#*dutton extras

[valenthario]

girls who are boys who are cowboys who are cowgirls who wear their binder as a top > anyone else

[bellarkeselection]

Request

Reader dutton x rip wheeler

Reader has a Stalker one night when the ranch is out doing something reader is alone at the ranch and the Stalker comes attacks her and rip gets a call from kayce after finding her

He’ll go to the Train Station

Officially finished with all the requests in my ask box 😊

Coming back from town I shut the drivers door to my truck and gasped seeing someone I thought was gone from my life for good. Twisting the fabric of my jacket I gulped recognizing my ex boyfriend Mike who had to leave home when his mother got really sick. But he couldn’t get over the fact that I wouldn’t leave my family home to be with him. Mike was leaned up against the wooden post smiling at me yet all I felt from him was terror now. “Long time no see huh Y/n. I’ve been missing you something horrible in case you were wondering.”

“I’m not sorry to say that I haven’t missed you. What exactly are you doing here, Mike?” I questioned him crossing my arms across my chest slowly walking towards him but I avoided his gaze for the most part.

He pushed himself off the wooden stair railing coming toward me until we were almost pressed up against one another and I could smell some alcohol on his breath. “You should know exactly why I am here. I mean we did spend almost four years together. If my mother hadn’t gotten sick then I would have never left you and your beautiful body-“

“Don’t touch me, Mike. I thought you would have got my message after I ignored your hundreds of texts and the picture of me that I’m not even sure how you got them when you were supposed to be back in Texas.” He reached his hand up trying to tuck hair behind my ear but I smack his hand away before he could touch me.

Mike smirked down at me before he grabbed me by the waist and shoving me against the side of the stairs making me grunt at the impact. He ripped my shirt off of my body and it got covered in mud while I tried to kick him in between his legs. Yet he elbowed me in the gut and smashed his lips onto mine growing against my grunts. “You are mine and don’t ever think that anyone else deserves you. Nobody else can take care of you like I can. You belong to me - urgh!”

“Kayce…” I collapsed onto the dirt ground rummaging around and managing to get the shirt off the dirt ground seeing it was my younger brother who had pulled him off of me.

My brother sucker punched Mike to the dust before he could blink and he was covered in quite a few stains of blood and bruises. Kayce came over to me when I noticed that Mike had blacked out from how hard he had hit him, he pulled out his dialing my boyfriend Rip. “Rip, somebody came after my sister Y/n. I’m gonna check her out but thought you should know.”

“Kayce, I don’t know how he found Mel but he did. I can’t believe that I didn’t think he would. Is he..dead?” Holding the back of my head I drew my hand back seeing some blood on my finger tips. “Shit, he got me harder than I thought.”

Kayce bent down on a knee sweeping me up from the ground and into his arms bridal style and carried me inside my bedroom inside the main house. He comes back with a wet rag and had me press it to the the wound on the back of my head just watching me for a few minutes in silence. “Rip should be here in a second. He just saw my phone call. Can I get you anything, sis?”

“Nah I think I’m good.” I shifted the pillow trying to get comfortable hearing someone running up the wooden stairs meaning it had to be Rip for sure.

The door creaked open and he rushed to my bedside when my brother stepped out of the way knowing I would find more comfort with him now. Yet Kayce still stayed in the doorway watching our conversation just in case I needed extra help. “Sweetheart, where is the asshole whole thinks he can hurt you and not pay the consequences?”

“Rip, don’t worry about Mike. I’m fine and my head only hurts a little. Look, the bleeding has stopped.” Pulling the rag away I showed him the dry blood on it but he wouldn’t take that as a good enough answer.

He shook his head lifting his hands up to the sides of my face cradling it like I was a piece of valuable china that royalty would use. Too afraid he might break me but he never could do such a thing. "I just need to know that you aren't hurt. That asshole...he should have never laid a hand on you in the first place."

"I'll have the police arrest him for attempted rape." Kayce turned on his heels to leave.

Shooting forward upright in the bed I winced where Rip rubbed my back, trying to ease the pain. "Kayce wait. Jail doesn't excuse all the pain he gave me. He's...he's been stalking me since the day we broke up. He will just keep coming until he thinks I'm getting back together with him."

"No way in hell!" My brother spat in disgust.

Holding my hands up in front of me I cut them off before either of them could protest any further. "Woah, hang on. I'd never go back with someone like him. What I am saying is that I want him to be gone. Gone where he can't hurt anyone else...to the train station."

"We can do that. Right Rip?" Kayce asked our fathers top ranch hand.

Rip leans forward kissing the crown of my head gently wrapping his arms around my waist holding me against his safe embrace. "Done deal, darling. He'll go to the train station."

"I love you...both of you." Lifting my head up a little I shifted my gaze from my brother and back to Rip's brown eyes.

He smiled before I wrapped my arms around his neck and gripped the fabric of his jacket in my fingers letting some tears fall hearing him whispering in my ear the moment Kayce had left the room. "I love you too, Y/n."

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[pretending-ican-write]

Cowboy Up - Pt.10

As always drop me any requests you want to see outside of the show/pre canon for this pairing! And let me know if you want adding to the tag list.

Also for anyone interested this is my playlist that is always playing when I write Cowboy Up (and literally every other minute of my life), it's pretty good if I say so myself.

Pairing: Ryan (Yellowstone) x Dutton!reader

Previous part - Next part

---

Rip had insisted that y/n have a late start that morning, knowing that she wouldn’t have slept well the night before.  Instead of being at the barn as first light was breaking, she’d spent an extra hour staring at the ceiling above her bed before giving up on a lie in and getting up for the day even though she wasn’t expected for another couple of hours.  

Brushing off Gator’s offer of pancakes, his ultimate food for her comfort, she headed for the porch and settled on her favourite side overlooking the fields and lit up her first cigarette of the day.  Once that one was finished, she stubbed it out under her boot and immediately lit another one.  With an exhale of smoke, y/n felt the first tear slide down her cheek.  At least Montana had blessed the ranch with nice weather for the anniversary of her mother’s death and she knew she would be avoiding Beth more than normal.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out to see a message from Rip.  ‘I know you’ve already got a late start but if you need the day off just let me know.  Everyone can work around you- Rip.’  Y/n couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact Rip still signed his name on messages and how he refused to have anything more than his damn flip phone.  After putting out her second cigarette, she typed out her response.  ‘The worst thing for me to be doing today is being alone with my thoughts, especially not in this house.  I’ll be down soon, have coffee waiting.’

After collecting her boots from the porch, and accepting the apple Gator forced into her hand, y/n set off down the drive to the barn to start the day.

-/-/-

When she reached the barn, the hands were outside with their horses ready to ride out to check for cattle.  Lloyd was the first one to approach her, thermos of coffee in hand which he gave her in exchange for a wordless hug.  He’d been there for her through it all, even when she was a scared kid he’d still take the time out of his work day to teach her the skills her older brothers were learning on the cattle and supervised her with the horses when nothing else would quiet her mind.  Whilst their mother’s death had made Beth swear off horses for life, it had only pushed y/n closer towards them.  At this point, their routine on that day each year was down to a fine art.

On his way to his horse, Rip squeezed her shoulder in quiet support.  Y/n knew that was all he would show in front of the hands but it was his way of telling her he was there for her.  She smiled at him gratefully before going to the barn to tack Comanche up.

From where he stood with his own horse, Ryan’s eyes followed her and he wordlessly passed his reins to Colby.  Lloyd looked up from tightening his cinch to see the other hand slipping into the barn and decided that maybe this was the year y/n would accept the comfort she was offered.

Inside the barn, Ryan found her with Comanche’s stall open but his tack still on the floor outside.  She stood with one hand on his withers and the other tangled in his mane.  From where he was standing, Ryan could see the small shake of her shoulders.  He made the small distance across to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Y/n tensed at the initial contact before relaxing into his hold, dropping her hands from Comanche.  After a moment, she turned in his arms to bury her face in his chest.  When he tightened his hold on her and pushed his face into her neck, he could feel the shake of her body.  Tears started to dampen his shirt but he didn’t pull away from her, letting her take all the time she needed.  When she did pull away from his embrace, Ryan pretended not to see how his girlfriend subtly wiped her face.  

He leant against the open door to watch her tack up, “‘m not gonna ask how you’re doing today sweetheart, but I’m here.  All day every day.”

When she exited the barn with Comanche in tow, Rip raised an eyebrow at Ryan following her out but didn’t say anything deciding that today was not the time to have that conversation with her.  Instead, he watched her mount up before informing her that she would be riding with him, making it clear that she wouldn’t be able to argue her way out of his decision.

-/-/-

A little while later y/n was starting to feel more human than she had when she woke up that morning.  The sun warmed her body down to her bones which was, in her opinion, the best medicine that Montana had to offer.  Rip normally indulged her rambling more than the other hands (except maybe Lloyd, he’d let her get away with anything) but today he let her fill any pocket of silence with stories and whatever else came into her head as they rode towards the main house.

The pair rode up to where Jimmy was working and y/n burst out laughing when she looked over to the sight of her sister, naked, in the trough with a bottle of champagne.  They all had their own ways of coping, she guessed.  Hers was using chores to keep her mind busy, Jamie pretended like nothing was wrong, Kayce was probably out making poor life choices.  Apparently this was Beth’s way of coping.  

Rip looked over at her for assistance and she shook her head, “not touching her with an electrified cattle prod today.  She’s your problem.”

The foreman groaned but relented, handing Jimmy his reins when he dismounted before going to negotiate with the eldest Dutton sister after Jamie had managed to piss her off.

Y/n leaned over to where Jimmy was stood speechless, “welcome to my fucked up family, they all hate each other.”

“What about you?” He asked, “Do you hate them?”

She shrugged, “eh that’s a complicated question Jimmy.  I don’t think I could hate them but I sure as shit don’t like some of ‘em.  Me and dad will never recover from what he did to Kayce, much as he’s in denial about that, Jamie’s a workaholic who never noticed me falling apart and me and Beth… well me and Beth haven’t agreed on anything since she killed my mother.  Best of them was Lee and the bastard had the nerve to die and leave me in the middle of this shit.”

“Anyone ever told you you need therapy?” Jimmy muttered.

Y/n laughed, “this horse is all the therapy I need.”

Rip strode back towards them, frustration on his face as Beth strutted back to the house still naked.  Y/n laughed as expression and he glared at her when he mounted up.

“I’d have thought you’d realised by now Beth ain’t gonna make it easy for you,” she pointed out.

He rolled his eyes, “shut up.”

Tag list

@child-of-of-the-sunshine @kendallroydefender @qardasngan @thecobraghost @little-diable

[basiccortez]

My Forever - R. Wheeler 

Pairing: Rip Wheeler x female!Dutton warnings: pregnancy, horseback riding while pregnant, protective papa Rip word count: 1.3k Note: my Yellowstone and Outer Range requests are open. If you saw me post this yesterday. . . ya didn't.

It has always been a dream of yours to become a mother. From the time you were a little girl, running around with Kayce and Lee on the ranch, you had always played “family”, your old brothers playing along with you. Every doll and teddy bear that you had gotten became your baby and you treated them as such. Your mother wanted more for you than to become some rancher’s wife and raise the next generation of Duttons, but it was what you wanted. 

Rip knew that that was your dream, and he was more than willing to help you achieve it. First thing though, was marrying you. John put the fear of god in him on what would happen if he knocked up his little girl before marrying her. So Rip did right by him, and married you in a small ceremony on John’s front lawn. You wore a simple white sundress and your boots. Kayce stood by your side as you exchanged vows with the love of your life. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time until you were sharing the news that you were pregnant. 

You were currently six months along and were bursting at the seams with excitement about the little girl you were carrying. Rip was terrified when you told him the baby was a girl. He didn’t know the first thing about raising little girls, and prayed that if she turned out anything like you or her aunt. . . God save the man who pisses her off. But there was one thing that you missed the most since becoming pregnant, was being able to ride your horse. 

It wasn’t that you couldn’t go ride, it was just strongly recommended that you don’t. You had asked at your first OB appointment if you could, and your midwife advised against it. And Rip took that like it was the word of God. Anytime he saw you getting anywhere close to the bunkhouse or the stables, he was directing you away. He was already protective of you, and now that you were carrying his little girl, it was amplified by a thousand. 

But somehow, you had managed to get around his ruling, and found yourself in the stables before anyone else, well besides Jimmy, who was cleaning the stalls. Your boots clicked on the cement as you walked by the horses, getting to the stall where your first baby was. The brown and white Appaloosa that had been gifted to you for your 18th birthday, stood up from his lying position and made his way over to you. 

“Missed me, huh,” You smiled and pet his nose, “I missed you too.” 

“Uh, are you supposed to be-” 

“Jimmy, shut up,” You said, “Saddle up ol’ Jesse here.” 

“Rip told us not to-” 

“Does it look like Rip is fucking here,” You turned and put your hands on your hips, “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to piss off a pregnant woman? A pregnant Dutton woman, at that?” 

“N-no, ma’am.” 

“So stop fucking stuttering and saddle up my horse, Jimmy!” 

Jimmy nodded and moved quickly to get Jesse out of his stall. You sighed in content and fixed the hat on your head. You were at the point in your pregnancy where wearing Rip’s jackets fit better than your own. You knew that when he woke and looked for his classic black Yellowstone jacket, he'd start cursing up a storm but you couldn’t be bothered with it. 

“Horse is saddled ma’am, where should I put him?” Jimmy asked. 

“In the arena,” You said. Jimmy nodded and followed you out to the arena with Jesse on the reigns. The horse seemed excited as they neared the arena, knowing that he would be able to stretch his legs and get a good run in, “Alright,” You sighed, and took the reins from Jimmy, “Stay near.” 

“Why?” 

“In case I fall off this thing or Rip comes down,” You climbed up on the fence, giving yourself a little extra leverage to get up on Jesse’s saddle. You couldn’t swing up on him like you used to, not with a growing belly. Jesse let out soft huff as you mounted and adjusted yourself in the saddle, “Alright, easy now boy.” You kicked his belly softly, “Precious cargo on board.” 

As if Jesse could understand you, the horse started to gently trot around the arena. It wasn’t like you were used to, being able to take off with incredible speed and ride him up through the mountains and valleys of the ranch, but the soft, gentle trot was enough to bring a smile on your face. You let out a laugh as you felt your baby kick within you. You pulled on Jesse’s reins, stopping him. 

“Good boy,” You cooed and pet his mane, “Soon enough you’ll have another little handler who will be begging to take you for a spin. Come on,” You kicked his belly once again, getting the horse to start to trot. 

Jimmy watched you amazed, how easily you took all the turns and led Jesse around the ring. He didn’t notice that the rest of the bunkhouse had woken up, or that Rip was storming his way up to the arena, looking for both his jacket and his woman. 

“What the fuck is she doing?” Rip asked, seeing you in the arena, “Jimmy, what the fuck is she doing?” 

“Uh,” 

“Oh!” You stopped Jesse’s small run, “You’re awake.” 

“Yeah, I’m fucking awake,” Rip said, “What the hell are you doing on a goddamn horse?” 

“Well, what does it fucking look like?” You sassed back. 

“Ryan, get her the fuck off that damn horse,” Rip ordered. You rolled your eyes as you watched your husband walk away and back into the stables, but not before stopping and thumping Jimmy upside the head. Ryan gave you an apologetic look and grabbed Jesse’s reins, pulling you over to a ladder that Colby had brought out. 

“Sorry, miss,” Lloyd said, giving you his hand to help you off the horse, “You know how he is.” 

“A stubborn asshole,” You said, your feet hitting the steady ground, “If this kid pops out with his stubborn attitude. . . so help us all.” You squeezed Lloyd’s shoulders before walking into the stables to find your husband pacing the ground. You sighed and leaned up against the wall of an empty stall. 

“I told you to stay away from here. From the bunkhouse, from the stables and from the-” 

“I can not stay locked away in the foreman's house any longer, Rip!” You yelled, “I’m losing my fucking mind being in there all fucking day. Between you, and my dad and my brothers being so god damn over protective I am losing my fucking mind. I just wanted one second of freedom. Just one.” 

Rip felt a pang of guilt and took a step forward. Before he had met you, he never thought he could have anything good in his life. He had seen all sorts of evil, he had been a part of that evil. But you showed him that he could have something good in his life. You showed him what it felt and meant to love someone unconditionally. And Rip was going to fight for that until his dying breath. 

“I can’t lose you or her,” Rip said and gently placed his hands on your growing bump, “You two, are my forever. My everything. And everytime you leave my side, I think the worst. I almost lost you once,” The memory of the day the whole family got attacked plays in his mind every time you walk away from him. He spent hours trying to get ahold of you, wanting to know if you were dead or alive. Your dad was barely alive, your brother had been shot, your sister nearly blown up, and you had been run off the road by a semi. 

You grabbed Rip by the back of the neck and brought his lips down to you. You pulled back and Rip rested his forehead against yours, “You’re not losing us. We are right here, forever. You’re stuck with us now, baby.” 

“And there ain’t no better way I’d have it.” 

[holy-puckslibrary]

˗ˏˋ main masterlist ˎˊ˗ 

✩ PAIRING(S) — bull-rider!MATTHEW TKACHUK x barrel racer!hughes!reader ✩ WC — 1.8k and counting… ✩ SEIRES CONTENT WARNING(S) — profanity and innuendo; adult themes and content; family drama and other angst; infidelity, betrayal and deceit; descriptions of injuries; and more.

please refer to individual uploads for more specific content warnings.

MAIN SERIES

feelin' single, seein' double all nighters with rodeo riders (uploaded FEB 3) a legend at lovin' and leavin' movin' on with jack six-gun sugar

EXTRAS & RELATED ASKS

✩ blurbs + hcs coming soon…

✩ asks — prequel vs. sequel (poll) — wild west (grace's version)

✩ tag(s) — #palomino princess | #in conversation: palomino princess | #all nighters with rodeo riders | #in conversation: all nighters with rodeo riders | #cowboy!matthew tkachuk | #bull-rider!matthew tkachuk

MUSIC & MOODBOARDS

✩ knockin' boots ✩ bunkhouse blues ✩ dutton state of mind ✩ raise a garden ✩ make boys cry, make beth dutton proud

my inbox my main blog — @holy-pucks

[bullet-prooflove]

It ain’t no fun if you don’t cross the line.

(And imma thinking Mr. Jaime Dutton may benefit from a possible pegging)

Tagging: @kmc1989 @alixw22x @vintagedaydreams @madisonbroxson1 @shira666 @zealouslibrariesparadiselight @lovethis-lovethat @foxfables

Companion piece to:

Wild Bloom - Jamie buys flowers on the anniversary of Lee's death.

Palm Sunday - Jamie needs help with one of his plants.

The Making of A Man - Jamie reflects on your relationship.

Liam - Jamie discovers a secret.

There are nights that Jamie struggles, where the demons in his head get too much, the noise too loud. Those are the nights he needs a little extra care, the ones where he needs you to give him a little something special.

Right now, he’s naked in your bed, his hands roving all over your body as the lubed up strap lightly caresses his opening. He moans at the sensation, kneading your breast, his thumb teasing over your nipple and you arch against him, the tip breeching him.

“Are you sure you want this?” You ask him, your lips brushing over his with tenderness he’s felt only with you.

“I want this.” He whispers, his thumb tracing over the line of your jaw as he looks into your eyes. “It’s the only way I can give you every part of myself.”

You kiss him then, exerting more pressure, filling him and his grasp on you tightens, is body arching as his hand comes to rest on the nape of your neck keeping you close. He can’t describe how good it feels to have you inside him, to be the focus of your attention. Jamie’s entire life has always been in the service of others, to be the centre of someone’s world, to mean something to someone like this, it ruins him.

“Do you like that?” You whisper, your forehead coming to rest upon his. His palm slides down to your ass, grasping it, drawing you deeper and you tut, stilling completely. “Jamie baby, I need you to use your words.”

“I meant what I said.” He tells you, his nose trailing over yours. “I need to belong to you in every sense of the word.”

“Oh Jamie.” You murmur as you caress his cheek. “You already belong to me, you have since the night you kissed me on my doorstep. I knew there was no going back after that.”

A surge of ecstasy races through him because nobody has ever wanted him the way that you do. No one has ever cared about his needs, his desires, it’s always been about what he can give them, what they can take from him.

You begin to move and Jesus, he can’t get over how good it feels. Already he can feel that heated flush exploding through his synapses as he holds you tighter, his palms stroking over inch of your skin. Your hand slips down between the two of you, your slim fingers wrapping around his cock and it sends Jamie straight into the stratosphere.  His kisses become messier, his breathing more ragged, the euphoria builds into a crescendo, until he’s so overwhelmed with the pleasure the only thought in his head is you and only you.

He cries out your name when he climaxes. His dick painting your fist with streaks of white as your mouth covers his, drinking down his passion as his hands thread through your hair.

This is the only thing he’s ever wanted, someone who wants him, who loves him unconditionally.

“Marry me.” He whispers, his lips ghosting over yours. “Belong to me, the same way that I belong to you.”

Love Jamie? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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[i-heart-yellowstone]

8 - Can We Have Always and Forever

Part 9

Raised Fair Share of Hell

Tag list @bvbwestfall @hcwthewestwaswcn @child-of-of-the-sunshine @elenavampire21 @keep-the-wolves-close @kmc1989

Rolling over onto my back it took me a few moments of rubbing the sleep of my eyes before I opened them seeing the sun was just beginning to break through the house window of our bedroom. The covers were loosely hanging over mine and Kayce’s bodies where I began shifting my body over so I could watch my husband sleep.

It was such a rare sight to see of him in all honesty. Normally we were always busy taking care of the ranch that we didn’t get to enjoy moments like this together. Tracing some patterns lazily on his bare chest I found it hard to hold in a giggle when his chest started moving up and down from laughing meaning he was awake now. “Stop that, Lissa. You know that tickles.”

“Well I’m sorry that I don’t want to have to wait for my husband to wake up. So you better get your butt up, cowboy.” I lifted myself up on my knees crawling over his body, placing my hands on either side of his head.

Kayce grinned up at me, my hair touslily falling over my shoulders. “Hmm if I could wake up to you everyday exactly like this, that wouldn’t be too bad.”

“I think we can arrange that with something extra special right now.” I smirked down at my husband who grinned at me.

Kayce smirked, flipping me over and onto my back causing me to squeal loudly into the bedroom. “You are the perfect woman for me.” He whispered, connecting our lips together in a heated kiss. My fingers threaded into his already messy hair and he ran his fingers over every inch of my body he could reach never breaking the kiss until his phone started ringing.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I grumbled where he rolled off of me sitting upright on the bed.

He answered the phone. “This is Kayce Dutton.”

“Mr. Dutton, I am told you are Ms, Long’s emergency contact. I am required to inform you that she will be getting discharged tonight and will need a ride given her brain injury.”

He responded by hanging up the phone. “I’ll be up there to get her in a few hours. Thanks for the update.” He sat the phone on the nightstand getting up from the bed sliding his jeans from the night before back.

“Was that the hospital. How’s she doing?” I questioned him, holding the sheet up to my chest even though he’d seen me naked multiple times.

Kayce began sliding his boots on and grabbed his brown tea shirt shrugging it over his head. “Yeah, she’s getting discharged today. I’m going to pick her up and it’ll take me an hour to get to the hospital so I better get going.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

He answered. “No. I’ll be okay.”

“It might take her a few hours before she’s fully discharged. You could just stay here with me since we rarely get time together just by ourselves.” I tilted my head to the side, sending him a cheeky smirk playing on my lips.

Kayce sent me a weak smile walking over to my bedside. “I wish I could stay right here with you.”

“What exactly is stopping you, Kace.” I teased running my hands up his chest beginning to unbutton his shirt.

He grabbed my hands, holding them in his stopping me from going any further. “Alissa, I can’t. I have to go get Monica. She’ll need help when she gets back to her house on the reservation.”

“Come on. Just give me five minutes.” I tried sending him the puppy dog eyes where he leans down kissing me deeply. I wrapped my arms around his neck trying to pull him in closer yet he drew back kissing my forehead heading towards the door.

“I’ll see you later tonight, darling.”

Finally I had began my work for the day climbing down from my horse throwing my braid down my back. Seeing Faith sitting on the porch swing I walked up to her sitting down beside her. “Hey baby, you seem sad. Is something wrong?”

“I miss daddy. I want him to stay here more than he has been.” She sniffed through some tears.

Pulling her into my side I kissed her forehead laying her head down in the crook of my neck. “I know, baby. He should be coming home once they get Tate’s mom out of the hospital.”

“Will Tate come live with us?” She asked softly.

I paused before responding. “I’m not sure about that. That will be up to Monica and what she wants to do while she recovers from her surgery.”

“Morning you two. Faithy Rae, can I get a hug?” John came up the stairs opening his arms out towards his granddaughter. She ran over to him giving him the biggest hug her tiny arms could manage before he scooped her up in his arms looking over at me. “I can watch her for a few hours if you want to help them push cattle to the north pasture.”

I slowly rose to my feet, snatching my hat up and placing it back on my head. “I was actually thinking of driving into town to see how Monica was doing. It’s been awhile since Kayce went to go pick her up.” I began walking down the stairs to my truck until he called my name.

“Alissa, make sure he ain’t gotten into any trouble.”

“I’ll do my best John. Thankfully we aren’t teenagers anymore.” Climbing in the driver's seat I nodded heading in the direction to the hospital thinking back on the night Kayce and I got into some real trouble with the law.

We were only 13 at the time when we had hatched a plan that we were going to grab some dynamite from the old factory and blow up the old rickety water tower. It was scheduled to be torn down regardless and plus we thought it would be cool. “Are you sure this is gonna work, Kace?”

“In my experience when bullets hit something they've always blown up. Dynamite shouldn't be no different.” He responded tying the ropes around one of the tower polls. He had already put another set of dynamite around another leg since we had two shotguns from his father's house.

Walking back over we made sure to keep a good enough distance from the tower since we weren’t sure what way it was going to fall. “Okay so for this to work we gotta pull the triggers at the exact same time.” I explained thankful that we were in the middle of a field and town was just over that hill so we shouldn't be damaging other properties.

“On your mark, Lissa Rae.” Kayce said switching his baseball backwards.

Laying down on my stomach we aimed our shotgun barrels up to the dynamite boxes. Looking through the scope I had on mine I slowly counted down squeezing the trigger. “One - two - three.” When the triggers were pulled the bullets shot forward and smacked the dynamite packs instantly creating an explosion.

Kayce and I fell backwards from the impact throwing the shotguns somewhere else on the ground. Lifting my gaze up I hung my mouth opened in awe seeing flames shoot up into the air and it slowly fell down towards the dirt. “That was freaking awesome.” Kayce finally muttered out under his breath.

“Yeah it was.” I swore I heard a vehicle getting closer to us. Looking over my shoulder I saw some lights getting closer to us. “Did you hear that. Somebody's here.”

Kayce scarmled to his feet picking up the guns as fast as we could. I forced myself to my feet knowing the water tower was now behind us burning quickly up in flames. We started to run until somebody called our names and flashlights were drawn on the two of us. “Freeze you two. Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air nice and slow.” An officer declared.

I gulped nervously raising my hands up in the air. “We're screwed, Dutton.”

“Don’t say it unless we get arrested, Lambert.” He told me trying to remain calm.

Footsteps came up to us and the sheriff I knew was named Dawnie Huskell. “Well, well, well, why am I not surprised. Kayce John Dutton and Alissa Rae Lambert.” He put his hands on his hips.

“What are you gonna do with us?” I questioned.

He responded waving his deputies over and I felt handcuffs being placed and my arms twisted behind my back. “You're under arrest, sweetheart.”

“Damn it.” Kayve cursed under his breath being led to the police car with me being led in toe.

Making it to the hospital it was almost sunset by the time I had made it there. Putting the truck in park I climbed out about to head outside but the double doors slide opened and I saw my husband walking towards his truck but she wasn’t with him so I decided to gain his attention needing some answers. “You said you'd be home sometime tonight, Dutton!”

“Alissa! What are you doing here?” He jerked his head in my direction noticing me leaning my back against the passenger door of my vehicle, arms crossed over my chest.

“Appreantly coming to see if my husband was ever going to come home.”

He made a face. “I never said that I wasn’t.”

“You're daughter seems to think otherwise. She told me today that she misses you and wants you to stay on the ranch more than you have been recently.”

Kayce rolls his eyes. “I didn't mean to make her feel left out. Monica's just - she’s not doing well. She wants to see Tate but there's uh-” He trailed off not finishing his sentence.

I stepped up staring into his brown eyes. “What’s going on with her?”

“She doesn’t exactly remember me. She just wants her and Tate to stay away from me, from my father.” He admits running his hands down his face.

I lowered my gaze to the ground unsure of what to say. “I - I don't. Maybe it's a good thing that she stays away for a while.”

“Are you being serious?” His head shot up at my words.

I sent him a glare. “I'm sorry to say it but the past couple of months you've been more attentive to her than you have your daughter and the woman you married.”

“It wasn’t my intention to do that, Lissa Rae.”

I snapped back at him. “Don’t Lissa Rae me. That nickname can't fix the problem here.”

“I'll do better. I just don’t feel comfortable leaving Tate and her without some help.”

I slowly began sliding my wedding ring off my finger stomping up and placing it in the palm of his hand. “Okay hers what is going to happen between you and me. You take this back until you realize who you actually want to commit to forever. I understand that you want to help her, but it doesn't appear you love me as much anymore.” Spinning around on my feet I rounded the truck and he chased after me.

“Alissa! Alissa, wait a minute. What did I do wrong?”

Holding the truck driver door opened I shake my head not wanting to be around him. “Recently you've been so devoted to her like she's your wife. When you asked me to marry you I thought it was because you loved me and not just cause you knocked me up in high school. Guess I was wrong. I'll see you whenever you figure out who you want to spend the rest of your life with.”

Kayce watched his best friend drive away back to his family's ranch. He ran his fingers through his hair praying he could quickly fix whatever he had done to make her not think she was his forever and always.

[c0wgurlz]

Trouble On My Left, Trouble On My Right

Chapter 1: Sweet Caroline

Kayce Dutton x Reader/OC - Friends to Lovers

He grabs ahold of the belt loops on either side of my hips. “I just-” he shakes me, “I’m tired of people treating me like some wounded animal or-or like some bomb just waiting to go off. You’re the one person who-,” he licks his lips, “you’re my person. Please don’t do that to me.”

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UPDATE: CHAPTER 2

I'm a long-time fic writer and an even longer reader, but this is my first attempt at writing for Yellowstone. If ya'll have any notes on characterization or just anything in general, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for reading xx.

As always: I do not own Yellowstone (2018) or any of its characters. This work is not monetized.

THIS FIC IS CROSSPOSTED TO AO3. It is not posted to any other site. I am lookingcold on AO3 and that is all. I do not give permission for my work to be posted by others to any other platform.

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I was no stranger to the Yellowstone Ranch, but bumping my way along its seemingly never-ending dirt drive, I still couldn’t help but feel out of my depth - like a little kid made to ride a bike with no training wheels. Its sprawling pastures surrounded by the towering mountains, standing at attention like century guards, intimidated me, and I had spent nearly every day of my childhood gallivanting around the property. I can only imagine how outsiders feel the first time they dare to mosey onto the ranch. Now, all this isn’t to say that I wasn’t looking forward to returning to Yellowstone, I undoubtedly was, but being there at the (somewhat) wisened age of twenty-seven felt significantly riskier than it had at the naive age of seventeen. The Yellowstone was trouble, and I had spent the last ten years of my life trying to stay out of it. Putting myself right back into its clutches went against every instinct I have.

Still, I was excited to see the people I had come to know as family. When my daddy died when I was only twelve, Mr. John treated me like one of his own, and when my momma remarried a man who was known for his fiery temper and love of the drink, he took me in as his own. My daddy and Mr. John had been best friends, so truly I think he felt as though it was his duty to care for me, but I like to believe he loved me all the same. And I loved him back. He taught me everything I could ever need to know - plus some. Helped put me through college. Even supported me when I wanted to take on the pageant circuit - although I don’t believe he minded the extra bit of shine my winning of Rodeo Queen added to his reputation. Hell, I even loved his ragtag group of kids, Jamie included if you can believe it. They were my family, and I wouldn’t have traded them for the world. Except I did, because Yellowstone was trouble, and I couldn’t let myself get caught up in that. And neither could Mr. John.

Sneaking up on Rip was somewhat of a talent I had cultivated over my long years spent on the ranch. I’m proud to say that I’m still the only son of a bitch who can do it. And that’s why I park my truck a good half mile down the road from the corrals. There’s a small hill in the dirt drive that obscures the shoulder of the road as you approach the house, one that Kayce and I used to hide away in, smoking or drinking, trying to stay out of trouble while getting into it. I park my truck on that hidden shoulder, closing my door as quietly as I can before approaching the road. As I walk, I stick as close to the fence line as possible, relying on the looming fence posts to provide me with cover. I know that if I can make it past the corrals unseen and circle around the back of the barn I’ll have Rip jumping a foot in the air before he can even catch a whiff of me. Lucky for me he’s locked in on what I can only describe as clownery, supervising some gangly kid as he works to stay on a bronco. Taking my golden opportunity, I creep through the barn, hushing whinnying mares as I go, before sidling right up to Rip’s left side.

“Now that kid has got balls of steel,” I comment, hands splayed across my hips, head nodding in appreciation.

I wish I had the words to appropriately describe Rip’s reaction. With a little hop and shout, Rip whirls on me, hand splayed across his chest, breath thundering in shock. “Jesus, what in the fuck do you think-” And that’s when he realizes who exactly he’s about to chew out. His eyes go wide and a grin starts to stretch across his weathered face. “Well as I live and breathe, if it isn’t sweet Caroline herself, gracing us with her beauty.” He takes a step towards me. “Come ere ya little menace!”

Before I know it I’m wrapped up in the warmest, most comforting bear hug on earth. If Mr. John had been like a father to me, then Rip had been like a big brother. My protector and confidant - and the target of my and Kayce’s many pranks.

“Where have ya been?” He jostles me around. “Haven’t heard from you in over a year, and haven’t seen you in well over that. Too busy for us old cowpokes?”

I hold onto his hands, squeezing them. “Well I haven’t been ignoring ya’ll on purpose, I’ve just been a bit busy. I -” And that’s when Mr. John comes ambling down the lodge steps, casual and collected as ever.

“She’s been in Oklahoma, working PR for the rodeo circuit. And based on what I hear, she’s pretty damn good at it.” Before I know it I’m embraced in a fierce hug, and if I didn’t know better I’d say I heard Mr. John sniffle. “It’s good to see you, honey. Welcome home.”

Rip looks between myself and Mr. John, confused. “You mean Caroline’s back working the ranch? We ain’t got any beds left in the bunkhouse.” At this, he turns to me, “Not that I’d expect you to sleep there but I know how stubborn you can be about doing what’s right.”

Mr. John cuts him off. “No.” He responds gruffly. “She’s not here as a ranch hand, she’s here as my PR specialist.” Casting Rip a pointed look, he murmurs, “Ya know with all the problems we’ve encountered lately I thought we should call in an expert to help with damage control, and who better than family.”

Rip nods gravely, a closed expression covering his face that I don’t particularly like the looks of. “Well if that’s what she’s here for then I’ll leave you two to talk privately. I’ve got wranglers to wrangle and supper to check on.” He turns to walk away, but pauses, angling his body towards me. “If you need me, Caroline, for anything, don’t hesitate to shout.”

He looks so serious, so grim, I feel the small, unsure age of eleven all over again. “Ok.” I nod, my voice coming out thin and reedy. “I will.”

“I mean it.” He’s firm. “Anything.”

“I know Rip.”

With that, he gives a final tip of his head to Mr. John and I, stalking off to holler at the gangly kid - Jimmy.

“What was that all about?” I turn to Mr. John, big-eyed and pale.

Looking resigned he says, “You know Rip, he’s just protective of you is all, and he knows I’m about to ask a lot of you, get you involved in stuff we normally would try to keep you out of.” He shakes his head, knocks one of his boots against the other. “But you’re my last resort honey, you have to know that. I wouldn’t drag you into trouble if I thought I could help it. Honest.” His voice is so sincere, soft in a way it rarely is. I would have believed him anyways, but now there’s no doubt in my mind. I have to do right by Yellowstone, by the Dutton family, by my family. I have to stay, wade through the trouble, and bring everyone out on the other side.

“Tell me everything I need to know.” It comes out harder than I expected, harder than I’ve ever heard my own voice. It makes Mr. John look up. His features turn steely, matching mine. We’re in this together now.

“Walk with me, let me show you where you’ll be lodging. I’ll fill you in.”

Ten years of keeping clear of trouble down the drain, but I owed Mr. John, owed Yellowstone, a debt, and I wasn’t about to not repay it.

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To say that what Mr. John had shared with me was shocking would be an understatement. Land and cattle disputes I had expected, helping Jamie and Beth campaign - sure, I figured (well maybe not Beth), but murder? Can’t say that was anywhere on my radar, or anywhere in my wheelhouse. If I’m being honest with God and myself, if it weren’t for my love for Mr. John and the Dutton family, I would’ve turned the job down. Any PR specialist with a brain would because what the Duttons needed was a criminal defense lawyer, not some cowgirl who’s good at turning nasty scandals into marketable flattery. But I do love the Duttons, and I love Yellowstone, so from the looks of it, if this ship goes down, I’m going with it.

Mr. John must think it wise to give me time to mull over the absolute bomb he’s just dropped on me, because after he breaks the news and confirms that I’m still willing to stick around, he goes silent, his face settling into a contemplative furrow, the same as mine. It isn’t until the foreman’s house comes into view that I break the silence, slightly bewildered.

“We making a pit stop or something?” I gesture to the house in the distance, halting my gait.

Mr. John breezes past me, only turning his head back to answer my seemingly stupid question. “No darling, I’m showing you to your lodging, like I said I would.” Darling is reserved for when I’m being a moron, honey as a term of endearment, and cowgirl for when I’m about to get what’s coming to me. I’ve not even been back an hour and I’ve managed to collect two of the three, and I’m not too keen on collecting the third.

I wait until he looks away before rolling my eyes. That would’ve earned me a ‘cowgirl’ for sure. “Well, who died and made me foreman because I sure as hell don’t have the beard or buckle to pull it off.” I hustle to catch back up with him, bumping his shoulder against my own, knowing I’m toeing the line between a chuckle and a swat. Thankfully I’m gifted with the chuckle.

“You know I keep waiting for your beard to come in, but I remain disappointed.” He shoots me a wink. “But no, I don’t want you as my foreman as much as you don’t want to be my foreman. No worries there.” He side-eyes me. “Kayce’s taken over from Rip, so this is his place now. I just thought you’d want to be out here with your partner in crime rather than cooped up in the lodge with an old fart like me.” I know he’s aiming for casual as he explains my living situation to me, but if my many years spent living at Yellowstone had taught me anything, it was how to read John Dutton. And right now, I can tell he’s up to no good - more so than usual.

“Right, because living in that big snazzy house would be so terrible. I think you’re just trying to keep me and Beth apart. Too scared to live under the same roof with us both. Can’t say I blame you.” And while I really wouldn’t blame him for not wanting to live with me and Beth - if she’s a terror alone, with me she’s a terror and a half - I have a sneaking suspicion Beth and I’s potential reign of terror isn’t the true cause of his decision. But I sure as hell can’t let him know I’m onto him.

He chuckles again, in an almost relieved sort of way. “You’ve got me there. I’d rather keep my sanity, thank you kindly. So no, I quite frankly don’t want to live with you and Beth at the same time. And truly, I just thought you’d be more comfortable out here.” He sighs. “You’ll be wrapped up in our mess during all your waking hours, I don’t want to take away the little bit of peace you’ll get during your sleeping ones too.”

I frown. “Mr. John, I-” I begin to protest.

“No, I don’t want to hear it. You’re in the foreman’s and that’s final.” Mr. John’s swinging the door open now, and the house is everything I thought it would be growing up.

High ceilings reveal exposed wood, and the humble home is lined with windows, letting in ample natural light. In a way I feel like I haven’t left the outdoors at all, the house is simply an extension of the forest that looms behind it. As kids, one of the few places Kayce and I weren’t allowed to wreak havoc was the foreman’s house. Mr. John always berated us whenever we’d beg to go inside, saying, “A hard-working man deserves some privacy, some peace and quiet. You better leave him and his home well enough alone or I’ll skin both of your hides.” For once we listened, neither of us too keen on getting our butts busted.

“Plus, I imagine Kayce will be mighty happy to learn he’s got his best friend back. It always was ya’ll’s dream to set up camp in here. Now you get to live it.” His statement breaks me out of my reverie.

“I’m sorry, you ‘imagine’ Kayce will be happy? He doesn’t know I’m here?” And so the other shoe drops. Mr. John always did hold out hope that Kayce and I would end up together. Said we’d be a power couple. Combine my business sense and charming small talk with Kayce’s grit and knowledge of the ranch and we’d be unstoppable. Let’s just say he was never too shy about his meddling. And while I did have a small crush on Kayce growing up, and I’d like to think he had one on me too, we were always both too awkward to entertain anything other than a close friendship. Naturally, we experimented the way kids do, having had a drunk kiss or two and having done our fair share of skinny dipping, but by the time we were in our late teens all romantic feelings had fizzled. That doesn’t mean we weren’t closer than we’d ever been though, thicker than thieves and troublemakers to boot. We practically lived in each others’ pockets. You wouldn’t find one of us without the other. I was crazy about Kayce and he adored me, but it was never anything other than platonic.

“Mr. John, I can’t live here if Kayce doesn’t know about it. You said so yourself, the foreman’s house is his getaway, a place for peace and quiet. I’m not taking that from him.” Hands planted firmly on my hips and lips pursed, I shake my head adamantly. “I’ll find myself a place in town or-”

“Caroline, no, you’re staying-”

“Or I’ll see if my cousin Amy has a spare room, we were always close and-”

“Caroline.” His voice is firm, if not a little irritated. “I said no. Kayce needs you here, you hear me? You’re staying here and that’s final.” This last part is spoken a bit softer, but firmly all the same.

Now Mr. John might not be my real daddy, but I’ve spent my whole life obeying him all the same, and this time is no different, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to plead my case. “Mr. John, I’ve missed Kayce too and I know he’s going through a lot right now, but he doesn’t need me.” I sigh. “And I couldn’t possibly put out his family. I mean, this place is small enough as it is. And Tate’s what, nearing eight now? He needs room to play and run around, I’ll only be taking up already limited space.” Giving a half-hearted shrug, I turn to head back toward the door, but Mr. John’s heavy sigh has me doubling back.

“Caroline honey, I wasn’t going to tell you this because I don’t feel like it’s my place, but when I say Kayce needs you I mean it. He and Monica split a few weeks ago, and with everything else going on he’s in real bad-”

Back turned to the door, I hear Kayce before I see him. “Dad, for the last time I’m not interested in meeting who you’ve got running for AG, so if you could kindly show her out I’d greatly-”

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I know I said Kayce and I had never been anything other than platonic, but you’d have to be blind not to see what a looker the boy is. God damn is he beautiful. I mean he always has been, but the years have been more than kind to him. Seeing him now damn near takes my breath away. The last time I laid eyes on Kayce he had just returned from the navy, eyes weary and hair cropped close. He had looked exhausted, almost dead in the eyes. Now though, he looks like a field set ablaze by the setting sun, all bright and aglow with something unnameable. Almost dangerous in his beauty. He must get over seeing me for the first time in five years before I get over seeing him because before it feels like I can even blink he’s across the room and I’m a foot off the ground, wrapped tight in his arms. I never knew I was missing part of myself until this very moment, with Kayce’s face pressed into the crook of my neck and my hand fisted in his hair. I swear I feel more settled in myself than I have in years, like I’m sinking into my bed after a long day, or eating a warm meal after I’ve spent all day working out in the cold.

“Caroline.” It’s a soft whisper in my ear. It almost sounds reverent, like a prayer.

“Kayce,” I murmur back, something private only he can hear.

I suppose he remembers we aren’t alone because before I know it my feet are planted firmly on the ground once more and I’m no longer wrapped in his embrace. Instead, he lets one gentle hand linger on the small of my back, almost hesitant and unnatural in its hovering. Grinning, he turns to Mr. John. ���Dad what is-” his gaze shifts to find mine. “Caroline, what are you doing here?”

My lips part preparing to answer, but no sound comes out, just a whisper of an inhale followed by a beaming smile. I think it’s important to say once again that my feelings for Kayce are strictly platonic, but my God if a woman can’t get lost in his whiskey-brown eyes.

I’m broken out of my trance by an awkward cough. Both Kayce and I turn to face Mr. John, who looks a bit too pleased for my liking. Smiling wryly he drawls, “Well I think I’ll leave you two to catch up. Caroline, I’ll have one of the boys bring your truck up. No sense in you hauling yourself all around sundry.” Making his way outside, he pauses on the porch. “I expect to see both of ya’ll at supper. Don’t be late.” He saunters down the porch and down the path, not looking back when he hollers, “And Kayce, wash up! You smell like shit.”

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“So, you’re here to clean up the fucking mess I made then.” Kayce looks the most dejected I’ve seen him in years. Like a puppy dog that’s been kicked and put out in the cold. “Dad dragged you back to this godforsaken place because of me.” His fists shake where they’re clenched atop his knees. He tosses his hat onto the coffee table and rakes his hands through his sweat-dampened hair. “You know, I was so relieved when you got out of here. I was so scared this place would ruin everything good about you, set you up in flames like it does everything else.” His calloused hand clasps mine. “Why would you come back here? After everything that happened, after-” He takes a moment to collect himself, teeth gritted together, shoulders tensed. “After what Caleb- after what he did-”

“Kayce don’t.” I know what he’s trying to get at, and I won’t have it talked about. Not on my first day back. When I said I loved Yellowstone, that I was happy to be back, I meant it. But there are memories that this place carries that I’d rather forget, and I’m not about to let my reunion with my best friend turn sinister over one of those memories - over the mention of some asshole cowboy that belongs to the past. I want that memory to die with him. Placing a comforting hand on his back, I try to console him. “I’m a big girl. Believe it or not, I’ve grown into my britches and I know what I can handle. Plus,” I give his back a hard pat, “you really think I would let this place ruin me? I’d like to see it try.”

“Caroline..” He shakes his head, eyes glassy. “You-”

I cut him off with a quick rap of my knuckles against the coffee table, rising off the couch with an air of finality. “As for why I came back, well that’s simple. I love you Kace.” I lick my chapped lips, find a spot on the wall to focus on. “And I’m- I’m never going to abandon you when you need me.” I extend my pinky in the form of a promise, a relic left over from our childhood. “Come hell or high water remember?”

He straightens up, gaze ungluing itself from the floor only to meet mine. Kayce was always taller than me, but I don’t remember having to crane my neck up to meet his eyes the way I do now. His pinky wrapping around mine is a distant sensation in the back of my mind. “Come hell or high water.” He steps back, scratching his temple awkwardly. From a man to a boy with one simple gesture. “Uh, there’s only one bathroom so we’ll have to take turns. I don’t know if you need to shower, but you can go first, everything you need is in there, but I mean- you probably brought your own stuff so never mind.” He mutters below his breath, “God Kace,” and picks invisible lint off his shirt.

I laugh, bright and airy. Growing up Kayce was known for his ruthless pranks, and when I wasn’t his accomplice I was his primary victim. So to miss such a golden and rare opportunity to make fun of him would be a crime, his emotional turmoil aside. “No need to take turns bud, I don’t need to shower. Just got to freshen up a bit, throw on some makeup, brush my hair.” I start a slow saunter down the hall, sporting a feline grin. Kayce follows close behind- my shadow. Turning to walk backward, I poke him sharp in the chest. “How about you, Manure Man, hop in the shower while I do my makeup. We can keep each other company, catch up on each other's lives.” My back hits what I assume to be the bathroom door. I sigh. “After all, we don’t want to keep your daddy waiting. I for one don’t want a smack upside the head and I reckon you don’t either.” Angling my body so it faces the door, I reach for the nob and look at Kayce imploringly, my eyebrows raised, daring him to chicken out.

He suppresses a grin, tongue poking at his cheek. “Now you know that’s not exactly proper and I know that you’re trying to embarrass me, so you can go ahead and drop the act Miss Caroline.” Calling me on my shit, he leans into the door frame, his arms boxing me in on both sides.

Of course he knows I’m trying to embarrass him, anybody with eyes could see that. What he hasn’t caught onto is that I’m appealing to his competitive nature. If I keep poking at him long enough, there’s no way he won’t cave. If I know Kayce, he’ll take being excruciatingly embarrassed over losing against me any day. “Not proper? Sweetheart, I’ve seen you in your birthday suit more times than I care to think about, I don’t think standing in the same room as you while you shower will be the thing that sends me to hell.” I duck under his arm, grab my makeup bag from where I’d left it in the living room, and duck back under, swinging the bathroom door open as I go. Throwing my hair into a ponytail, I lock eyes with him in the mirror. His skin is flushed pink all the way down to his chest and he gnaws at his lip. Like I said, from a man to a boy with one small gesture. “Unless you’re too much of a chicken.” I shrug. “Then I guess we can take turns.” I aim for nonchalant, fingers crossed that he’s not catching on to my instigating.

Kayce’s eyes immediately narrow. Good, he’s taken the bait. “I know you’re not calling me a chicken.” His arms drop and he closes the door behind him.

Snickering, I breathe, “I’d only call you a chicken if you were acting like one, so tell me Kayce - are you being a chicken?”

He turns the shower on in lieu of an answer, eyes never leaving mine in the mirror. “I wouldn’t even know what a chicken acts like Caroline, having never been one, so no I don’t reckon I am.” At this, he flings his shirt off, and I hear his belt buckle clink shortly after, and then a thud as his pants hit the floor. The only thing that remains are his underwear and I hold his gaze steady, daring him to lose our little game. I can’t hear his underwear hit the floor, but I see the hunch his shoulders form as he bends to take them off. When he stands back up straight, he must see the devious gleam in my eye because he drawls out a suspicious, “What?”

“Nothing.” I shake my head, pressing my lips together. I fiddle with the hem of my blouse. It’s a frilly white thing with thin straps and a gathered waist. One of my favorites truly. Too pretty to risk getting makeup on. I pull the shirt gingerly over my head, not worried about appearing sexy, knowing my plain bra isn’t much to look at. I begin to sort out my makeup, lining products up along the counter. “I was just thinking about how I don’t want to get makeup on my blouse. That’s all.”

The rustle of the shower curtain opening and closing is Kayce’s only reply. Check and mate Dutton.

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Despite my reasoning for us sharing, Kayce and I don’t catch up with each other in the bathroom, in fact, he doesn’t speak a word to me until I’ve completed my makeup and he’s finished his shower.

Brushing my hair slowly and methodically, lost in my own thoughts, I almost miss the sound of the shower turning off and the rasp of the curtain as Kayce steps out. He’s wrapped in a comically large towel, but his hair still drips steadily onto the bathmat, saturated with water. The embarrassment has leached from his face and his downtrodden expression from earlier has returned. “So dad told you about me and Monica?” He perches on the closed toilet, sagging into himself, sniffs. “Old bastard.”

“What makes you think that?” Laying my hairbrush down, I turn to prop my hip against the counter and cross my arms, face as neutral as I can make it.

Kayce looks at me from under long, damp lashes, his jaw set. “Caroline, we’ve pushed a boundary or two in our decades of friendship, but I know that if you thought for one second that you’d be stepping on any toes or be disrespecting my marriage in any way, you wouldn’t have started whatever all of this,” he gestures around the bathroom, “little game was. So what did he tell you?” His hands are shaking again, but rather than clenched shut, this time they lay open, palms up, almost pleading.

“Kayce.” I kneel down, encasing one of his weathered hands with both of mine. “All he told me was that you and Monica had split not too long ago, nothing more. And he didn’t even really want to tell me that, I kind of forced his hand. I promise you.” I stand back up and ruffle his still-damp hair, trying to bring some levity back to the situation. “Although I really don’t understand all the secrecy bud, you had to hear all about my messy divorce- and over facetime of all ways. I’m not- I would never judge you Kace.”

Rising to his full height, Kayce fidgets with one of my belt loops. “I know you’d never judge me, Caroline, it’s not your judgment I’m worried about.”

“Then what are you worried about,” I murmur.

He grabs ahold of the belt loops on either side of my hips. “I just-” he shakes me, “I’m tired of people treating me like some wounded animal or-or like some bomb just waiting to go off. You’re the one person who-,” he licks his lips, “you’re my person. Please don’t do that to me.”

“Oh Kayce, you really think-,” I laugh, “I just gave you shit in the most ridiculous way, knowing well and good you’ve been put through the wringer, and you think I would treat you like some wounded thing.” I bend down to retrieve my shirt, toss it onto the counter behind me. “I realize I have a bad habit of babying you, and I don’t plan to stop any time soon, but if you think for one second that I won’t give you hell any and every time you need it, well then you’re mistaken sweetheart.” Propping his hands on his hips, Kayce looks down, kicks his bare foot against my booted one.

“Now, nobody said anything about me wanting you to stop babying me.” He grins shyly at me. “Every good cowboy needs a pretty lady to soften him up a bit, ya know.”

I feel my breath hitch as his fingers wrap loosely around mine, I’m suddenly hyper-aware of the damp towel that seems to slide lower down his hips by the second. Have I mentioned how beautiful this man is? Have time and space away from him turned my brain into scrambled eggs? Why in the hell do I feel a flush creeping down my neck? Dear God, and I have to live with this man.

I smack his chest, like any sane woman who suddenly finds herself attracted to her best friend would do, and try to hide my nerves behind a too-loud laugh. “Well as long as you don’t expect this pretty lady to harden you up too, I think I can manage that.” Slipping my hand out of his hold, I grab my blouse and make to leave, but not before I catch sight of the scarlet blush that paints his face and ears. One foot in the hallway, I call back, “Now hurry up and get dressed cowboy, wouldn’t want to keep daddy waiting.” Closing the door all I hear is a muttered, “Jesus,” in response.

---------------------------------------------------------------

I wait out on the porch while Kayce gets ready, slouched down on one of the steps, elbows resting on my knees. The absolute quiet that surrounds me, save for the chirp of a bird or the rustle of leaves as the breeze blows, feels like a balm on my soul. I’d forgotten what it was like to feel this way. Content, at peace, like the whole world could be falling down around me but I’d still be alright, because this place, this land, will cradle me, protect me, like a momma does for her baby. I spent so long, years of my young life, running from one thing or another. Running into the arms of the wrong people, the wrong places. Yellowstone wasn’t the only place I found trouble, and while I was able to make a name for myself, to come out on top, the years I spent fighting for myself, fighting myself, have taken a toll on me. Never really thought the ranch would be my respite, but fighting for the Duttons feels like a goddamn breath of fresh air compared to what I’ve had to claw my way through in the last decade. This is my home, trouble or not.

The door creaks open, then shut, and I crane my head back to greet Kayce. “Took ya long enough, beauty queen.”

Unphased Kayce shoves his hands into his pockets. “Your face looks goofy upside down. And I can see into your nose.” He swaggers past me, down the steps, and onto the path. “Might want to invest in a nose trimmer.. beauty queen.” Fantastic. We’re back in familiar territory. No more warm damp skin, or slouchy towels, and thank god no more tugging at my belt loops or crowding me against the counter.. abs on display, broad shoulders at eye level… Yeah no, childish insults are great! Much more comfortable, way less confusing. I’m more than happy to engage in some lighthearted bullying with my completely platonic, non-romantic, best friend.

I must take too long to respond because Kayce doubles back, coming to stand at the base of the stairs below my feet. Looking at me funny, eyebrows scrunched and lips upturned, he asks, “You good? Wasn’t even that good of a burn to be honest. You’ve taken worse.” Actual concern begins to creep into his features, so before he can get himself worked up into a spiral of guilt I hop up from the stairs, dust off my backside, and punch him square in the gut.

“Oh don’t you worry ‘bout me, I’m fine. I was actually just thinking that I probably should buy a trimmer, keep things ship shape. And you know,” I glance back at him deviously, “now that we’re living together, there’s bound to be quite a few spa nights in your future. I could use it on you as well, really get my money’s worth.” As he falls in step with me, I expect him to protest immediately. When we were kids, I asked to pretty him up practically every day, told him I did boy activities with him so it was only fair he did girly things with me. In all our years of friendship he only caved once, the night I got my first period, told me I shouldn’t have to become a woman alone. He let me put a full face of makeup on him, paint his nails, and even braid his hair. No complaints, no making fun, just supported me in the only way he knew how.

So he surprises me when he inquires, “What exactly would a spa night include? Like what are we talking here? Fancy robes, overpriced lotion, cucumbers on our eyes?” His face is entirely serious, sincere in its curiosity. Man, it's easy to forget how much growing up changes a person.. how much marriage changes a person.

I stutter. “I- I mean, it can really include whatever you want it to? I normally take a bubble bath, shave my whole body- not that you’d want to do that, and then I go ham with some lotion, put on a face mask and hair mask, maybe whiten my teeth or trim my nails. Just depends.” I shrug. Kayce and I have talked about everything under the sun, but I never thought in a million years we’d be discussing my self-care routine.

He looks at me, eyebrows furrowed, contemplating. He kicks at the dirt a bit, tips his head to either side and then with an unexpected air of finality says, “Okay. I think I’d like to try all of that. I’ve never done masks or whitened my teeth before.” He stops, looking suddenly reluctant. “Wait, none of this hurts right? Like it’s relaxing?”

I place my hand on his back, half to prompt him to keep walking, half to comfort him. An easy laugh escapes me. “No, none of it hurts. And it is very relaxing, especially when you have a good bottle of wine on hand.” I wink, trying still to reassure him.

Worries assuaged, he winks back. “Well if there’s good wine involved, I’m in. Do you have the stuff with you already? Could we do it tonight?”

This time I stop in my tracks. If I was shocked before, now I’m flabbergasted. “You really want to do all that tonight?” He starts to look self-conscious so I clarify myself. “I mean, I’m more than happy to host a spa night, don’t get me wrong, but I just figured you’d need to warm up to the idea.”

Kayce walks a half step in front of me, avoids making eye contact. “In all honesty, tomorrow’s going to be a rough day. I don’t know if dad told you, but we’ve got to negotiate with the rez, the governor, and the sheriff tomorrow. Try to find some way to sweep everything under the rug, not let my fuck-ups tarnish the ranch’s reputation.” He removes his hat, runs his hand haphazardly through his hair. I know he asked me not to treat him like some wounded thing, and I won’t, but boy does he look it. “So, yeah, I just need something to take my mind off of the impending shitstorm I’m about to deal with. And I know you’re dying to gussy me up.” He flashes me a smile. “And if you’re happy, I’m happy, so a spa night it is.”

I sigh, feeling out of my depth. In all our years of friendship, I so rarely had to be the strong one. That was always Kayce. And while I’ve certainly toughened up in the time we’ve spent apart, I still feel so unprepared to tackle all of this. I’m scared I’ll say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, misstep in an unfixable way. More than anything, I’m scared I’ll let Kayce down. “Your uh- Mr. John did tell me all that actually, but I hadn’t thought about how emotionally draining it’ll be. A spa night sounds good Kace. And we can even put on a horror movie, even it out.” I shrug, still feeling out of my depth.

Kayce doesn’t reply, but he does show me the barest hint of a smile, just the slight upturn of the corners of his lips. His smile says, “we’ll make it through this, we have to.”

[the-hinky-panda]

Yellowstone: Boss Mare Series - Part V

Jaime Dutton has never considered himself a foodie, someone interested in fusing flavors and doing wine pairings for the regular family dinner. A family dinner that no one can ever seem to get through without an argument, problem-solving a ranch issue, or just childish drama. Half-eaten plates of perfectly seared filet mignon, roasted red potatoes with butter and parsley, the brightest green beans he’s ever seen, left in the wake of another nonsensical theater production. 

The only thing that ever gets completely consumed is the wine. The only one who ever talks is Beth. The only cleared plate of food is his father’s, although Kayce is making good progress at the moment. The only thing that Jamie can think of is how much he would love to enjoy eating. To just sit and have enough brain space to taste what he’s putting into his mouth. 

“Isn’t that right, Jaime?” Beth says, a mischievous glint in her eye. 

He hasn’t heard a word she’s said but he can read the room. Well, he can read Kayce’s cautious energy to know whatever it is she’s said was meant to bait him. And their father’s intense interest in whatever is out the window, despite the darkness of night blocking any view. Jaime’s not going to rise to the occasion tonight. He’s just too fucking tired. Instead, he drops the linen napkin on the table and picks up his plate. 

“Fuck this shit.” He stands up. “I don’t have the energy to deal with whatever bullshit you’ve dreamed up now, Beth.” 

“Oh come on, Jaime,” she calls after him, “I haven’t even gotten to the good questions yet!” 

He storms into the kitchen, pausing before throwing his still full plate of food into the sink. The only thing that stops him is knowing that you made it. You spent the last few hours in the kitchen preparing the meal. He sees all the pots and pans cleaned and sitting on the drying rack while dinner is being consumed. When the dining room empties, you’ll collect the plates and wash them before heading up to your room over the kitchen for the night. But while you wait, he sees you sitting on the steps of the back porch, passing the time. 

A sudden rush of guilt comes over him. Every night they walk into the dining room, no food prep, no cooking time, hell, they don’t even set the table. They just walk in, sit down, and are served. And then the fighting begins. Maybe that’s why they can’t function as a family around the table. There’s no work, no buy-in to enjoy the product of their work. They’re eating in a restaurant every night. Except no one in that room would behave that way in an actual restaurant. 

Maybe Beth. Beth wouldn’t behave any differently. 

Jamie grabs a second plate and an extra fork before going out onto the back porch. You immediately stand up when the door opens, a guilty look crosses your face. He wonders what in the world you could have been doing to cause such a reaction and then he sees the wine glass in your hand. He points to the glass. 

“You’re allowed to have that, you know.” That reminds him that he forgot his own wine glass inside. He sets the plates and silverware down. “I’ll be right back.” 

He goes back inside and grabs a new bottle of red wine, uncorks it, grabs a new glass, and goes back outside. You’re still standing there, cradling the wine glass in your hand, and looking terribly out of sorts. He tips some of the wine into your glass before filling his own and sitting down on the steps. 

“Did you eat?” he asks, setting the empty second plate next to him. 

“I did.” At that particular moment, your stomach decided to betray you and growl. “I’m sorry, I’ll let you eat in peace.” 

“I came out here because you were out here.” He cuts the filet mignon in half. It’s perfectly pink, bordering on red on the inside. He slides a few potatoes and green beans onto the second plate, adding half the steak, and holding it up to you. “If you’re hungry, I’d like the company.” 

“Thank you.” You give him a small smile and take the plate, sitting down next to him on the steps. “I did eat some of the salad.” 

“Just salad?” 

You nod your head. 

Did no one in the family tell you how things work on the ranch? “Gator always makes himself a plate and eats in the kitchen while we’re eating. Or, if he likes what the bunkhouse is eating, he eats that instead. We don’t keep track and we won’t do that with you either.” He points at your plate. “Eat as much and whatever you want.” 

“Thank you.” You pick up the fork and knife and cut a piece of the steak. “I’ve never had filet mignon before.” 

“You haven’t? Well, you cooked it perfectly.” 

“I’ve made it plenty of times. I was just never allowed to eat it. Only the men were allowed to eat the best food.” You seem to realize you’ve imparted some revealing information and shove a potato in your mouth, chewing it slowly. 

He doesn’t ask any questions and lets you keep your silence and secrets, focusing on just enjoying the food. The sun has just set, shadows creeping across the pastures, sneaking up to the barn and bunkhouse. The rhythmic hiss of the field sprinklers add a relaxing white noise effect and Jamie realizes this is the first time in years that he actually enjoyed his dinner at the ranch. 

“I did make an apple cobbler for dessert,” you say as you stack the empty plates between the two of you. “But we’ll have to go back inside and get it.” 

Jamie doesn’t want to risk the quietude he’s achieved by sitting out here with you so he just picks up the wine bottle and refills both your glasses. “Wine for dessert works for me.” 

“Thank you.” 

“For what?” 

You shake your head. “I don’t know. Just being you, I suppose.” 

He sits and sips at his wine, wondering how you can see the person he is when he doesn’t even know who he is.

[keep-the-wolves-close]

Main Masterlist

Hi all!

This is going to be my new masterlist where you can find all my chapters in one place. Hopefully it keeps it easy to navigate!

These stories and my page are rated M — 18+ and are not suitable for minors. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT! No offense is meant, but you will be blocked.

••I am in no way affiliated with these shows or movies or their creators. I do not profit off of these writings. It’s for pure entertainment.••

Triple Frontier

The Hound’s Pursuit

Chapter 1: Crossroads of Chaos — Chapter 2: The Gathering Storm (I can only add links on my computer FML) — Chapter 3: Coming soon!

Yellowstone

Steady Heart

Rating: M

Pairing: Slow-burn Kayce Dutton x Stella Daniels OFC

39 Chapters

When a sudden death happens at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, Stella Daniels is forced deeper into the world of her employer, John Dutton. It’s much further than her experience from just working with the horses and being an extra wrangler when needed. Now Stella, her brother Ryan, and her best friend Kayce; her employer’s youngest semi-estranged son, have to navigate finding their place within the ranch’s not-so-clean dealings and the challenges that come their way.

Movin’ Mountains

Rating: M

Pairing: Kayce Dutton x Stella Daniels OFC

In the wake of a new horizon, with the aftermath of Malcolm’s attack behind them, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch tries to get back to some sense of normalcy. Stella works on recovering from her injuries, and how to navigate the new foundation of her relationship with Kayce. The gang does their best to keep her grounded. With the newest players introducing themselves quickly will they be able to keep the newest evil at bay? Stella knew that Malcolm would certainly not be the last. The ranch will have to work hard to keep the wolves close but at bay simultaneously because people always say, “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Right? Right.

[jungle-angel]

The One With Royal's Old Firebird: Part 1 (Rhett Abbott x Reader)

Summary: It's almost Royal and Cece's 37th wedding anniversary and you and Rhett are trying to do something extra special for them, but your little venture isn't without plenty of shenanigans in between

Warnings: Not really, just a bunch of typical man shenanigans, references to "The Sandlot"

Tagging: @floydsmuse @floydsglasses @withahappyrefrain @attapullman @rhettabbotts @sorchathered @callmemana @delopsia @lewmagoo @kmc1989 @cowboybarbie

It was probably the hottest day that Wabang had ever seen, made hotter still by the fact that Memorial Day was well around the corner and that a heatwave was beginning to hang over the Rocky Mountain states.

Rhett, Wes, Billy, Rip Wheeler, Kayce Dutton and the others had been combing Hank Hewson's junkyard since nine that morning and already the heat was beginning to settle over the place. Even after twenty something years, the place was still a chaotic mess.

"Hey ya'll think that old Ed, Edd n Eddy shag wagon's still at the other end?" Kayce asked. "The one we all used to hide out in?"

"Wouldn't doubt it," Rhett chuckled. "Thing's probably a literal rat's nest by now."

"Remember when we all used to play 'Smokey and the Bandit' in that thing?" Rip reminisced.

"M'fuckin surprised the CB radio still worked," Teeter laughed, chewing on a piece of Ice-Breaker gum.

All of them laughed and reminisced about the childhood memories of when Hank would let them play in the junkyard. He had always been good to the local ranch and reservation brats who often came traipsing in, the neighborhood misfits who didn't belong to a particular clique or group and who had formed a tribe of their own. His razor sharp tongue had earned him the admiration of the neighborhood miscreants who came before Rhett and the others and the utter disdain of local hag, Gale Burch.

They followed the sound of a slide guitar being played and sure enough, there was Hank and his dog, an old English Mastiff named "Hercules". Hank sat in his rocker on the porch, guitar in hand, picking away and a pair of aviators on his face as he sang along to the familiar sound of "Boom Boom Boom" by Big Head Todd and The Monsters. Hercules howled along as Rhett and the others listened, bobbing their heads and their hands beating along on the porch posts. When he had finished, all of them applauded.

"Now if my ears don't deceive me, I'd think it's been close to fifteen years since I heard my favorite miscreants show up at my doorstep," Hank laughed.

"How's it goin Hank?" Rhett asked.

"Never better Rhett," Hank answered. "Whatcha lookin for this morning?"

"Uh.....we heard ya'll might have a car body we're lookin for," Rhett answered. "Seventy-six Pontiac Firebird?"

"Got it!" Hank exclaimed. "C'mon, ya'll can follow me."

Hank grabbed a walking stick that leaned near the front window. Normally, his wife Cecily, would have showed them where it was, but she had gone to help Joy and Martha with a project for the day. Hercules was right at his side, acting as Hank's eyes when others couldn't.

He led them to a part of the yard, not far from the house where piles and piles of rusty car bodies were neatly lined up or stacked in some cases. Hercules stopped and put his paw right up on the frame of one of them, barking to signal that he had found it.

"And here we go," said Hank. "One 1976 Pontiac Firebird. I'll see if I can call Howie Kavanaugh and have one of his brothers tow it for you. Where's it goin?"

"Gonna have it stored at my Uncle John's place up in Montana," Rhett explained. "Tryin to keep it a surprise for Dad."

Hank laughed as memories of Royal, John Dutton and their own gang of merry misfits came flooding back to him. "In that case I'll give ya'll the frame for cheap," he said. "How's fifteen-hundred? No more, no less?"

"I've got sixteen if you'll take that?" Rhett said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Fifteen-fifty and you've got a deal," Hank offered.

"Done!"

Rhett shook his hand and paid him the money up front. Hopefully his earnings from the last ride of his career would be enough to cover it.

Howie Kavanaugh, one of the only tow truck guys in Wabang, came by before they left and towed the rusted body and frame away for them, Rhett and the others following them all the way up to Bozeman where it was stored in one of the garage barns where it would be safe. John didn't say a word about it, wanting to keep it a secret for Royal.

"Alright, let's look at this beast and see what's up," Rhett remarked, lifting up the hood.

Needless to say, what met their eyes was pretty nasty.

Everything was completely rusted out, the engine block black with oil rot and rust while grasses and rodent droppings lay throughout.

"Jeebus, Mary and Joseph!" Rhett gagged.

"Oh that shit's nasty," Rip said, making a face.

"I'm afraid to open up the oil tank and smell it," Kayce shuddered.

"Holy fuck," Teeter half laughed. "Guess the mice made this place their personal shitter."

Sure enough, Rhett and Kayce opened up the oil tank and the smell hit them full force, the two of them gagging as hot bile rose in their throats. The rest of the car wasn't much better, the trunk full of so much junk that it really should've been a trash compactor. The fabric of the seats had been chewed and torn by the mice while the carpeting on the floors was completely gone.

"We're gonna be here a while aren't we?" Kayce asked him.

"Yep," Rhett said with a nod.

[valenthario]

biggest heartthrob in chestnut ridge❤️‍🔥

[inkmonster21]

A Cowboy’s Love

Yellowstone Ryan x OC!Dutton

Part TWO

Series Masterlist

This is Part THREE

🤠

Hattie descended the stairs, finding her father seated in front of a mirror, attempting to mend a gash on his forehead. Her voice echoed a mix of worry and lighthearted curiosity. "Daddy, what in the world did you do?"

A touch of amusement tinged his voice as he responded, "Your mother was always better at this." Hattie picked up the needle from the table and gently took over, expertly suturing the cut.

Jamie entered the room and chimed in, "You should let a doctor do that."

Hattie retorted, her skills coming to mind. "I think he'll live. I've stitched up enough people, Jamie." A hint of irritation and confidence laced her statement, rolling her eyes as if to dismiss his doubt.

"All right," Jamie conceded, following his instructions. "Alan asked me to mention it," he began, John's focus shifting towards him. "They'd allow us to harvest the timber-"

John cut him off abruptly, his tone firm. "No." There was no room for negotiation in his decision.

Hattie gently reprimanded her father, her words slightly annoyed. "Stop moving, Daddy."

John addressed Jamie, his voice holding a mixture of authority and wisdom. "When you say no, it needs to be the death of the question," he explained. "If there's even a hint of a maybe, the questions won't stop until they find something you can't say no to. You need to know when to think like a lawyer, and when to think like a landowner. Or else, you'll forever be just a lawyer."

John couldn't resist glancing at Jamie again, but Hattie quickly grabbed his chin, gently yet firmly turning his head back. With a mix of annoyance and care, she scolded him, "Sit still, or it'll scar." She skillfully tied off the stitch, carefully snipping off the excess thread.

Turning to the mirror, John inspected the stitches Hattie had meticulously done. His eyes soft, he nodded in approval. "You got your mother's hands, Hattie."

John marched out of the house, with Hattie and Jamie following closely behind. As the helicopter blades whirled above, Jamie exclaimed loudly, "I told them no!"

Lee arrived in one of the Yellowstone trucks, catching up with the family. "You're not coming, Dad?" he asked.

John shook his head, explaining, "No, I have a meeting in Bozeman." He turned to address his children. "Why don't you take your badge out with you today? And a rifle," he added. "The badge is for the ranchers riding with you. It'll prevent them from bringing home any extras." John walked toward the helicopter, and Lee chuckled softly as he headed back to the truck.

Hattie detached from the ongoing conversation, heading toward the barn to saddle her horse. As she began to prepare the saddle, two hands suddenly encircled her waist, making her spin around. Ryan's words echoed through the air, a smirk playing on his face.

"I was waiting for you," he said.

Hattie responded sarcastically, "I'm sorry you wasted your time." Ryan's playful expression became earnest. "When are you going to let me take you out?" Hattie rolled her eyes and removed her arms from his neck. "You're ruining it every time."

Ryan's frustration grew apparent, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation. "What do I have to do, Hattie?" he exclaimed, his eyes locked on hers. "Just tell me."

Hattie mounted her horse, her sigh betraying her own sense of resignation. "You want to know what you can do? Stop asking me out," she shot back.

Ryan couldn't hide his disbelief. "So this-" he gestured between them "-isn't anything? We're just messing around for fun? Is that really how you feel, after two years of this?"

Hattie tried to reason with him, her tone pleading. "Ryan, I don't think now is the right-" but he cut her off, his frustration bubbling over. "It's never the right time, is it? You never want to talk about this!"

"What the hell are you two doing?" Rip's voice echoed through the barn, cutting through the tension. "You're supposed to be 20 minutes out. Everyone has already left. Stop messing around and start riding."

Hattie rode out of the barn, leaving Ryan and Rip alone.

Rip inquired, "What's that about, Ryan?"

A heavy sigh escaped Ryan's lips. He cares deeply for Hattie, aching to make her happy, but her stubbornness prevents him from doing so. "Nothing," he lied. "Nothing at all."

That night, Hattie entered the barn and found Ryan leaning against the wall. She couldn't help but smirk slightly. "Why am I not surprised?"

Ryan had clearly been avoiding Hattie all day, no doubt nursing his hurt feelings.

Ryan shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face as he confessed, "I know it's an unhealthy obsession." The air grew quieter as Hattie led her horse into the stable and began to lock the animal up. Her thoughts ran deep, weighing the pros and cons of giving Ryan a real chance. What were the worst things that could come from taking this risk? Nothing, except confronting all her fears.

Hattie placed her hands on his shoulders, and his automatically slid to her waist. She leaned in, their lips meeting in a brief but satisfying kiss.

"If you want to talk," she murmured, "come over tonight. I'll leave the window open." Ryan smiled and gently stroked her cheek, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you." With that, Hattie reluctantly withdrew from his embrace and headed back to the main house to get ready for bed.

Hattie entered the front door, completely unprepared for the surprise awaiting her. "Look at you," a familiar voice teased. "All grown up."

Hattie froze at the sound, then exclaimed, "BETH!" She jumped over the arm of the sofa and tackled her big sister.

"Goddamn it, Hattie," Beth groaned, struggling to breathe under her sister's weight. "You're not ten anymore, get the hell off me!"

Hattie settled next to Beth, a sly smile on her face. "Did you get a boob job?"

Beth, unashamed, squeezed, knowing no boundaries. John shakes his head in disgust, "Jesus Christ, girls. Please."

"Sorry, Dad." Hattie struggled to hold back her laughter. Beth inquired with a raised brow, "No boyfriend, Hattie?" Hattie shook her head, her voice firm. "Hell no."

Beth protested, "I've got some really hot-" but John interrupted, his voice stern. "She doesn't need a boyfriend, Beth. She's got enough on her plate." Beth rolled her eyes at John's words, subtly mouthing "I got you" to Hattie. Hattie took her cue and excused herself, saying her goodnights to the two before slipping out.

Hattie showered and washed away the day's dirt and grime. She slipped into comfortable pajamas and silently waited, thinking about the nights when Ryan would arrive late, only to be sent away once they had finished. She knew Ryan was a decent guy, and he deserved better than what she offered him, and that was exactly what she planned to tell him.

Right on schedule, the familiar sound of Ryan sliding the window open reached her ears. "Hey," he whispered as he hopped down from the tree and into the room, his skill from having made the trip many times before evident. Hattie responded from the bathroom where she was brushing her blonde hair, "Hey." Hattie entered the room and instantly spotted Ryan lying down on the bed, making himself right at home with his arms behind his head.

"Yeah, sure, just make yourself comfy," she said sarcastically, then kicked his boots off the bed. "At least take your damn boots off. Are you an animal or something?" Ryan smiled widely, understanding that taking off his boots meant he wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

Hattie perched on the edge of the bed, a silent invitation for conversation. "You wanted to talk?" Ryan nodded, straightening up. "I just want to understand, Hattie," he began. "You won't let me take you out, but you keep stringing me along. I’ve dated a few girls and you scare them off. I'm at the point where if this doesn't happen now, I don't know if I want to keep doing this any longer."

Hattie pushed her hair behind her ear, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "That's fair," she acknowledged.

Ryan vehemently shook his head. "But I don’t want that, Hattie. I want this. I want you."

Hattie's chest tightened at his words, and she vehemently shook her head in response. "You don't, Ryan. I'm not some cute little girlfriend you picture, waiting to greet you with homemade pies when you come home. I'm not that girl."

Ryan grasped her wrists, his confusion evident in his eyes. "Hattie, I don't want you to change," he insisted. "I want you exactly as you are. The mouthy, wild, funny, and fearless cowgirl I... like spending time with."

Lee's words echoed in Hattie's mind, and she thought, "Screw it, here we go." She looked up at Ryan, meeting his gaze directly. "One date. Then we see."

Ryan stared at her in surprise, as if he hadn't expected her response.

"I really thought I was going to be leaving without an answer," he exclaimed, pumping his arms in excitement. "Hell yeah!" Ryan's actions triggered a fit of laughter from Hattie, causing her to crawl onto his lap, straddling him with her thighs on either side of him. She gave him a sly smirk. "You're one lucky cowboy, that's all I can say."

Ryan tenderly brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, his voice soft yet earnest. "I promise I'll be good to you, Hattie."

Their foreheads rested together, their breaths mingling in the quiet intimacy of the moment. Perhaps it was time for Hattie to grow. Perhaps she could allow herself to be vulnerable, experience genuine feelings, and find joy in life with someone by her side.

Hattie positioned herself, snuggling against his side. "Let's get some sleep while we still can," she mumbled. "I have to dynamite a damn river tomorrow."

Ryan wrapped his arms around her, pulling them close together. "I'm actually staying?" He asked, his voice carrying a smile. Hattie felt a warm sensation spreading through her body. "Of course, you're staying, Ryan," she affirmed.

He pressed a kiss to the back of her head and whispered, "Goodnight, Hattie."

[pretending-ican-write]

Cowboy Up - Pt. 12

A/N: Apologies for the radio silence for so long but it's been hectic getting my dissertation finished! I only have a few more weeks of assignments left and then uni is done which is very scary. For now enjoy this part! As always let me know if you want to be added to the tag list or send any requests you have for this pairing!

I make no claim that my ranching knowledge is accurate, it's all made up.

Pairing: Ryan (Yellowstone) x Dutton!reader

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The first colours of the day are starting to paint the sky when y/n stepped out of the house, hat securely on her head and cooler full of food for Gator who was waiting for her.  She dropped it next to the stone grill in exchange for two steaming mugs of coffee that she took to the barn where Jimmy was opening up.

When he got to the open door she handed him one of the mugs, “learning to do this shit one-handed is vital to starting the day properly caffeinated.”

The pair worked through tacking up the horses for the day in a comfortable routine that they had perfected over the last few weeks working together.  Despite repeated reminders that it was low man’s job to tack up in the morning, y/n just glared at whoever directed the reminder at her and insisted that it was a ritual she enjoyed.  Besides, anything she could do to help Jimmy pick up ranch skills quicker and avoid ridicule from the hands.

Comanche was the last horse y/n tacked up, always choosing to leave her own horse until the end when she could give him a little bit of extra attention (and her apple core, an important part of his day).  She led him outside of the barn in time to hear Rip calling out the start of the day.  Mourning the fact that she hadn’t had time for a morning cigarette, y/n mounted up to follow the hands out of the gate towards the herd.

-/-/-

A few hours later, the hands were moving all the cattle from their grazing with the help of the helicopter.  Y/n had Comanche positioned at the back of the group with Ryan and Colby to the left of her to keep the herd moving forward.

“I thought you’d be better to deal with once we finally got over 10 years of pining but no turns out you’re just more of a soft fucker,” Colby complained to Ryan.

She laughed at her friend, “not all cowboys are emotionally stunted like you Colby, no need to be jealous I’m sure you’ll find a real girl to love you one day.”

“A real girl?  As opposed to a what girl?”

“A blow up one,” Ryan sighed, “she’s saying you have a sex doll.”

He didn’t get a chance to insult her back as she opted to leave the boys at the back to check in at the front.  She eased to a walk next to Lloyd when Rip rode up to them.

“Y/n you’re in charge of keeping everyone on track,” he directed, “I gotta deal with stragglers.”

She saluted him and shouted after him, “take Jimmy with you!”

“You’ll take all our jobs when we retire, kid,” Lloyd commented.

Y/n laughed, “old man you ain’t ever gonna retire.  I know you’re gonna die on that horse herding cattle.”

She peeled away and returned to the back next to Ryan who smiled softly at her.  Colby gagged at his friends which earned a middle finger from both of them.  Everyone’s eyes snapped to the trees when there was a shout followed by hooves at speed.

“Ryan, Colby go get those cattle back here!” Y/n shouted, “Lloyd help Jimmy with the horse!”

Repositioning her hat to keep the sun out of her eyes, y/n groaned internally as she scanned over the remaining hands to ensure no more cattle would slip through the cracks.  John had spent her whole life preparing Lee to take over the ranch but now that he was gone, it seemed that her father was desperately scrambling.  In her opinion it seemed far too convenient that John had decided to reconcile with Kayce when the ranch needed an heir, overlooking the fact that she’d been part of the operation for 8 years.  She was pretty sure that she could handle the (legitimate) side of the ranch with her eyes closed.

“You looking deep in thought there sweetheart,” Ryan cut through the anger simmering under the surface.

She smiled at him, “just wishing that dad would see I could handle the ranch.  Jimmy alright?”

“Anyone would think that you feel sorry for him,” he joked half-heartedly.

Lucy shrugged, “I do Ry.  I was born doing this and y’all chose it but he didn’t.  Least I can do is hope he adapts quick.”

She watched as the cattle slipped into the rest of the herd, keeping an eye out for any of them that might have sustained an injury going through the woods.  They were followed by Lloyd who she gestured over to the back before he could get to Rip.

“He’s finding his hat before he comes back,” He answered her question before she got it out.

Y/n huffed out a breath, “fuck knows losing that would not go over well.”

With a nod to her, he turned his horse around and cantered back to head up the herd.  Lucy patted Comanche’s neck and turned her eyes back to the cattle in front of her.

-/-/-

With all the cattle down by the barn, y/n settled into the familiar movements of separating the herd.  Even when she wasn’t old enough to be in the pen, she could remember sitting on the fence helping  John organise the hands.  When she was 10, she’d been allowed to take part on her horse and Lloyd had spent many a evening helping so that y/n would be able to keep up with her brothers.  At this point in her life, there was a chance she could do this job with one arm tied behind her back.

In the other pen, y/n watched as Kayce’s stallion continued to give John a hard time.  She rolled her eyes and leant over to speak to Lloyd, “I question my brother’s motives for giving dad that horse unless he’s tryna get his inheritance early.”

“I think it’s gonna take a bit more than a horse with a vendetta to kill your father,” he remarked.  

Y/n laughed, “here’s hoping a concussion might knock some sense into him.  That or finally kill the rest of his brain cells and I can take over the whole thing.”

She turned her attention back to the cattle encouraging Comanche forward to cut off one of the heifers that had made a break for it.  With her thoughts back on the job and not her father, y/n quickly fell back into the rhythm of working the cattle.

-/-/-

A little while later, y/n’s attention was pulled away from the cattle to Kayce’s truck pulling up outside the barn.  She watched her brother get out before helping Tate out of the other side.  Her nephew made a beeline to the corral to climb the fence, fascinated with what the hands were doing.  Y/n sought out Rip’s gaze from the opposite side who waved her towards the fence where Tate was watching from.  With a smile of thanks to the foreman, she brought Comanche parallel to the boy.

“What are you doing?” Tate asked in greeting, reaching out to stroke the horse’s spotted neck.

His aunt glanced back at the herd, “well we’ve got to split up the herd before we can send them off to make sure they all go to the right place.  Different colours mean different things.  It’s up to us to know which colour is meant to go to who.”

“Mind if I steal your nephew from you?” John leant up against the fence next to him.

She leant down from Comanche to receive a high-five from her nephew, “he’s all your dad.  Misbehave for me Tate.”

Ignoring her dad’s groan and her suggestion, she directed the gelding around the remaining herd to where Ryan had been watching the conversation with hearts in his eyes.

“Why you looking at me like that?  Someone will see you,” Y/n teased.

He rolled his eyes at her, “you’re good with him.  That’s all.”

“For all my brother’s faults he and Mon made a damn good kid,” Y/n admitted, “I just hope dad doesn’t mess it up with how he’s gettin’ his claws in of late.  Tate practically worships him.”

“He adores you too y’know,” Ryan pointed out to her.

Y/n shrugged him off, “that’s just because I’m the only part of this side of the family that’s been around since he was born.  Dad has a lot more interest to a young boy than boring aunt Lucy.”

“You ain’t boring to me sweetheart.”

---

@child-of-of-the-sunshine @kendallroydefender @qardasngan @thecobraghost @little-diable

[unscharf-an-den-raendern]

Schloss Einstein Folge 1058

Es ist soweit, nach sechs Folgen kriegt Joshua endlich mal mehr Screentime als zwei Minuten oder so, denn er hat 🎉 Geburtstag 🎉.

Joshua hat keinen Bock mit "dem Kindergarten hier" seinen Geburtstag zu feiern. Keine Party, keine Geschenke. Elly: "Wir können ja was zu zweit machen." Joshua: "Lieber gehe ich ohne Wasser durch die Sahara". Er freut sich stattdessen auf ein Online Q&A mit J.J. Dutton, bei der man Fragen zu ihrem neuen Buch stellen kann.

Marlon stellt seinen Mitstreiter:innen den Plan für die neue Schülerzeitung vor - auf einem Flipchart. Hat Joel ihn angesteckt?

Die erste große Story ist die Neueröffnung des Share Spaces. Der soll jetzt ein Community Space werden, mit Nachhilfe, Reperatur-Café und Computerkursen. Weil Marlon und Mikka beide keine Zeit haben, meldet sich Tahmina freiwillig. Ich rieche schon das nächste Chaos.

Elly braucht Massudas Hilfe: Sie will eine Überraschungsparty für Joshua planen. Massuda hat zwar keine Zeit, aber Reena ist zur Stelle. Reena: "Wenn ich was kann, dann Orga."

Elly erzählt etwas Joshua Backstory: Als er in der 1. Klasse war, ist niemand zu seiner Geburtstagsparty gekommen. Seitdem wollte er nie wieder Geburtstag feiern und ist so geworden, wie er ist.

Reena bietet Leon eine Limo an.

Marlon erklärt Tahmi, wie man ein Interview führt. Dabei lässt sie sich aber wieder ablenken und spielt mit einem Gummiband. Außerdem hat sie sich die wichtigen Termine extra auf den Arm geschrieben. Leute, ich hab das Gefühl, das ADHS bleibt nicht nur ein Headcanon. Das ist so obvious.

Leon ist genervt. Io schreibt ihm nur, dass sie gerade nicht kann und dann ertränkt er auch noch fast die Pflanzen im Schulgarten. Leon zu Mikka: "Mach deinen Scheiß doch alleine!" *schmeißt ihm die Schürze ins Gesicht*

Massuda lädt Tahmi zu Joshuas Geburtstagsfeier ein, obwohl sie eigentlich zur selben Zeit das Interview führen müsste. Elly verspricht Tahmi dafür, ihr ein Stück Zitronenkuchen übrigzulassen, wenn sie den Einhornballon aufbläst.

AVA!

Leon sucht Trost bei seiner Schwester Charlotte. Er und Io haben in den Sommerferien alles zusammen gemacht und jetzt geht sie nie ans Handy. Charlotte schlägt vor, dass Leon einfach mit Io reden sollte, damit Io weiß, wie er sich fühlt.

Tahmi hat den Einhornballon erfolgreich aufgeblasen, lässt sich dann aber von einer Konfettikanone ablenken und das Einhorn macht sich selbstständig, sodass sie ihm hinterherrennen muss.

Joshua lässt die Überraschungsparty über sich ergehen, wirkt dabei aber die ganze Zeit wie Grumpy Cat. Außerdem rückt das Q&A immer näher, also verscheucht er schließlich alle von seiner Party.

Reena und Massuda haben derweil herausgefunden, dass Elly die Party nur geplant hat, um ihren Bruder lächerlich zu machen und die ganze "Niemand ist auf seine Geburtstagsparty gekommen" Story gar nicht stimmt. Renna und Massuda wollen sich darum bei Joshua entschuldigen, Elly aber natürlich nicht. Immerhin entschuldigt sich Joshua auch nie bei ihr. Willkommen im "Hilfe, wir wurden in die Probleme anderer Leute mit reingezogen" Club!

Leon hat jetzt eine Sprachnachricht an Io aufgenommen und entschuldigt sich bei Mikka.

Und auch Reena und Massuda sind zu Joshua auf den Dachboden gegangen, um sich zu entschuldigen. Joshua: "Eigentlich zeigt das auch, dass ist noch bescheuerter seid als sie. Keine Sorge. Ich brauche eh keine Leute, deren IQ den Gefrierpunkt tangiert." Joshua gibt mir Joel am Anfang von Staffel 26 Vibes und wir wissen, was dann mit ihm passiert ist. Colin, komm zurück, du wirst gebraucht!

Weil Tahmi das Einhorn von einem Baum retten musste, hat sie natürlich ihren Termin mit Charlotte vergessen, sodass Marlon sich bei Charlotte entschuldigen muss, bevor Tahmi hereingestürmt kommt und sich ebenfalls entschuldigt. Was ist das? Die Neuauflage von "Verzeih mir"?

Nachdem Reena und Massuda sich selbst überzeugen konnten, wie Joshua so drauf ist, sind sie jetzt ganz auf Ellys Seite. Das neue Trio Infernale?

[cozyalliesims]

The Dutton Family | Sim Download by cozyalliesims

Meet the Duttons! Walker Dutton is a single father to Lainey and Blanche (Birdie) Dutton. After losing their mother at a very young age, the girls spent the majority of their childhood raised by their father. Walker was trying his best, but between struggling to keep his ranch a float and raising his two girls, he knew he needed help, and he knew his girls were longing for a female role model. So when an old friend of his fathers reached out for help with his daughter, he gladly jumped at the chance to make extra cash and possibly provide a female figure to his girls.

All Information & Download Links

Gallery ID | Cozyalliesims

Young Family

Single Father & His Daughters

Other Notes

Gshade Preset | Pearl by PixelGlam

Lighting Mod | Sunblind by Softerhaze

Lighting Mod | Better In-Game Lighting by NorthernSiberiaWinds

If any missing mods or issues with the sim, please let me know!

most of these outfits were created using the horse ranch pack

Thank you to all the CC Creators!

I currently do not have the individual files for each sim but if you would be interested in that please let me know

Policies

Do Not reupload/redistribute or claim as your own

Link To Download | The Duttons