#john jack marston jr

[aplan-and-astorm]

I just did a synopsis with @thisisntmybedroom

The Marston’s waist game is CRAZY

[stanley-theman-uris]

My heart breaks for fictional men.

[omgwhatchloe]

seeing theories of jack marston joining ww1 makes me giggle because. i promise you, if anyone from the government tries to tell jack marston what he is and isn’t doing, they are getting shot.

in fact, they’re getting lassoed and dragged on the back on his horse.

[dazednstoned]

idk if you’ve talked about this already but what do you think the name of John and Abigail’s daughter was?

Ironically, at some point I was gonna ask this as a general question bc it's something I'll have to include in my fic later on.

Susanna seems to be a relatively popular hc. It's after the song John sings in the epilogue and also the name of John and Abigail Adams' (who all the marstons names are inspired by) deceased daughter. I like this one, but I'm pretty sure there are already fics out there that use it so I don't wanna copy that.

There are some Arthur related ones, but I really dislike those. I don't think John, who can't even talk ab Arthur, would name his daughter something like Morgan or Artis. I like to think Abigail gave her the middle name Beatrice to honor Arthur indirectly though.

Sorry I didn't really answer ur question lol. But if anyone has any hcs for the marston daughters name I could use in my fic PLEASE lmk bc I can't think of any.

[nthspecialll]

Since Jack's real name is John Marston Jr, do you guys think that when Abigail yells through Beechers Hope "JOHN MARSTON!" that there is a split second where both John and Jack freeze up to see if she will add a "JR!"?

Jack hopes she doesn't, John hopes she does.

[verdemoun]

y'all ever think abigail exclusively calls jack 'jack' when his name is john marston jr because she regretted naming him after his father when john was such a pos for so much of jack's life

[zanazirafanfic]

RDR Event Timeline (Canon + Headcanon)

This is the timeline I have constructed and use for all of my Red Dead writings. Canon event dates/ages are taken from the Red Dead Wiki, and headcanon estimations for more ambiguous events/characters are based on their approximate ages in-game by 1899 and what makes the most logical sense to me based on that timeline.

Please feel free to use this as a reference for your own works too, if it helps. (Canon events are noted as such, and my headcanons are labeled "HC.")

1839 - Uncle born (HC)

1844 - Hosea Matthews born (Canon)

1845 - Rains Fall born (HC)

1846 - Leopold Stauss born (HC)

1850 - Susan Grimshaw born (HC)

1853 - Orville Swanson born (HC)

1855 - Dutch Van der Linde born (Canon)

1857 - Josiah Trelawney born (HC)

1860 - Micah Bell III born (Canon) (newspaper clipping mentions Micah Bell Jr. robbing with his 17-year-old son in 1877)

1861 - Simon Pearson born (HC)

1863 - Arthur Morgan born (Canon)

1866 - Bill Williamson born (Canon)

1870 - Dutch leaves home aged 15 (Canon); Kieran Duffy born (HC)

1871 - Sadie Adler born (HC)

1872 - Charles Smith born (HC) (based on est. age of 27 in 1899)

1873 - John Marston born (Canon); Javier Escuella born (HC)

1874 - Lyle Morgan arrested and hanged, Arthur orphaned (Canon); Molly O'Shea born (HC)

1875 - Karen Jones born (HC)

1876 - Dutch and Hosea meet outside of Chicago, IL (Canon); Sean MacGuire born (HC)

1877 - Abigail Roberts born; Arthur joins the gang, aged 14 (Canon)

1878 - Eagle Flies born (HC)

1879 - Tilly Jackson and MaryBeth Gaskill born (HC)

1880 - Lenny Summers born (Canon)

1881 - John Marston's father dies, John orphaned (Canon)

1882- Annabelle and Bessie join the gang (HC)

1883 - Bessie and Hosea marry and leave the gang (Canon); Arthur meets and begins dating Mary Gillis (HC) (Jamie Gillis references both Annabelle and Bessie during the mission in Chapter 2, so IMO this would've been the most likely time for all 3 to have met one another.)

1884 - Dutch kills Colm O'Driscoll's unnamed brother, Annabelle killed by Colm in retaliation; Hosea returns to the gang (HC)

1885 - John Marston and Susan Grimshaw join the gang (Canon); Charles Smith leaves home, aged 13 (HC) (based on est. DOB 1872)

1886 - Arthur proposes to and subsequently breaks up with Mary in the springtime; Arthur meets Eliza (19) later in the year, and Isaac is conceived (HC)

1887 - Lee & Hoyt Bank Robbery, April (Canon); Isaac Morgan born (HC) (According to Arthur in-game, Eliza only knew who he was after she got pregnant. Based on this they most likely met in late 1886 or very early 1887, with the bank robbery in April '87 and Isaac born that autumn.)

1888 - Death of Bessie Matthews (HC) (based on the assumption that she passed some time before Arthur lost his son. Her cause of death is never specified in canon, but I HC it was a fairly quick battle with pneumonia over the winter.)

1891 - Isaac Morgan (4) and Eliza (23) killed in a home robbery (HC)

1892 - Bill Williamson dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army (Canon); Uncle joins the gang (HC)

1893 - Bill Williamson joins the gang (Canon)

1894 - Abigail Roberts joins the gang, introduced to them by Uncle (Canon)

1895 - Jack Marston born; Javier joins the gang (Canon)

1896 - John Marston leaves the gang; Jake and Sadie Adler marry in September (Canon)

1897 - John Marston returns to the gang after a year (Canon)

1898 - Micah Bell, Charles Smith, Lenny Summers, and Jenny Kirk join the gang (Canon)

1899 - Blackwater Massacre; dissolving of the Van der Linde gang; deaths of Jenny Kirk, Mac and Davey Callender, Sean MacGuire, Kieran Duffy, Hosea Matthews, Lenny Summers, Molly O'Shea, Eagle Flies, Susan Grimshaw, and Arthur Morgan (Canon)

1907 - Construction of Beecher's Hope ranch; John and Abigail marry; death of Micah Bell III (Canon)

1911 - Kidnapping of Abigail and Jack Marston by the U.S. Government in exchange for John's cooperation; deaths of Bill Williamson, Javier Escuella, Dutch Van der Linde, Uncle, and John Marston (Canon)

1914 - Death of Abigail Marston; Jack Marston kills Edgar Ross to avenge his father's murder (Canon)

[frostbitemutt]

some Jack marston hcs? Low honor more specifically 👀

Oh dear. But, Yes. Yes I will. This is low honor. Don't expect anything less than awful 💀.

Yandere! Low honor! Jack Marston hcs

Warnings: gender neutral darling, yandere trope, forced "relationship", obsession, stalking, harassment, unwanted crude flirting, perverted comments, non-consensual kissing and touching mentioned (nothing explicit), breaking and entering, kidnapping, violence, murder, sadism

Main traits:

|perverted/possessive/violent/sadistic|

✘ John Jack Marston Jr. Better to just call him Jack. A raunchy 19 year old trying to imitate his less than a saint father. On track to being an outlaw... yeah.. you're pretty fucked. He's an absolute little shithead.

✘ I'm going to assume you're a local townsfolk, maybe a store clerk, farmer, or maybe you're just his neighbor. You'll know when you've caught his eye. He makes it more than clear. Hounding you around town. Cat-calling you.

✘ His comments are perverted "They tell me I'm at my sexual peak sweetheart..", "Come on, just one kiss.", "are you are aroused as I am?".. and other comments. Very much to your dismay. Dosen't matter your gender. The perversion dosen't stop at words. If you don't have your curtains shut.. you may have to deal with a peeping Tom. His hands wander where they shouldn't, attempting to grab at you, pull you in close enough for him to kiss.

✘ He's possessive of you. You're not in a relationship. Hell you're not even friendly with him. You're definitely less than that. He still feels you're his regardless of the fact you hate his ass. No other man or woman needs to be looking or touching up on you. That's his job. Not theirs. He won't stand by and let someone else harrass you either. To him it's only okay when he does it. Hypocrite. Threatening, dueling, and shooting people left and right.

✘ Just like his daddy, he's violent. Wouldn't John be proud? Probably not. I already mentioned him shooting randos down. Your friends? They're found with a ludicrous amount of bullet holes. Lover? Yeah their head got blow clean off with a shotgun, sorry. You ain't off the hook either. He'll tackle you to the ground and manhandle you in a fit of anger. He'll shout real loud too. Sudden and explosive is how his temper runs.

✘ Sadism is something that shines through a bit in Jack. Now he's not going out of his way to harm or hit you most of the time, unless he's feeling petty. Maybe he'll give you a mildly harsh kick to your side. However that dosent mean he isn't at all. Your tears, your screams, your sobs, and your insults...make him feel all funny inside as he'd put it. Yuck. He'll laugh and snort at you most of the time. Mocking you and your fear. Maybe even make some pig noises at you to add some salt to the wound.

✘ You swear, you wake up at least once a week to a weird noise in your home. Window or door suddenly cracked open, not even cracked, more like wide open. Yet you can't find no one. Oh, yeah, mutiple items go missing too. Lots of clothes. Toothbrush. Notebooks if you got any. Were there always boot prints in your carpet? Your bed feel oddly warm? Nope. It was Jack. Who else.

✘ Escape is certainly.. difficult when he goes to kidnap you. He abuses the fuck out of his lasso. Running away on foot? Lasso. On horse? Get the fuck over here. Lasso. Move more than 30 feet from him? Lasso. That point he's doing it cause he thinks it's funny. Unfortunate for you. Not to downplay the fear that comes with it. Thinking you're free, only to be yanked off your horse and hogtied to the back of his.

✘ It's all much worse when he has you isolated, in his home. No police you can snitch to, bystanders to chase him off, or neighbors of yours to questioning him snooping about. He's dosen't bother restraining himself, he was barely before. Sloppily kissing you, hands grasping wherever he can, shoving you against the nearest solid surface. It's vile.

✘ You'll have to endure more of his tantrums than ever. Grumbling when you refuse to talk to him, because why would you want to? Pouting and stomping his foot when you push him away from you. Going on rants when you won't stop crying. His mood changes day from day. Luckily after a bit you might be able to read his face and tell when he's about to to blow a fuse. You can brace yourself for his delusional complaining.

✘ Don't loose all hope. Escape is possible. Now I'm not going to say Jack's stupid, he isn't. However we're still talking about a 19 year old. (I'm almost 19 I can throw shade). He doesn't have a plethora experience like his dad or an older outlaw. He's a new adult on a violent power trip. If he leaves the house, check the locks, he might have forgotten one. Try to knock him unconscious in his sleep or.. more permanent if you're absolutely certain you can. That's the more risky option. If you can act well enough, you can possibly convince him to let you outside with him. If he does? Book it.

[dalekofchaos]

My headcanon about Jack Marston Post-Ross

To me I don't believe Jack fell into the life Jack and Abigail worked so hard to prevent Jack from going down.

Here's what I think happened.

Abigail was slowly dying of a broken heart. She never got over John's death. I think losing John broke her and she just couldn't cope. She tried to live for Jack, but her depression grew too great and eventually she entered a catatonic state. Jack tried his best to care for his mother, but no matter what she became non responsive and it was like this until her death.

Jack went down to Mexico in search of Sadie Adler and Landon Rickets to help train him to kill Ross. I think Landon would feel bad for what happened to John and would offer Jack his services to help him. Sadie would do the same, but both would tell Jack to not follow the path that John walked. Kill Ross, but be done with hit.

Jack kills Ross as per canon. Jack is caught and serves a penance for the murder of Edgar Ross by serving in WW1, spends time as a Marshal and works with the Bureau and after he pays his debt to society.

Jack writes the book we see in GTAV that is titled Red Dead that tells the story of the Van der Linde gang(with help from Charles, Sadie, Mary-Beth, Tilly, Swanson Trelwany and Pearson) and tells the true story of John Marston's life and the truth of Edgar Ross and the Buereau/Pinkertons.

Jack later settles down on the old ranch and works to make it the best in the county like him and John talked about, has a wife and two kids and names them John Jr and Arthur. Jack would write to Sadie, Charles and Bonnie as often as possible and see them on the holidays because they are family.

Jack got the happy life John, Arthur and Abigail wanted for him.

And if this does happen for a potential RDR3, I would end the game similarly to AC:Black Flag like when Edward Kenway's old pirate friends look on him fondly, but with the Van der Linde gang looking on Jack proudly with both John and Arthur tipping their hat to Jack in approval for the man he became.

Initially was just gonna go with the WW1 theory as his only penance, but then remember Jack's outfits as a Marshal and an Agent and thought they could put those outfits to good use in a story sense and I was inspired by a video that I can no longer find.

[paradlselost]

⠀ ⠀ ˙ . ꒷ 𝓕ANDOMS . 𖦹˙

TASK FORCE 141 — john price , simon ‘ghost’ riley , john ‘soap’ mactavish , gary ‘roach’ sanderson , kyle ‘gaz’ garrack , nikolai , ++ alex keller , farah karin , alejandro vargas , rodolfo ‘rudy’ parra .

KORTAC — könig , nikto , kim ‘horangi’ hong-jin , sebastian kruger ++ valeria garza , philip graves + the shadows , vladimir makarov .

TWO — arthur morgan , john marston , dutch van der linde , hosea matthews ( platonic only ) , abigail marston , mary beth gaskill , karen jones , tilly jackson , javier escuella , sean mcguire , charles smith , lenny summers , josiah trewlany , sadie adler , molly o’shea , kieran duffy , albert mason , charles châtenay , eagle flies , proetus + acrisius .

ONE + REVOLVER — jack marston ( teen + adult only ) ++ red harlow .

NEW VEGAS — arcade gannon ( mlm only ) , benny gecko , craig boone , fantastic , jason bright , joshua graham ‘ the burned man ’ , robert house , sunny smiles , viktor , yes - man .

FOUR — nate / nora , ada , cait , curie , paladin danse , deacon , desdemona , glory , john hancock , nick valentine , piper wright , porter gage , preston garvey , robert maccready , x6 - 88 .

SHOW — lucy maclean , norm maclean , the ghoul - cooper howard , maximus , lee moldaver , thaddeus .

VOUGHT — homelander , a-train , black noir , black noir II , queen maeve , lamplighter , translucent , firecracker , sister sage , the deep , ashley barrett , soldier boy , crimson countess , stan edgar .

THE BOYS — billy butcher , hughie campbell , annie january , sergei ‘frenchie’ , kimiko , marvin milk .

OTHERS — victoria nueman , luke riordan , andre anderson , cate dunlap , marie moreau , jordan li , emma meyer , sam riordan , maverick , popclaw , webweaver .

SLASHERS — jason vorhees : friday the thirteenth , michael myers : halloween og + rz , billy loomis : scream , stu macher : scream , brahms heelshire : the boy , harry warden : my bloody valentine , billy lenz : black christmas , bo sinclair , vincent sinclair , lester sinclair : house of wax , bubba sawyer : texas chainsaw massacre , thomas hewitt : texas chainsaw massacre reboot + beginning .

FAR CRY — john seed , joseph seed , jacob seed , faith seed , sharky boshaw , jess black , hurk drubman jr , adelaide drubman , grace armstrong , jerome jeffries , eli palmer , joey hudson , staci pratt , earl whitehorse . pagan min , ajay ghale . vaas montenegro , jason brody .

BALDURS GATE 3 — orgin dark urge , gale dekarios , astarion ancunín , shadowheart , lae’zel , wyll ravengard , karlach , halsin , jaheira , minsc , minthara , dame aylin , isobel thorm , omeluum , the emperor , rolan , dammon , ketherick thorm , enver gortash , orin , kar’niss , nym , sorn , raphael .

SUPERNATURAL — dean winchester , sam winchester , castiel , gabriel , adam winchester , lucifer , michael , anna milton , charlie bradbury ( wlw only ) .

OTHER — connor : detroit become human , joe goldberg : you , eddie gluskin : outlast whistleblower , father paul hill / john pruitt : midnight mass , riley flynn : midnight mass , sheriff hassan shabazz : midnight mass , kurt wagner : x - men , remy lebeau : x - men , peter maximoff : x - men , adrian chase : peacemaker , abner krill : suicide squad , edward nashton : batman .

[jjmbbg]

It's you and me

➤ Jack is a newborn here.

➨ She opened her eyes, confused and not knowing where she was standing (lying down actually). She looked around the messy cabin, she didn't remember much from the previous afternoon let alone how she got there.

Everything was blurry, and there were only fragments of what happened.

She was sitting next to Susan when she had begun to feel an intense pain in her belly, which stopped the entire group. Several went into crisis because they were in the middle of the fucking road and they didn't know if there was a fixed place in the surroundings.

She remembers Dutch ordering who she thought were Sean and Lenny (surely it was them, those two were always together) to look around, then sending Arthur because they were taking too long.

She barely remembers John's voice comforting her, but also her slapping his hands and yelling things like "Look what you put inside me!"

But she didn't remember anything else.

From what she saw, they found a place where she could give birth to her baby, which she didn't know if he was a boy or a girl, or if it was okay, or where it even was.

She tried to get up, but couldn't and whimpered, drawing Susan's attention, who was sitting next to the baby a few meters from her.

ㅡ You woke up ㅡshe smiled at her.ㅡHow do you feel?

ㅡ How would you feel after expelling something the size of a watermelon out of your body? ㅡshe answered tired.ㅡ Although, I'm thirsty.

ㅡ I'll bring something for that, but first, ㅡshe said, carefully grabbing the small thing that was stirring in a blanket that Arthur had been in charge of obtaining a few months ago.ㅡ You have to see this beauty ㅡshe walked over to place the child in her arms.ㅡ It's a boy, by the way.

ㅡ Oh... ㅡAbigail whispered holding him firmly.ㅡ It's... he's cute ㅡshe smiled a little adjusting the blanket away from the baby's face.

ㅡ Do you want me to tell the rest that you're awake? Do you want me to find John?

ㅡ I don't think he really wants to see me.

ㅡ He was very worried about you when you were in labor ㅡshe smiled.

ㅡ It's hard for me to believe you, although well... it happens to me for having continued being a prostitute.

It hurt Abigail to accept that John doubted the paternity of the child in her arms, but she couldn't blame him. Sure, her hookups with Dutch, Bill, and Javier left a lot to be desired, but she was sure he was Marston's, and she didn't know how to convince John of that.

ㅡ Don't you want anyone?

ㅡ No, just... I'll stay with him... ㅡshe whispered, carefully watching her son's face.ㅡ And I still want water...

ㅡ I'll bring a glass right away.

When Abigail was left alone with the baby, she reached up to his face and caressed his plump cheek with one finger.

She was a little old to have a child, it sounds ironic, but come on, in 1895 everyone got married at 14 and had their children at 15, she was 18, she could practically be considered an old spinster.

ㅡ It's you and me, and the camp, and I hope John, together against the world ㅡshe whispered. The boy's eyes were slightly open in her direction.ㅡ Please tell me you're not hungry, I don't know how to do those mommy things... it's my first time, okay? I'll need time to get used to you and vice versa... well... what shall we call you? mhm?

She analyzed his face carefully.

The baby still couldn't stop looking at her, his huge orbs were glued to her face. He looked at her like she was an angel sent from heaven.

ㅡ You don't have the nerve to be called Dutch, that's for sure ㅡshe laughed at her own comment.ㅡ Oh... how pitiful I am sometimes ㅡshe complained to herself.ㅡ Mhm... John Marston Jr... yeah, maybe be... although it would be a bit confusing... two Johns?

"Why I'm talking to myself?" she thought.

ㅡ Jack... you look like a Jack... right, Jackie?

She rocked him a little, returning to caress his cheek gently.

ㅡ He doesn't understand a single word from you ㅡa male voice was heard at the door.ㅡ How do you feel?

ㅡ Like I've been trampled by a horse, and believe me, I know what that feels likeㅡshe replied softly.ㅡ What are you doing here?

ㅡ I'm coming to see my son, or so I think ㅡhe whispered as he approached. He took a seat on the edge of the cot that Roberts was resting in.ㅡ It's cute ㅡ he said, looking at the infant's face.

ㅡ No, I just wanted to take a look at him, you know... see if he looks like me.

ㅡ It is ㅡ the young woman smiled.ㅡ Do you wanna carry him?

ㅡ John... I already told you, he's your son.

ㅡ I can't be sure ㅡMarston sighed.

Abigail looked away, she wouldn't give him the pleasure of seeing her cry or vulnerable.

ㅡ You already saw that I'm fine, and you already saw his face. You can go, I'll feed him.

ㅡ It's not like I haven't seen your breasts ㅡhe scoffed.ㅡ Me and... half of the camp.

ㅡ Shut up and go away.

ㅡ Well, well, as you order.

When John left the place, Abigail let out a heavy, almost painful sigh.

ㅡ Okay, Jackie... what were we up to?

Little Jack didn't understand why the eyes of who seemed to be his mother were reddish, he was a baby, he clearly wouldn't do it. But he made a small sound with his mouth, indicating he was hungry, or so Roberts assumed.

ㅡ Well... let's learn how to do this, shall we? ㅡshe smiled a little, sadly.

[stanley-theman-uris]

The first thing I did after beating rdr1 as John and moving on to Jack was, go back into the house and look around, not seeing Abigail in the kitchen stirring her pot which now sits untouched on the stove shattered my heart, seeing uncles room empty made me sad, then I went into John’s room and looked around, it was so quiet, so empty, I wanted jack to just lay on his parents bed and mourn, to grieve properly, but he couldn’t, I wonder how many nights jack sat on the couch waiting and wishing his mama would walk out of the kitchen and scold him for bringing his muddy boots into the house, how sad jack must have been when the farm became uncared for.

[blcsscdson]

"Some trees flourish, others die. Some cattle grow strong, others are taken by wolves. Some men are born rich enough and dumb enough to enjoy their lives. Ain't nothing fair."

Indie / Selective John "Jack" Marston Jr. from Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption games. Mostly based off of RDR1's Epilogue, can use the younger Jack if preferred.

Promo template credit: @poohsources

[rainysrdrsideblog]

What if I started calling Jack John Marston Jr. everytime I mention him

[yanderes-galore]

fun fact, Jack's actual name is john. His full name is John "jack" Marston Jr.

Im personally still gonna call him Jack though lol

I'm also going to still say Jack, yeah.

[neon-junkie]

The Last of his Kind - Chpt.1

Summary: A handsome young man approaches you at the bar after catching you checking him out. Names are exchanged and drinks are downed, and you seem to have fallen for him a lot harder than you realize.

Pairing: Jack Marston x f!Reader

Word Count: 3941

Rating: SFW

Tags: Post-RDR1, Saloon, Drinking, Flirting, Slow burn, Strangers to lovers, Gambling, First dates.

Notes:  finally, some Jack Marston content, because this man deserves some love!!!!!!!!! to clarify, this is set after RDR1 and the epilogue, so Jack has already killed Ross and is now just trying to move on with his life.

To everybody's surprise, you'd done it. You'd managed to move out of your parents' house and buy a small home on the edge of Blackwater, with a chicken coop and a tiny garden around the back of the house. It's homely enough, perfectly decorated and surprisingly warm, even in the winter. The fireplace provides more than enough heat to keep your one-room house cozy, and you always get that wholesome feeling in your chest as you sit against the window, watching the snowfall with a hot beverage in your hands. It was nice to be able to work in the town that you live in, your place of work being less than five minutes away, and sometimes you like to shake up your morning commute and walk along the docks, overlooking the water and the land in the distance. The view is beautiful during the day but even more so at night, as an array of lights dance along the horizon. You'd heard about a city across that lake called Saint Denis, and although people have told you time and time again that it's huge, you can tell from how far across those lights go, as well as how bright they are. Maybe you'll visit that place one day. The furthest you'd ever traveled was up to Strawberry, only because your parents live there, and down south was a complete mystery to you. You're aware of that place called Thieves Landing, and you dare not to travel south because you fear that everywhere else will be as chaotic as that place.

Your closest friend and co-worker, Belle, had told you that the land down south was actually quite nice. Well, the scenery was, but Armadillo was almost always riddled with some sort of plague, and the other town down there was completely abandoned. The name slips your mind, but it's no matter as you'll never head down there. She's been to Thieves Landing many times for gambling trips and has egged you on to come with her one day, but you worry that it'll be your unlucky day and you'll end up in some sort of mess, so better safe than sorry. Instead, Belle likes to play her games at the Blackwater Saloon whilst you mingle and relax. She's tried to teach you before but there are so many cards and so many rules. You've gone this far in your life without getting addicted to a fun way of losing money, and you're happy to continue living your life without it. And that's where you are now, sitting at one of the tables with Belle, having a rant about some customer you served today who has his own nose way too far up his ass. A few drinks have been shared between the two of you and you can tell from the way Belle keeps looking at the Blackjack table that she wants a game sooner or later. Blackjack was the only game you knew how to play, only because the dealer does all the work, though you'd still rather save your money, even if luck tended to be on your side and you'd exit the game with a small profit. "Shame I was in the back when it happened," Belle tells you after you've finished laying out what happened to her. "What would you have done? Barked at him?" you say with a laugh. "I would have!" Belle says proudly, then lets out a bark, a surprisingly realistic one that catches the attention of a suited man at the table next to you. He pulls an odd face but turns his attention away as the two of you laugh. The town knows by now that the pair of you are a little odd, but times are changing and women seem to be asserting themselves more and more every day. Just last week, you saw a woman dragging out her husband after she'd caught him chatting to a woman at the Saloon. Normally, men would step in and try to defend the husband, saying the woman clearly wasn't 'doing her job' as a wife. But a bunch of men had stepped in and told the man off for being unfaithful. You're welcome to this change, and although there's no man in your life right now, you hope that he'll be a kind and gentle soul. Well, you wouldn't marry anybody who isn't, though you'll always have that worry of marrying a man who lets himself go the second the wedding rings are on. Let's hope things are different for you. Belle snaps you out of your daydream as she perks up again. "Ugh," she says as she rolls her eyes. "Another cowboy. I thought they had died out. He must be a wannabe, though I'm unsure why anybody would want that life." You're about to ask who she's on about but your eyes drift over to the bar, fixating on the stranger leaning against it. He's tall with sun-kissed skin, his cheeks a little rosy as he's just walked in from the hot evening outside. For a cowboy, he's clearly got good hygiene, as his hair falls nicely against his shoulders, his facial hair is neatly trimmed, and his clothes are perfectly clean. Maybe he's just trying to look the part but is a little too soft for the lifestyle? Either way, he looks young, maybe around his early twenties. The way his brows naturally furrow brings a soft smile to your face, as he's clearly trying to look a bit tough but he's quite adorable instead. "I'll give him credit, he is handsome," you tell Belle as your eyes stay locked onto him. "He's probably the only handsome cowboy to ever exist then. They're all so dirty and smelly," Belle shakes her hair. She's clearly not had a proper look at him, though you're thankful as you're definitely calling dibs on this one. "He doesn't look it," you tell her, your eyes briefly flicking over to her. "He's only just walked in and you're already planning the wedding, aren't you?" Belle says with a laugh. Belle's laughter has caught his attention, as he looks over to your table, his eyes locking onto yours. You gulp and quickly look away, giving Belle a small kick under the table to stop her from laughing. "What?" Belle asks. "Your laughter's caught his attention," you tell her, your eyes wide and glued to her. Belle looks over at the bar and grins as she looks back at you. "My laughter may have caught his attention, but his eyes are definitely fixed on you, sugar," she chuckles. You can't help but peek over at him once more, instantly looking away as you realize that yes, he's staring directly at you. You see his head move and check again, letting out a sigh of relief as he's now turned his focus to the bartender as he orders a drink. "What perfect timing. There's finally a space at the Blackjack table, meaning you'll be left on your own, looking all pretty and available," Belle says with a chuckle as she stands. "Belle, don't do this," you sigh. "He's just a boy. This ain't the first time you've chatted up a stranger at the bar," Belle replies. "They were different! Well, this is different. He just seems... you know," you attempt to explain. "You've caught feelings already. I understand." You're about to jump on the defensive and say you haven't, but Belle cuts you off as she hands you some change. "How about you go get a drink for yourself and if things go south, get one for me too and use me as your escape route, alright?" A long sigh escapes your lips before you respond with "fine." You stand up also, Belle flashing you a smile before she turns and heads to the Blackjack table. As you walk over to the bar, you count through her change, checking to see how much she gave you but to also prevent your eyes from awkwardly catching the strangers. He's stood at one end at the bar, yourself at the other. The bartender serves you your drink and the leftover change is put into your pocket. After taking a sip of your drink, your look out the corner of your eye at the stranger, noting the way his head quickly turns. He was definitely staring at you again, but you're just as guilty as you're now staring at him. The sight of a pair of guns on his hips tells you that what Belle said was true, that he's definitely a cowboy, or whatever they now call themselves. The gunbelt he wears is worn down and you assume it's been passed down to him, meaning at least one of his parents lived the same lifestyle. "Something catch your eye, Miss?" somebody asks. You shake your head a little as your eyes trail up his body and oh shit, he's speaking to you. "What?" you blurt out, the panicked expression on your face making him softly laugh. "I said, has something caught your eye, Miss?" he asks again, a lot slower and clearer this time. You suddenly realize how awkward you must have looked, staring down at his gunbelt, though he may have thought you were staring at something else instead. "Oh, I was... admiring your gunbelt," you honestly tell him, though it sounds odd saying it out loud. "My gunbelt?" he double checks with you. "Yeah... it looks well worn," you tell him as if he doesn't already know. "It is. Was my Pa's," he tells you, his eyes briefly flicking down to the piece of equipment. "Was that really what you were staring at?" he asks you with a soft smile as he looks back up and draws his focus back to you. "Yes!" you say with a nod. "I promise." "Heh, sure," he laughs again. "I ain't ever had a woman check me out before," the stranger tells you as he bridges the gap on the bar, taking the few steps over to you and leaning against it. His body is turned mostly towards you, but his elbow rests on the bar top. He crosses one ankle over the other, his spurs clinking as they move, sending a shiver down your spine. You've heard many stories about true cowboys and you've seen the odd wannabe or bandit, but something felt authentic about this stranger. "I promise you, I wasn't being perverted," you explain. "I don't view checking somebody out as perverted. You're only admirin' them, no harm can come from that," he says with a shrug. "But I can see how flustered the thought is making you, so how's about I buy you a drink to settle your nerves?" the stranger offers. He adds on a "sweetheart" at the end, the sound of that petname coming from his voice draws you to him even more, and you find yourself agreeing to his offer in a heartbeat. He's polite when he orders, using his manners and checking with you on what you'd like. You finish up the drink you currently have as he pays for your next one. Either you didn't hear, or he snuck this in as you were occupied with downing your drink, but he orders a shot on the side. At least he ordered gin, as despite it still burning, it doesn't burn as much as whiskey does or leave that awful feeling in your throat. "Thank you," you say as he slides your drink over to you, followed by the shot. "May I know your name?" you ask him. "Marston. Jack Marston," he tells you as his attention focuses back on you, the bartender moving away to serve somebody else. "And yours?" "___," you tell him. "Pretty name for a pretty woman," he says with a smile as he picks up his shot. You can't help but shake your head a little at the cheesy comment, but you pick up your shot and clink it against his glass, both of you necking the burning liquid. There's that nasty feeling in your throat, trailing down and settling in your stomach. You lightly cough, placing the empty glass on the bar top and taking a well-needed sip of your drink. Jack doesn't seem phased, taking a much smaller sip of his drink and licking his lips, probably savoring the taste. "You alright?" he asks. "I don't often drink liquor neat," you explain, letting out a small cough and chugging some more of your drink. "I'll get the next round," you tell him, deciding that shots are definitely off the table. "We're doing rounds? I can't take money off you, sweetheart," Jack informs you. "But you can take drinks off me instead," you correct him. "Alright. If you insist," he says with a smile, shaking his head at you. "So," Jack begins after having another swig. "I noticed your friend went straight over to that Blackjack table. You not much of a gambler then?" he questions. "Oh, Belle? Yeah, she loves it. I just can't wrap my head around it, apart from Blackjack because I'm not doing any of the work," you shrug. "I could teach you sometime? Card games just kinda click without you even realisin'," Jack replies, shifting more of his weight against the bar as he relaxes against it. "She's tried to teach me so many times and I just can't figure it out," you say with a soft laugh. "She's tried to take me down to Thieves Landing many times, saying I'll definitely win there as apparently they're a bunch of morons, but I just don't trust a place with a name like that." "I don't blame you," Jack nods in agreement. "But the folk down there are nice, despite the name. It's more of a lawless place but the area has its own morals and codes." "I dunno," you drawl, nervously fiddling with your drink. "Trust me, it's alright. Maybe you'll head down there one day and bump into me," Jack tells you. "Do you visit it often?" "I'd say I'm a regular there, yeah. I tend to visit a lot of places down south," Jack replies before taking another sip of his drink, finishing the bourbon off. "What're they like?" you question. "I've only been up north to Strawberry as my parents live there." "I haven't been Strawberry since I was a kid..." Jack pauses. He's clearly having a flashback moment, though his attention quickly turns back to you. "Down south is alright. There's the occasional bandit that you bump into on the roads, but the town folk are kind." "Occasional bandit?" you question with a concerning laugh. "You make it sound so inviting." "Well, down there is 'uncivilized', or at least that's what rich folk describe it as," Jack explains. "And what would you say?" you question, finishing off the rest of your drink. "Me? I'd just say it's a different part of the land," he shrugs again as he gives the bartender a wave, who nods in return to indicate he'll be right over. Jack turns his attention back to you. "But if you ever want me to take you down there, I'll keep you safe," he says with a wink. "Ain't you a bit young to be tryna keep me safe? 'Specially from bandits?" you tease. "I may be young but I know how to work a gun," Jack informs you. "It's in my blood," he adds on. You're unsure on what exactly he means with that last comment, but you decide not to press into it. Thankfully, the bartender comes over to serve you and you buy the next round, without any shots this time. Your stomach has barely settled down from that gin, and your body feels sickly enough from being chatted up by this handsome stranger. The drinks go down quicker than you realize. Jack seems well-composed, though he's beginning to slur a few of his words and stumble whenever he excuses himself to the restroom. You, on the other hand, are struggling to keep yourself sober-looking. This stranger has scrambled your nerves and you've fallen into the liquor for comfort, and now you're having to deal with the outcome. You stumble back into the Saloon after taking a leak. Jack is still at the bar, leaning against it as he swirls the booze in his drink, fiddling with something to pass the time. Belle had found you moments ago to inform you that she was heading home, giving you a nudge and wink as she tells you that you look very happy with this handsome stranger and that she assumed you wouldn't be needed her back up plan. You'd said goodnight to her after insisting that you weren't just going to take this one home, that something about him feels different and you want to see where it takes you. Jack flashes you a smile as he notices you approaching, trying not to laugh as you narrowly miss stumbling into a stranger. "You alright?" Jack asks as you. You're about to reply that you're just fine, but as you go to lean against the bar, you stumble over your own feet and almost fall flat on your bum. Jack's reaction times are still immaculate, even whilst tipsy, as he manages to catch you before you can hit the floor. Your eyes lock onto his as you realize the pickle you've gotten yourself into, and both your expressions turn nervous once you notice how close your faces are. Jack helps pull you up to your feet, though an arm remains around your waist, your hand resting on his shoulder to keep yourself up. "I'm gonna take that as a 'no'," Jack tells you. "What? Oh! I'm fine, trust me. Just a little tipsy," you reassure him with an embarrassed laugh. "I think you mean 'drunk'," he says as he shakes his head. "Maybe I should get you home?" Jack suggests. "You don't have to walk me back," you tell him, but Jack quickly shakes his head and waves his hand, dismissing your claim. "Not only is it the right thing to do, but I doubt you'll make it home on your own," Jack comments, concerned for your safety, not just from strangers, but from the liquor in your system. "If you insist," you shrug, taking up his offer. "I very much do." Jack gently removes his arm from around your waist, only to offer you his arm instead. You link your arm through his, your other hand holding onto his upper arm as he walks you through the Saloon. As you exit the building, you notice your reflection in the large windows, and your stomach begins to spin at the sight. You quite like the look of yourself and this handsome young man, a curious duo but you fit together like two pieces of a very odd puzzle. Is it wrong to already take a liking to him? Especially when you only met him a few hours ago? You'd heard about 'love at first sight' and all those other cheesy terms from the books you read, but maybe they write about those things for a reason. You're snapped out of your daydream as Jack makes a clicking noise with his tongue. The sound of hooves clopping against the stone floor makes you snap your head over your shoulder, noticing that one of the horses that was hitched outside the front of the Saloon is now following closely behind. "I assume she's yours?" you ask him. "She is," Jack confirms as he leans his other hand out to loosely hold onto her reigns, leading his horse as well as leading you. "So, you don't live in town?" "I don't," Jack tells you. "I live on a ranch in the Great Plains," he informs you, tilting his head down slightly to look at you. "A ranch? That must be hard work," you let out a sigh. "It.. erm... Yeah, it can be. There ain't really many animals there anymore. It's hard to run a ranch by yourself," Jack replies and you notice the darkened tone to his voice. "I won't ask," you tell him, not wanting to pry into his private life. "I'll tell you about it someday," Jack tells you. He catches your eyes and gives you a smile, reassuring you that you haven't accidentally stumbled into anything too personal. "So, who's this lady then?" you comment as you peer over at his horse. "Oh, I just call her nag," he shrugs. "You haven't named her?" you say with a slight laugh. Maybe he'd only brought her recently, but from the way she's sticking beside him and loyally following, you assume otherwise. "Yeah. I ain't really sure why, I just haven't," he tells you. "Well, we've gotta name her!" "We?" Jack questions. "So, you want to see me again?" he says with a smirk and a flirtatious tone to his voice, making you softly laugh. "If you'll let me," you flirt back. "Of course I'll let you, sweetheart. How about I take you out some time?" Jack questions, coming to a halt outside your house. "I'd love that. You know, there's a nice Bistro in town that I've been wanting to try out. We could go there?" you suggest. Your arm slips from Jacks as you talk, standing in front of him instead. You can't help but reach out and gently stroke his mount's nose, picking up on how well-groomed she is. "Sure. When are you free?" Jack questions, watching you pet his horse. He can't help but smile at the sight, his nag warming up to you quickly. "Wednesday?" you suggest, giving you two days to mentally and physically prepare yourself. "Wednesday it is," Jack says with a nod, his eyes trailing back to yours. There's a slight pause as you move your attention back to Jack. You try not to smile too much but you can't help it; this handsome young stranger is making you feel a hundred things at once, but he seems the same, flashing you a smile in return. "Thank you for walking me home," you comment. "It's no problem. Now, you should get yourself inside before you stumble over something else," Jack teases, enjoying the way your cheeks turn red. "Alright," you say as you roll your eyes, walking up the steps to your porch. "Does 5 sound good? for Wednesday?" you ask as you turn back to him. "5 is good. I'll come by here," he says with a nod as he climbs up onto his nag, shuffling about in the saddle until he's uncomfortable. "Now go on, Miss. Get yourself to bed," Jack tells you. "I will. Goodnight, Jack," you say with a smile. "Goodnight, darlin'," Jack says as he tips his hat at you. He taps his spurs against his mount's stomach, his horse slowly trotting away. Jack's eyes remain on you until you enter your home, ensuring you're safe inside. Once inside, you lock the door and lean back against it, holding your chest like a cheesy girl who's fallen in love. You can't help but smile, though you think you're only swaying about because you're still tipsy, but who knows? You get ready for bed, Jack staying on your mind the whole time. It's incredible how one person has made you feel this way in such a short amount of time, though the nerves of your date have already begun to sink in. Hopefully, the date will be just as good as tonight, maybe even better. But you have tomorrow's shift to get through first.