#reader had a moment of weakness but she’ll be angry at Ted again soon enough

[writingsbyzuzu]

Don’t Get The Blues

Sheriff!Ted Nivison x Outlaw!Reader

if I made a typo on this one sorry pookies I tried my best to proofread

I’m glad y’all liked one, here’s two, I hope you enjoy

two- from a dream I’m waking up

Ted brushed his clammy hands on his pants, watching you for the longest time. Eddy approached, still scribbling in his notebook, before seeing you, children running around you as you laughed. “Do you know her?” Eddy asks. Ted jumps at the sudden approach, and blushes. “She and I grew up together at the orphanage. Thick as thieves back then, never left each other’s sides.”

“Then what?” Eddy asks. “I got adopted, and left her there. Left all of them there. We drifted apart, I grew into my new father’s money, and she stayed here. Nowhere else to go.” Eddy nods, as the two of them watch you.

“Things don’t have to change, peach.” Ted looks at you, earnestly, as you tie his tie. “I’m going to come back for you, once I earn money. He’s rich... We’ll fix this place. I’ll marry you and you can do whatever you like, and no one will look down at you for being poor and unmarried. Whatever you want to do with your life.” You look at Ted, his eyes full of naivety even at 15 years old. You knew better. His whole life was about to transform. The six of you didn’t fit in that new puzzle. Especially you. You shake your head. “It’s no use Teddy. You aren’t going to come back for us.” Ted looks at you incredulously. “Of course I will. You’re my best friend. You- you’re all my best friends. They’re like my brothers. I cannot live without you all.” You shake your head once more, finishing the knot. “I think you and I both know that the rules are going to change for you after this, Teddy. You can’t marry me.” You hold his hand for a minute, and there’s a knock at the door. You drop his hand as the orphanage caretaker and Ted’s new adoptive father step in. You step away from him, clearing your throat, before saying “Farewell, Theodore.” Ted gains a pained expression on his face like you just scalded him with hot water.

“Ready to go, son?” The banker outstretches his hand. The banker looks at you with a look of slight disdain, before smiling at Ted. It all but confirms your feelings. It puts a nail in the coffin of yours and Ted’s childhood dreams. Ted nods, handing him his suitcase, and walks with him. He turns to look at you one last time, mouthing “I promise.”

Theodore Nivison never kept his promises. Not ones to you, at least.

The two men stepped forward, but were stopped almost immediately. “Theodore Nivison.” Hasan stood before them. His eyes were dark, hardened by an anger Ted recognized. “It’s Sheriff,” he responds coldly. “Oh I know. Where do you think you’re going?” Hasan crosses his arms, and the two men stare each other down. “We have to interview everybody,” Eddy chimes in, a smile on his face. He puts out his hand. “Edward Burback, deputy. Nice to meet you.” Hasan shakes his hand, but his gaze never leaves Ted’s. “Mind telling us where you were this morning?” Ted asks through gritted teeth. He was kind of hoping, praying even, that Hasan would just somehow confess that he did it so Ted could just move him out of the way.

“I was with that young lady over there.” Hasan points in your direction. “Helped her round up what little cattle we have.”

“I’ll ask her that,” Ted murmurs, pushing to move past Hasan. “Don’t.” Hasan almost growls. “She shouldn’t have to talk to you, she doesn’t want to.” Ted keeps going, shaking his head. Hasan scoffs, turning on his heel to go back to where Schlatt stood. Before he stalked off completely out of earshot, Ted heard him mumble. “It’s just like you to ignore what we want regardless.”

Ted approached you, Eddy directly behind him. “Hello. It’s good to see you.” Your laughter had died as Ted approached. “What do you want?” If looks could kill, he swore he would be on fire at that moment. “Mr. Barker of the main General store was robbed. We believe a young lady was kidnapped by the robbers not far from here. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I think I would perish if something bad happened…happened to you young ladies and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

“How about perishing regardless?” You forcibly smile at him before shutting the book in your lap. It pissed you to no end that he was here. He didn’t really care about seeing your lives after your adoption, he didn’t come when something bad happened to the lot of you, but he’d come when a rich man got robbed two miles away. You knew it was his job now, but seriously? Eddy butts in. “Deputy Burback. Say miss, you didn’t see or hear anything did you? I would like to reiterate that this robbery happened about a mile or two from here. Anyone stand out?”

You shake your head at Eddy. “I brought in the cattle and then I’ve just been with the children all day. Not really any opportunities to see something amiss. I apologize.”

You felt bad for the poor deputy. His first day and he was stuck with Ted, who in turn, was stuck in your pasts. “I don’t think you’re going to find what you’re looking for here, Sheriff, Deputy. I’m sorry,” you said softly, before scooping up a young boy who had begun to cry. Ted watched you for a moment. And for a moment, he had felt like the one robbed, not Mr. Barker.

✩⭑✩

It was nighttime now, Ted and Eddy had long since gotten their horses and left. They didn’t find anything, and even if the other outskirters knew it had been the six of you who had done the robbery, they wouldn’t have said anything regardless. The people have the same thought process you did. The six of you stand around the fire, as you stirred the pot of beans. “When’s the next one?” you ask, looking over at Hasan and Kurtis. Kurtis thinks for a moment before responding. “There should be a carriage coming in to Mr. Barker’s store in a few days.” Schlatt, who was moving to pass you the bowls, looks over at Kurtis. “Do we really want to target him a second time? It’s going to seem like we’re targeting him.” You pour beans into the bowls, before speaking. “Good. It’ll throw those idiots off.”

“That Burback fellow didn’t seem like an idiot, thank you,” Hasan murmured, grabbing his bowl from your hand. “Well, Ted is an idiot and he’s Burback’s leader,” Schlatt said. “Don’t call him that, We are not his friends, he is nothing to us. His name is Sheriff Nivison.” You shove Schlatt’s bowl into him, and he looks at you with pity, before taking his spoon and beginning to eat. “I need to go to town next week, buy some supplies,” Charlie says in between bites. You sit next to him as you begin to eat. “I’ll accompany you,” you reply, smiling at him before eating. “None for me?” You hear a callout, as Ludwig approaches. He takes off his gloves, looking at the five of you. “I just worked the whole day and you didn’t even plate me a bowl.” He shakes his head incredulously. “She might be a woman but she’s not our wife, plate your own damn bowl,” Schlatt retorts before shoving a large spoonful of the beans into his mouth. “You’re one to talk, I’ve been plating your bowl since you were 14!”

The six of you laugh.

✩⭑✩

Hasan watches you as you pull back the blanket. “I tried to stop him. I know you don’t want to see him.” He spoke so softly, that you would have all but missed it if you weren’t used to it from sharing a room for ten years. “I don’t know what you mean,” you murmur, removing your hair pin and combing through the strands. “You know you don’t have to pretend with me. You don’t have to lie to me.” You sigh, putting the hairpin on the dresser, before looking at him. He gazes at you, and you can’t tell if it’s pity or sadness or mourning or what have you.

You’ve never been good at reading Hasan. But he would argue he knew you second best behind one person. “You love him. You love him, and you need to stop pretending you don’t.” You raise your eyebrows before moving to get on the bed. “Hasan, I don’t want to discuss this.” He lays next to you, and the two of you lay in silence for a moment. “Tell me Schlatt is not right. That you aren’t doing it out of spite. I, Charlie, and the rest of them, will follow you to the ends of the earth if you ask. This was your idea. If it’s spite, your anger is going to escalate and get us killed. And if I was going to die for you, that’s not how I’d want to go.” He tucks your hair behind your ear, and the two of you hold a look. “My anger is not going to interfere. He isn’t going to help the people where it matters. We can if we do this.”

“Say it.”

“I love him. But I was never meant to marry him, and I am not doing this out of spite. I want to do more, but we were thrust into this world without the ability to do more. This is what we can do.” He lays there in silence, staring into your eyes.

“To the ends of the earth,” he whispers. “To the end, old friend.” He rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “I’m sorry you couldn’t marry him. But we could marry, if you wanted. Or Charlie. We’ve always taken care of each other. You’d be safest with one of the two of us.”

You turned onto your back as well, taking a moment. “I’ll think about it.”

✩⭑✩

Ted lays next to you on the grass, the two of you staring at the stars. You’re 11 years old, sneaking out of your orphanage bedrooms to look at the sky, an activity you’ve done every week since you befriended Ted. “If we see a shooting star-“

“When, Teddy. When.”

“When we see a shooting star, what are we going to wish for?”

“We get money. Not a lot, but enough to help. Enough for everyone not to be hungry. For everyone to be happy.”

“That’s a far shot.”

“What do you mean?” You turn your head to look at him.

“I don’t think there’s enough money in the world to keep everyone happy. Those men in town, they have all the money they could need and they are still unhappy.” He turns to gaze at you.

“Well. Then just enough to keep us happy. And enough to help as many people as we can. Until we can’t do it anymore,” you give a decisive nod, turning back to the sky. “Any other wishes?”

“One. But I won’t tell you.”

“Can I tell you mine?” Ted asks, his small hand grabbing yours. You nod. “You can’t tell anyone. But I picture us. In a house. We get married, and we’re happy.”

“I like that dream,” you whisper. You squeeze his hand. And then the two of you see it. A shooting star. “Make a wish,” Ted whispers. And you do.

Ted sits up in bed, rubbing his face. It’s been a week since the robbery, and he’s no further in determining anything than he was when he saw you. He gets up, getting dressed. He figures he’ll get breakfast at the local saloon before meeting with Eddy, so he steps out of his home. When he arrives, he sees you, walking down the road, arm in arm with Charlie. He takes a deep breath in, and decides to approach. You and Charlie stop, seeing Ted approach. Charlie looks at you, and you squeeze his arm with your hand. “Hello,” Ted says quietly, his eyes flitting between you, Charlie, and your hand, still on his arm. “Interesting to see you both.” “It’s good to see you, Sheriff.” Ted’s eyes widen at your matching soft tone. “It’s good to see you too.”

“What are you-“

“What-“

You speak at the same time. You gesture for him to go first. “What are you doing in town?” “Oh. I can’t go alone, and I didn’t want Charlie going alone. It doesn’t look good for an unmarried woman to be unchaperoned, even if she is lower class. Between that and the robbers who took that poor woman, it’s just not safe.”

“Well,” Ted began, “Needless to say, I’ll find them and bring them to justice.”

“I’m sure you will,” you say harshly, an almost sarcastic tone to it. You seem…almost hostile again, and Ted’s stomach drops, before your shoulders soften as you look at him. “I’m sorry, Sheriff. People are giving us looks. Maybe we should be on our way, lest the people think we’re suspicious. We barely get them to serve us our necessities to begin with,” Charlie suggests. Ted looks disappointed, but he nods, stepping to the side. “Until I see you again, Miss. Mr. Dalgleish.” Charlie steps forward, opening the door for you. You turn back to look at him, offering one last smile to him, as you step into the general store. And Ted allows himself to hope. But he also feels confused. Why the sudden hostility by saying he’d catch the robber?

✩⭑✩

“You look familiar.” Mr. Barker eyes you up and down suspiciously, as Charlie is telling the clerk exactly what he needs. “I’d hope so sir, I'm here twice a month to buy beans and salt pork,” you flash your brightest smile at him. “I’m not quite sure that’s it. Say. You’re that girl that’s part of that sharpshooter’s act!” You let out a small breath, unaware you were even holding it, before nodding. “Yes sir, Hasan Piker’s act. He performs out of town usually but he’s done some shows here in Red Oakland.” You continue to smile, as Charlie approaches. “Not bad for a couple of…outskirters like you. Talent may get you out of the slums. That’ll be 4 dollars.” Charlie furrows his brows as he pulls the money out from his bag. “More money than it was last month.” “Pork prices have gone up in the last month. What, you can’t pay? Do I need to bring the sheriff in here?” Charlie shakes his head. “No problem sir, we hold our own.” He puts the money on the counter, before the two of you exit. The two of you walk home, Charlie carrying the sacks of beans and rice, as you hold onto the bandages. As you climb down the hill on the path outside of town, you turn and mumble to him. “I’m glad we’re gonna rob that son of a bitch again.” Charlie throws his head back laughing, and you giggle alongside him.

✩⭑✩

Hasan aims his pistol carefully at the cart barrelling along the path, the sun slowly peeking over the horizon. He shoots, and the bullet hits the wheel, jostling the cart. As the driver stops and gets down from the cart, you and Schlatt sneak up to the driver, the two of you pointing your pistols at his head. Schlatt looks at you and then looks at the driver. He clears his throat and the driver drops what he was holding, startled. “Don’t make this difficult, sir. Give us the money you have and the vials of penicillin. And we’ll let you live,” Schlatt says, as the man slowly rises. The man looks at both of you, before tackling you to the ground, trying to wrestle for your gun, and you cry out. You hear a click. “Get off. Or I’ll shoot.” Hasan is standing over the two of you on the ground, and the man rises. You pick up your gun and also point it. The man gulps, before tossing the money and the vials into the bag. Kurtis, who had snuck up to the cart, pistol whips the man as soon as the bag was handed over.

Hasan examines you for a moment, your elbow bleeding. “Ludwig, give me a bandage.” Ludwig is busy, digging through to see if there’s anything else worth grabbing. “Ludwig!” Hasan raises his voice. Ludwig looks up, having grabbed one, tosses it to Hasan, who gingerly grabs your arm to wrap it. He wraps it quickly, clumsily, before hissing out “We need to move. Now.” The five of you scurry down the path. As you make it back to the cabin, Hasan slams the door. Charlie looks up from sitting at the table, startled. “She cannot come with us anymore.”

You and the others look at Hasan, startled and confused. “I beg your pardon?” you ask, your brows furrowing. “That man heard you cry, he’s going to know you’re a woman and that you’re part of this, and I won’t let you stand by and-“

Charlie walks over to you, examining your arm. “What happened to you?” He goes to adjust the bandages, growing concerned.

Hasan gestures to Charlie, still holding your elbow. “See that’s what I mean. She was hurt today, because that man perceived her as smaller and less of a threat, and now he knows she’s a woman. And she was hurt. We can’t let her get hurt again.”

“If Kurtis didn’t kill him.” Schlatt puts his head in his hand. “This was a bad idea, we’re going to get fucking hung.”

“Alright then, I’ll just fucking not go! I’ll not go anymore and I will just stand back and do nothing right? Just sit there and smile and be the happy little woman baking. You want me to do fucking nothing?”

Hasan looks at you, his eyes pleading. “If it’ll keep you from getting caught and it’ll keep you from getting hurt.”

You look at him, then at the others, and at Charlie. They all look to be in agreement. You look at Hasan, picturing the little boy he once was, who used to compete with Ted and Schlatt and Ludwig in boyhood races, the one who always wanted to beat Ted. And without even thinking about it, it slips out of your mouth, pulling your elbow from Charlie’s grasp. “You sound just fucking like him. You’re no fucking better.” And with that, without even looking to see their faces, to see Hasan’s face, you turn your heel, stomp into your room and slam the door shut.

✩⭑✩

Ted buries his head into hands as the cart driver slams his hands on Ted’s desk. “I was robbed by a woman during sunrise! You must do something!” Ted nods, groaning. “Yes, I understand that Mr…?” “Linus! Linus! I told you. Oh it was those forsaken outskirters, I know it was. So grimy, no money. Only they would have a woman robber.” Ted lifts his head, nodding, before having the man escorted back to the general store. “What do you think, Eddy?” “I think we ought to go back to the outskirts, push around more.” And with that, the two men headed off again. But as they arrive at the outskirts, seeing your cabin, Eddy calls out to Ted. Ted turns. “I don’t want to disrespect you. I don’t want to disrespect your past.” Ted looks at Eddy, before motioning him to continue speaking. “But thinking of the logic so far. There are five robbers. We know one’s a woman. They’re probably very close in relations.”

“Edward, don’t say what I think you’re about to say.”

The two men look at each other quietly, before Eddy speaks again. “I hope I am mistaken.”

Ted looks at the cabin, seeing his childhood friends working around the land. “I hope we are too.”