginnings of daylight peeking through. It was then that you realized you’d been running for nearly twelve hours on sheer adrenaline and a need to stay strong until Curtis returned. It seemed like you should keep fighting, keep pushing for him to come back, but it was out of your hands now. Bucky’s men were on the job. All you could do was wait at this point. Hopefully this good meal could hold you over until then.

It was an ambush. All Curtis heard was a light shuffling inside his shielding of the barn, followed by dampened swift blows and brief screams. That must’ve been Bucky’s men.

The closed barn doors allowed him little room to see what was going on, but the scattered gunshots were enough to sense that something was coming closer. Only Lilian’s men were fools enough to cause that much of a scene.

As the sounds died down, the barn door slid open, and Curtis squinted at the morning light that was directed right towards his eyes. A shadow quickly covered it, though. Curtis couldn’t make out the face, darkened by the rays of sun that framed it, but he knew the outline of that build. It was similar to the one that was in his farm fields for weeks, but the waist was slimmer. It carried itself with just a little more proper posture and grace.

“Steve?”

The figure approached and his face was lit up by the overhead barn lights. A crooked, apologetic smile was there under a pair of sincere blue eyes. It was Steve. Curtis wasn’t sure whether to scowl or smile at his savior.

“Hey there, partner. I’m here for retrieval service.”

Steve walked around behind Curtis and crouched down, pulling the knife out of his breast pocket, flicking it open, and cutting the ropes from his wrists. Curtis immediately brought his hands to his front, rubbing the tender area.

“Did you get Lilian? She was outside. And all the guards? Is everyone else okay? How’s Cherry? Decks? Bee?”

Steve walked around to Curtis’s front, crouching once again to begin sawing at the ropes that held his ankles.

“The girls are good. Safe on the farm being guarded, but I think they can handle themselves. Your girl has taken this quite well all things considered.”

Steve broke through the ankle restraints and looked up at Curtis’s face. There was a cut on his cheek that appeared to be bruising slowly.

“Lilian got you pretty good, huh? Don’t worry, we’ve got her now. And Lloyd and Cole. They’re getting delivered back to an old friend in the city as we speak. Probably won’t have to see their faces ever again. That’s a blessing.”

Curtis nodded in assent. “You could say that again.”

Steve looked Curtis once over. “Can you walk?”

Curtis nodded and groaned as he threw his hands to his knees and pressed out of the uncomfortable metal chair.

“Yeah…you never really answered all of my questions, though, city boy, at least not fully….”

Steve walked with Curtis up to the edge of the barn, peeking out to check if the coast was clear and speaking into an ear piece. He nodded with confirmation and his shoulders relaxed a little, although Steve grabbed the gun from the holster on his hip just in case, keeping it low as they shuffled out into the open field.

When Curtis looked around, he could see it was one of the Turners farms, but not the original one. A newer one: one that had been taken over. Scattered all around him were other, smaller barns on fire. When he looked back behind him to where he had just been moments ago, that one was too, flames ripping through it like a warm knife in butter.

Once Curtis turned back to him as they approached a black SUV, Steve looked at him with his eyebrows pinched inwards.

Curtis got up in the driver’s seat despite the way Steve was very evidently guiding him towards the passenger side and held his hand out for the keys.

“Come on. While I drive home, you’re gonna walk me through your plan to get Decks back. If the next time I see her, she’s as mopey as she’s been this weekend, or worse yet, this hardens her, you’ll have hell to pay.”

Steve sighed as he settled into his seat. “Okay, okay. But I think I’m gonna need a lot of your input. Just be nice about it.”

Curtis raised a skeptical brow at Steve as he pulled out onto the country road, leaving the burning farm behind them and Bucky and his men to finish up.

You had finished you meal and sat back on the couch, leg bouncing as you worked out a plan. Curtis needed to get back safely. He had to. You didn’t know what you’d do if he didn’t. Probably beat up Bucky first for getting you all in this mess, then move. Far, far away. Run like you always needed to, even if this was the first place you really felt like you belonged. That would be easiest, your truck could probably handle it, right?

You were startled by the sound of the front door clicking and in an act of self defense, you grabbed your empty coffee mug off the table and threw it at the front entryway. As the door opened, it shut just as quickly from the startle of the ceramic shattering against the wall. From the outside, you could hear, “Holy cow. Um, good arm? But it’s me, darlin’…”

Your shoulders dropped in relief. “Curtis!?”

You ran to the front door, socked feet gliding on the wood, and you pulled the handle and whipped it open. He was standing there, Steve behind him. You threw yourself into his arms, hands wrapped around his neck as he squeezed around your torso.

“It’s me. Hi sweet girl. I’m okay.”

You pulled away with a smile on your face. Your hands ran along his beard and you leaned in for a deep kiss. When you looked at him, your eyes roamed over his face, bruised and slightly wincing at the gentle circles of your thumb. You moved to pull away and apologize, but he grabbed your wrist to keep you there. I’ll never let you go.

You simply nodded and smiled, before looking over his shoulder at the dark-haired mob boss walking up the driveway. His car had just pulled in.

Your eyes narrowed to slits as you gave Curtis a quick peck on the nose.

“You go on ahead and get in there. I think some people will be very happy to see you.”

Curtis nodded, sensing what was about to go down, and gave you a kiss on the top of your head as his hand rubbed your waist before walking through the threshold, and Steve followed behind him.

As Bucky scaled the front porch steps, about to take the same path as the other two men inside, he was stopped by your pointer finger to his chest. Your voice was threatening and low. “You, mister. If you ever let another threat like this, or one of your crazy ex girlfriends near us again, no one is coming out that unscathed. Am I understood?”

His eyebrows raised as he gave you a salute. “Yes ma’am. You have my word.”

You gave him a curt nod of agreement and went inside.

Next >

Bonus A/N: sorry for the dark vibes, but go Curtis and Cherry! Two badasses even in a hard situation imo, although she’s not so forward with it because she doesn’t have the direct threat. What do you think?

Curtis was about to walk you over to the other, newer truck in the shop this morning for the third time when you cut him off.

“So it’s done, right? Everything looks in place, you just keep tightening random bolts, except the wrench doesn’t move, so that means it’s done… right?”

For someone who had just been rattling off every known fact about trucks that he could think of, Curtis was oddly quiet now. Silent. And looking at your feet until you placed your hand under his chin, bringing it back up. You scrunched your nose and tilted your head to the side, looking into his mischievously knowing eyes that simply blinked at you. Every time those irises are revealed, it’s dangerous, and he knows it, but you’re the one winning right now.

“I’m right, aren’t I? You’ve been finished with my truck for hours. Probably even days. Or perhaps weeks.”

He nodded, moving to put his hands on your hips, then thinking better from the grease caked into them, placing them on his own hips of his coveralls instead. “Yeah.”

You leaned in to give him a kiss on the nose, returned by raised, expectant eyebrows from you not leaning in for a full kiss.

“See? I listen. I pay attention. Caught everything you said. Now clean up and tell one of your boys they’re taking over for you today. I’ve got something special planned.”

Curtis smiled brightly. That was your favorite, a beautiful change from his normal serious face. He laughed all the time; with family, with friends, with you, but each smile was still a treat.

“Something special? For me?”

You nodded, smiling right back. “You bet. So go home, get showered, and I’ll do the same. Then I’m picking you up and we’re gonna head out because I finally have a car again.”

You closed the hood of the vehicle, grabbing the keys off his work bench, before giving him a quick peck on the lips and hopping up into your truck. He kept standing there, hands on his hips, shaking his head and laughing. Dang, he couldn’t pull one over on you, that was for sure, but he was excited for what the day held.

You pulled up in front of Curtis’s place, a small single-story home on a neighborhood street at the edge of town. After all this time, you were surprised you hadn’t seen it before. It had been over a month, after all. Most times, he really just came to your place, or took you over to the farm house, where you’d been much more often lately, keeping Bee company while Curtis did farm chores.

You turned off the truck and walked up to the front door, Curtis coming out onto the porch before you could even get there. He trotted down the steps to meet you on the walkway, reaching out his hand for yours, and using it to pull you close to him, finally perching his hands on your waist. He stood there, eyes looking between yours as the two of you swayed back and forth.

“So you gonna tell me where we’re going?”

You shook your head, snaking your hands around his waist, as well, tracing upward to feel the firm muscles of his broad back. You could physically feel the way he began to relax in your touch before you pulled away abruptly, seeing him rise an inch from tensing up again.

“Not a chance. Now get in the truck, can’t be late!”

Curtis groaned playfully and walked, taking his sweet time after you’d pulled away from him and ran to the car, rolling the windows down.

You pulled out of his driveway and started on your way, hoping you could remember the relatively simple directions since you didn’t want to give it away by putting it in the GPS.

The drive was pleasant, like all the others before, but this time, you got to savor sporadic glances at Curtis enjoying the landscape. Most of the time, it was you sitting close to him, staring out at the scenery, but with you driving, you got to see things from his side, and you loved it. He kept himself close on the bench seat, too, his arm over across the back of it, drawing circles on your other shoulder.

The breeze blew through the cabin, slowing down as you turned into the parking lot of the local distillery. Of course Curtis knew where you were going the entire time, but he let you be excited and proud of yourself for the destination. It was somewhere he’d never seen the inside of yet.

You pulled into the lot and threw your truck in park, finally turning to face him as much as you could in the seat.

“Surprise! One of the brand distributors came by the other day and offered us a free tour of the place. Plus, at the end, there’s an extra special surprise I negotiated with him for you.”

Curtis smiled and leaned in to kiss your nose at the bright look on your face. “Extra special, huh? We should get going.”

You went to turn and open your door when Curtis stopped you. “No, you already drove and surprised me with this. Let me at least do one nice thing for you.”

You rolled your eyes as you rolled up the windows and watched him scoot across the bench and out of the truck. Curtis could faintly hear your voice from the outside, saying, “You already covered my truck repairs. I think you’ve done enough,” as your arms were crossed and your gaze followed his walk around to your side.

He opened your door and helped you down, keeping your hand in his. “Sorry, didn’t quite catch what you said. Was it ‘never enough?’ I could never do enough for you? Because I agree.”

You took a step to bump your shoulder into his for the purposeful mishearing and continued to the door of the distillery.

The tour was great. The distributor you had met walked you and Curtis through the entire distillation process, showing you how they got the signature flavor and the differences between the batches.

At the end of it, he took you and Curtis to a back room with a bar and a bunch of whiskey barrels. Empty glass bottles lined the walls and you could see a bunch of mixing equipment all around. Curtis looked over to you with a curious cocked brow.

The two of you took your seats as the distributor walked you through the meanings of small batches, letting you pick your bottles and mix whatever barrels together that you wanted to create the best flavor. You had pulled him to the side, though, to ask a question, to which he happily nodded, bring out a third bottle and setting it in the counter. Curtis looked at you with a curious tilt of his head.

“What’s that one for?”

You shrugged. “Your cousin. I know her reserve of the good stuff has been getting low. Peter, that new little farmhand, told me she takes a shot with him after every time that Cole guy visits. I hope that’s over soon, though, he seems…how do I say this? Okay, don’t judge me for it, because I don’t want to put down the company she keeps…but, kind of awful? Despite all the gifts? Like, she’s miserable lately. Every time I see her, it’s like there’s a cloud over her head.”

Curtis dismissively nodded to you, although he didn’t really want to. He knew what was going on with Cole, and with Bee, but he hadn’t told you yet. He just wanted to enjoy this great gift with you first, and then he’d let you know. It was sort of important for what was coming this weekend with Decks coming into town, but instead of dumping all the information now, he just settled with, “well I think that’s a great idea. You’re right, she’s due for a new bottle and I think she’ll love it.”

His face was even, stoic almost, but you let it slide. It had been a long day, and maybe the two of you just needed to get out of here and eat.

Once you’d filled your unique, ornate glassware, they sealed and wrapped them up for you to take home.

As you were walking through the parking lot, skipping ahead of Curtis, who was carrying the three boxes with your precious bottles as he’d insisted, his face looked…concerned? Pulled in on itself.

Opening up the back door of the truck and sliding in the three boxes under the seat, you stopped Curtis from walking away when he had handed you the third one.

“Hey, hey. Wait up. What’s going on? Did you not like this? Was it too much?”

Curtis propped his one hand up against the side of the truck, hardly caging you in, more for his own support as he looked down at the ground. He sighed, thinking for a moment. Ain’t no time like the present.

“No, no. Not at all. Nothing like that. Just…what you said about Bee in there. I think she’ll really appreciate it, and I think she really appreciates you and the way you’ve been around for her, even if it’s only been a little, since Bucky left.”

Ah, so some of this was about Bucky? You turned around from tucking in the boxes, shutting the half door and leaning up against the driver’s side, trying to catch Curtis’s eyes.

“Well, I just did what any good friend would do. I think she’d do the same if you dropped off the face of the earth.”

Curtis looked up at you with a grimace. “True. But you should know, Bucky’s coming back.”

You perked up, running your hands up and down the front of Curtis’s shirt, trying to relax him, understand why he was having the physical reaction he was.

“Curtis, that’s great! Why do you look like it’s not?”

He looked up at the sky for a second, moving his hands to his pockets and standing up straight.

“Well, because he’s not coming back to the farm under the best circumstances. Why don’t we get in the car and I’ll tell you more on the way to the farm.”

You nodded, your face still covered in a tentative uncertainty of what he could be referring to, before you put your keys into his outstretched hand. No use driving if you were gonna swerve at some apparent earth-shattering news.

On the way to the farm, Curtis told you everything. Who Bucky truly was, the nature of his dealings with Bee, and how it all related to Cole and some guy named Lloyd.

As you were pulling into the long driveway to the farm, you had your eyes closed and your hand on your forehead, trying to remember the onslaught of information.

“So Bucky’s in the mob?”

“Yeah.”

“And Bee is partnered with him?”

“Right.”

“And Cole, who’s also a jerk you went to high school with, wants to take Bee’s farm?”

“Mhm.”

“And some dude named Lloyd, who’s associated with Cole, is Bucky’s…how would you even say this…mob nemesis?”

“Correct.”

“And Bucky used to date Lloyd’s sister?”

“See, that’s where I’m not sure. I’ve got my suspicions, but neither of them said such outright.”

You nodded along, seeing it all line up. “And Bee made a bet against the farm for both Cole and Lloyd to step away, once and for all? And that’s taking place this weekend? And Decks is playing in her place?”

“Yeah, you got it.”

You blew out a breath as you pulled up to the farm house, Bee and Peter already waiting outside to greet you since you’d all be having dinner together tonight.

“Well dang, I think we might need to crack that new bottle open already.”

Curtis gave a half-hearted laugh, opening up the car door and preparing to greet his cousin. “I think you might be right about that one.”

The weekend came, and preparations for the bet were in order. You had spent the previous night at Curtis’s house so he could get you up early to take you to the farm since he had chores and you had some last-minute details to smooth out. Bee had been busy the rest of the week doing farm chores, preparing to have this weekend open, so this was the first time you were going to hear the whole plan of the day.

Decks, Bee’s college roommate, was going to be coming into town for a single game of pool, winner takes all. You’d met her once before, and she seemed nice, but this entire ordeal felt…intense… and you felt terrible that it seemed like it all fell on the poor girl’s shoulders.

Far too early for your liking, considering you’d worked a shift the previous night, Curtis drove you over, dropping you off in the living room with a kiss, before heading out for the first round of chores. You took a quick nap on the couch before you were gently woken up by Curtis, already back from his morning rounds.

He took you out to the front porch where you sat bundled up in the blanket you had snatched, talking with Peter in mild conversation. He was a sweet kid, more than willing to do whatever was asked of him, but poor thing had been away from home for a month. Hopefully when today and everything was over, he’d get to go back home, but from the way he talked, you could tell he wasn’t sure if that would happen, either.

You watched as Curtis went up to chat with his cousin, the two of them watching a Black SUV pull into the driveway. Out of it stepped Steve, who you remember being alongside Decks the first time you met the two of them. Well, technically the only time. He happily greeted them before you were directed to come into the house and start making plans while Curtis stayed on the porch.

As you were sitting there on a stool around the kitchen table, you were half listening. Your brain was still tired, trying to catch up, but you were just there enough to comprehend and plan out the day. Apparently, Decks was coming soon in a car with Bucky, but you found it weird that she wouldn’t accompany Steve. They were all coming from the same place, right? So why drive separately? Ah, and then Bee said it. Decks was mad at Steve. Wonder what that was about.

Either way, they were set to arrive soon, but all you knew was that Decks was to be kept in the right mental state to win the game. That was the main focus. To get just the right mood and to distract the competitors, though, she needed the right clothes, but it didn’t sound like she had been informed of it yet, so you raised a question to Bee.

“So how are we going about that? If you didn’t already ask her to bring a dress?”

She smiled over to you, probably grateful you’d finally joined in on the conversation even if your voice was still raspy with sleep. “That’s the thing, I was hoping you might have a good outfit in mind. Something cute, but not too revealing. Comfortable in fit, but not in style. Shorts underneath, of course.”

You smiled back. “I think I have just the thing. But also, aren’t you a little worried to be doing this all in public? The bar will be busy tonight, I’m working, and I know they’re not gonna shut it down since it’s such short notice.”

You were nervous. This all felt like such a huge deal now that today was the day. The actual consequences, and your proximity to it were sinking in, but you were sure it was nothing compared to what poor Decks was going through. Being mad at Steve, plus having to see him today, plus being responsible for saving the farm? You were lucky you and Curtis were so far removed compared to that.

You watched her think for a second. “Well I assume a public environment makes them less likely to pull anything over on us, plus Bucky is sending a bunch of guards. But I’d rather have several of witnesses if I get shot-“ she gasped, looking at everyone with wide, imploring eyes, “but don’t tell Decks that’s a possibility! Don’t even plant a thought like that in her mind. Keep her feeling safe, and angry, and confident if you can. She needs it, okay? And if you forget your role, just remember it’s whatever Decks tells you to do, alright?”

You nodded. You’d do your best, but Peter seemed just as nervous as you about the whole thing. It was all put to a stop when you heard another car pulling into the driveway, though.

You walked out, watching Bee sprint to Bucky and jump into his arms. When they came back towards you, Bee stood by your side as Bucky quickly ran into the house. You watched as Peter went to get into the car to wake Decks, handing back a box of pastries to Bee that you gladly picked through, grabbing a croissant and offering Curtis a bite. As Decks emerged from the car, promptly after having decked poor Peter for waking her from her slumber, she greeted all of you, followed by snubbing Steve. Man, she really was mad.

Midday found you sitting in Curtis’s lap in the porch swing, listening to the ongoing conversations of the friends, catching up on what happened within the last month between planning events for the day. Everyone was heading out to do their own tasks, as Steve asked you for the keys to your apartment to set up for the afternoon where you and Bee would be taking Decks to eat and get dressed for tonight’s match.

Curtis had to leave you, heading back out for another round of chores with Peter, so you went to sit on the couch for a little while until Bee had a request.

“Hey Cherry, I’m not sure how Decks will react if I go up there. I’m pretty sure you’re the only one of us around that she doesn’t have a vendetta against, so could you grab her and tell her it’s time to head to your place?”

You nodded, immediately getting up and heading towards the steps, because if you hovered in anticipation, it probably wouldn’t happen. You were a little scared of Decks right now, with how angry she seemed this morning.

When you got to the door, you knocked softly, peeking in to see her sprawled over the bed. You spoke softly, with a smile on your face in an attempt to placate her.

“Hey, Decks. I know you’re probably in game mode, but Bee thought it might be a good idea for you to come over to my place. We can pick you out a nice outfit for tonight. Eat something, maybe? It’s my understanding you haven’t had anything since early this morning and apparently, from what I’ve been told, ‘the good stuff’ is waiting for you at my apartment. And it’s no boys allowed for this afternoon. You get to do whatever you need to get in the zone without distraction. How does that sound?”

She shot up from the comforter, and that was the first time you got a good look at her face today. She looked exhausted, and distraught. You were sure some time with just the girls might help, though, and you were more than willing to do her makeup if that’s what she wanted to feel her best.

You ran down the steps and out the front door where Bee was waiting for you in her truck. You hopped up and slid towards the middle.

“She coming down?”

You nodded, double checking the clock on the dash. Looked like you’d have plenty of time to relax at your place.

“Yeah, but I gotta tell you, she’s not looking so hot. Like, I know I’ve only met her once, but she looks worse than you did the first week Bucky left.”

Bee rolled her eyes with a light scoff. “Cherry, I was not that bad. I was fine.”

You tilted your head to the side. “I feel like we’re good enough friends now that I can say you were miserable. Why do you think I came around so much? You needed someone, and I feel like Decks might, too, but she also seems to be shutting us all out.”

Bee sighed, drumming her fingertips against the wheel. “Okay, okay, yeah. Whatever, you’re kinda right. Just…we’ll figure it out. Cater to her at your place if we can. Be around but not too clingy. Hopefully Steve got her some stuff she’ll like.”

After her surprisingly kind agreement to you, you finally saw Decks emerging from the house, coming and sliding into the passenger side of Bee’s truck, squeezing you between the two of them. She was quiet, but ready to go.

The time at your apartment seemed to do her good. She enjoyed the pasta Steve had left for her, as well as the music played from the record player that had been dropped off. It made it much easier to get along as you and Bee shuffled through your closet, pulling out potential outfits before settling on a nice tennis dress with shorts underneath. Decks was surprisingly compliant and calm as you applied light makeup per Bee’s instructions, an attempt to do anything necessary to distract Cole and whoever he might be bringing. You kept in soft conversation and let Decks continue to play through vinyl records in York room until you all had to go to the bar for your shift and the impending game.

Once you walked in, you immediately went to clock in, leaving the other two girls to head towards the guys at the booth they’d found. Curtis was quick to come up to you, discussing all the plans one last time and informing you on all the failsafes Bucky had in place. You were relieved to have not seen Edgar on guard anywhere, given the night off and replaced by Bucky’s men. That was good, he didn’t need to be put in that kind of danger, but you had to carry on like nothing wrong was happening, so you did.

It was a busy Saturday night that had you slinging drinks like usual, as you tried to keep an eye on all the action. You watched Steve rush Decks off somewhere after putting his hat on her head. You were sure that didn’t mean what it usually would around here. Her head was down, but it didn’t seem like they were up to anything. Her mood was far too sour and somber for that. Maybe he had to show her something important, but whatever they had done in the break room worked, because she emerged from it with a vengeance and energy you hadn’t seen all day. You watched as two men came into the bar, heading straight for Bee and Bucky in the meantime, joining for the pool game.

To anyone else outside, it probably would’ve seemed like a normal-ish interaction. Sure, it was sort of stiff, but that’s because you were looking for those subtleties. That was the last thing you observed, though, as you heard a customer calling for you at the other end of the bar.

She was shorter, with dark hair and pleasant features, which probably could’ve been admired if you couldn’t taste the bitterness of her aura.

“Hi, what can I get for you?”

She rolled her eyes as if you were wasting her time by simply asking that. “I need a Gin Fizz, and I want it long shaken with egg white. And then I’m going to need a gin martini, extra dry, shaken as well.”

You nodded and got to work, pulling together the ingredients for drinks that were far from what people usually drank around here. She looked the part of what she ordered, too, with her whole ‘wealth whispers’ aesthetic of unbranded, yet crisp clothes. The type that you don’t know the brand, unless you’re in the know. Every so often, you’d get an out-of-towner like that, home to see family, or maybe someone else’s family, or just passing through, unable to find a better place to stop, so you didn’t question it so much as feel a little annoyed.

You took the time to shake the ridiculous drinks, after being interrupted by her probably four times with an adjustment, and then a change of mind just a second later. You were pulling out the special glassware she requested each be served in, which were not the traditional choices you had already put on the counter, when you heard commotion break out. You went to quickly pour the drinks, but when you looked to hand them over and she wasn’t there. You went to look for Curtis to see if he saw where she went, but when you turned towards his stool, he was gone, too. Beyond the view of the gap where Curtis just was, you could see Steve was dragging a flailing Decks towards the you and away from her pool game, grabbing her attention and slipping something into her hand.

Patrons began pulling away from the bar and towards the pool tables as you continued to try to look and find where Curtis went. Decks jumped behind the bar with you, her eyes frantically searching the immediate area, but her body was facing you.

“So tell me what happened. When did Curtis disappear? Did you see anything?”

You frantically shook your head, the worry and gravity setting in that she couldn’t find him either. “No, a-all I know is that some girl asked me to pour her a drink. She had a bunch of specifications, and when I made it and turned back around, Curtis was gone, and so was she.”

Decks looked at you with surprise and concern, and…fear? “What did she look like?”

“I don’t know? Kinda short, dark hair? Annoyingly fit? Now that I think about it, kinda like the female version of the guy you were playing pool against. That’s not a coincidence, is it?”

You watched as she threw her head back and grumbled loudly in the bar that was essentially in a huge fight now. It definitely wasn’t a coincidence and seemed pretty bad.

“Ah, shit.”

Next >

Bonus A/N: I really liked this chapter for Curtis and Cherry until…ya know…the end of it