#And I hope I didn't butcher Ashe too bad ahaha..

[deadmansgun]

A Heartfelt Talk Under The Snow ||Drabble for a friend||

@bcrnitdown

I’m not feeling as festive this year, but I figured Xmas would create a very cute environment for this.

Anyway, Nightmares are absolutely terrible. Especially if they are more terrifying each time, if it becomes scary enough, it can even be slightly scarring. I apologize in advance for possibly(Likely) butchering Ashe in this but I’ll do my best to be as exact as I can, tho there’s no way it would ever be as amazing as your take on her is.

I hope this helps brighten up your day at least a little bit Anarchy <3

Please enjoy below the cut since it will likely be long.

After a busy week full of successful heists and robberies, the Deadlock gang was pretty much set for the holiday. Everyone at camp was in a festive mood and the decorations John had helped Ashe put up were really creating a peaceful holiday environment for everyone. The gang seemed to be having a great time, a bunch of the guys were drinking with a game of poker, some playing five finger filet and dominos, even horseshoe. It had been a very long time since he had been in a gang of Outlaws, but it was thanks to things like this, that would remind him that even a group of murderers, robberies, liars, cheats and thieves, could still be considered a family, and John had to admit, it made him remember the good old days of his old gang, the memories of his time there with everyone would forever remain in his heart, and he’d take them wherever his future would go.

Although this would seem like a mistake to his old friends, they had their own lives to live now, so whatever he did, was up to him. As for Uncle, well he would probably be fine, he had the whole ranch now, and honestly, he didn’t care too much for going back to Beechers Hope, precisely why he had decided to join them. Despite being back in the old life again, something very good came out of it. John had met Ashe. And despite the two of them trying to keep it professional, over time, it had developed into something much more personal and special. They had become very close and it was a connection that John cherished.

While everyone else got completely hammered in the background, while John and Ashe were drinking, they weren’t drunk yet, maybe a little buzzed but that was it, for right now anyway. 

As everyone carried on with their drunken holiday fun in the background, John and Ashe were sitting near a cliff. John had directed them to Shady Belle as their new spot for camp, and it had this cliff that gave off this amazing view of the water below and the beautiful environment after it.

[{ ☠ }] - “Ya know. it’s been a real long time since I celebrated the holiday season like this..” 

John speaks, reflecting on the only other time he had celebrated which was back with the Van Der Linde Gang, he was still with Abigail back then, but ever since he had joined Deadlock, the name Abigail Roberts was nothing more than a ghost to him now. Did he still regret failing to prove himself to Abigail? Well, sometimes, but not so much anymore. Though the odd time here and there, he did find himself wondering how they were doing, and if Jack actually followed his dream of being a Lawyer.

“I reckon it’s been’a few years then ain’t it?” She asked.

A nod in response.

[{ ☠ }] - “Yeah, last time I celebrated like this, I uh... I had me a family.”

Red eyes widened a little, she was pretty shocked at finding out he used to have a family. She felt the urge to make a playful joke about it, but seeing how different he was acting, Ashe knew this was a likely a deep wound for him, so she decided against it.

“A family? Like with a woman an’ child?” She softly asked, to which John gave a slow nod.

Ashe looked over at him, curious eyes as she observed him carefully. He seemed to be having a good time at first, but now, Ashe noticed a look of slight sadness in his eyes. Ashe was never the one to openly show affection, especially in situations like this, but when the moment called for it, Ashe could be gentle and sweet, of course, only outside of the eyes of the others in Deadlock, she had a persona to keep after all, but with John, she had no problem shifting to support him if needed, they had a special connection after all. so instead, she sat there and listened.

[{ ☠ }] - “Yeah.. I met after my group saved her, she joined us...sometime later, had me a son..Jack was his name. The boy never did like me much. Don’t blame him though,  I wasn’t the best father back then.”

[{ ☠ }] - “But t’make a long story short, after it all went to hell, I tried changin’ my life around. Makin’ an honest livin’ an such. One day, I had to pick up my guns again to protect the place we was stayin’ at. my old lady didn’t really like me bein’ some gunslinger and after me and my son got shot at by some revenge seeking bastards, she went and left me. Tried my best t’show her I could be a different man, even went outta my way t’make a bank loan so I could buy us a ranch. Two friends and I built it. Sent her a letter, but... she didn’t come back.”

Ashe listened in silence as he told his story, this had been the first time that John had gave this much details about his past, so Ashe was a little caught off guard by it all, but she felt for him. The poor man really had done his best, and the fact she still didn’t return to him after all that? It was sad. Her expression softens.

“I didn’t know ya had yerself a family before... wow, I’m real sorry John.” 

A slow nod of acknowledgment.

[{ ☠ }] - “I don’t blame her, if I was her, I’d leave me too..” The sadness in his tone was more evident at the end of his sentence.

Ashe would gentle rest a hand on his leg in comfort. A brief silence would follow, but a comfortable one even despite the grim topic. After the two stared out at the view watching the snow gently fall gracefully to the ground. It was snowy but it wasn’t cold out and was actually pretty nice.

With a gentle bite of her bottom lip, Ashe moved closer to John and gently rested her head on his shoulder. It was sudden, but John didn’t hesitate to tilt his head her direction so they were touching heads. After a few minutes, she would lift her head off his slowly but looked up at him slowly inching closer until they were touching foreheads.

“Personally John, I think you’re a much better Outlaw than a Father..” She would reach her hand up to gently cup his cheek caressing it gently.

“But ya know what? There ain’t nothin’ wrong with that, and I think yer a great man, perfectly bad, but ina’ good kinda’ way..Ah’m real glad ya joined Deadlock, My family, is your family..”

Ashe’s words made John’s heart flutter a bit, for others, that would probably be considered some kind of insult. But what she had just said, had been the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him in a very long time, he was used to Uncle belittling him for everyone and being the target of Uncle’s jokes. He had no regrets about joining Deadlock.

[{ ☠ }] - “Ashe...y-” John’s sentence was suddenly cut off by Ashe gently putting a finger on his lips shushing him.

“..John.. look up.” 

John takes his head off hers for a moment to notice that there was a mistletoe above them. The exact moment John looked back down at her, she cupped his cheek, leaned in and kissed him on the lips. John was quick to wrap his hands around her waist while she put her arms around his neck. The kissed they shared had been a long passionate one, and the moment they pulled away, they went in for another and proceeded to escalate into a make out session, but a heartfelt one full of passion until they finally took a breather. The warmth of their personal campfire next to their spot on the cliff was keeping them warm, so laying on his sleeping bag, Ashe would lay her head over his chest.

[{ ☠ }] - “Ya think the others are wondering where we are?” John asks.

“Ahhh those guys can wait a little. Ah’m comfy.” She shifts her head to look up at him.

“Don’t think Ah’m headin’ back in anytime soon anyway..” She says giving him a little smile.

A soft chuckle followed by a warm smile of his own.

[{ ☠ }] - “Good, I ain’t moving either.” The two would lay there enjoying each others company for a while before John finally broke the silence.

[{ ☠ }] - “Ashe... you’ve given this fool right here, a home... thank you..”

A light blush on her cheek, but she’s quick to lay her head back down on his chest and hide it.

No John.. thank you.