#so yeah young Vandermatthews 🙏

[outlawruben]

The Sweet Sound of Music

This is a Vandermatthews fic I wrote based on a headcannon I had on how Dutch got his Phonograph he keeps in his tent 🫶

(This also includes a first Vandermatthews kiss, and some drunken dancing)

No I totally didn’t start getting tired and forget how to English towards the end.. wdym?? Anyways here it is 🙏💗

The evening became really drab as the sun began to set, another failed mission leading to a shootout. Thankfully they hadn’t experienced any casualties so it was more of a bruised ego than anything on the pair of hucksters. They bought a single bottle of whiskey with their combined pocket change to share between them.

“Shoulda robbed the bastard that sold us this shit, lord knows he overcharged us.” Dutch grumbled to Hosea. “ ‘s what we get I suppose, he knows our occupation..”

“hm.” Dutch replied unsatisfied with Hosea’s reasoning.

Hosea idly swirled the shared bottle. The two of them didn’t have a glass so they had to share it directly. They were as broke as a joke, and the only thing they had to feed themselves was a couple cans of beans and old venison wrapped up nicely in Hosea’s saddle bag, from when he went hunting a few days back.

“I’m so sick of beans, and lord knows I’ve had too much venison.” Dutch started, braking the silence. “We just need one good take- something to fill our pockets with things that sparkle, rather than lint.”

“I agree, being poor is awfully monotonous.” Hosea chuckled with the usual twinkle in his eye after saying something witty.

“Why don’t I start up that phonograph I found the other day?” Dutch suggested. “You know? To see if it works, of course.” He reasoned. “Sure..” Hosea smirked. Dutch inserted the wax Edison cylinder they found separately in an old cottage a week back.

“Hey, you know what this is?” Dutch asked Hosea from across the small cabin. “Looks like a block of dust to me.” Hosea replied, causing Dutch to roll his eyes. “I remember learning about these, few months ago, read about it in a newspaper, never did I think I’d find a real one!” Dutch exclaimed. The older man stepped closer. “Well enlighten me, Mr. Van Der Linde, what is it?”

“It’s a wax cylinder!” Dutch exclaimed, the light catching the excitement in his eyes. “Very impressive.” Hosea snarked. “It plays music!” Dutch smiled. “So what do I do? ask the lady here to sing for us?” Hosea snickered to himself. Dutch’s smile quickly dropped. “Well if you’re going to be such an ass about it, Mr. Matthews..” Dutch grumbled. “Oh come on Dutch, you know I’m joking.” Hosea reassured him. “How does it work?” Hosea asked smiling.

A couple days later, as if it were fate, they stumbled upon a small, absent camp. The campers were clearly away fishing at the stream a few miles down the hill. And there it was. A phonograph, with Dutch’s name written all over it. And boy was it a hassle to quickly hoist up and strap to their horses, but it wasn’t like it was their first time stealing something of this size.

“Who’d leave something like this unattended?” Dutch asked shouting over the wind and hoofbeats. “Clearly someone who doesn’t know you exist, Dutch.” Hosea replied promptly.

Dutch wound the handle and closely listened for any sign of sound from within the horn. Hosea watched in curiosity, brain half buzzed from the whiskey he was nursing. “Aha!” Dutch exclaimed pleased. “It does work.” He smiled at Hosea. “Good, we can sell that thing for two bottles then.” Hosea joked. “Ain’t happening, I’m going to have this phonograph for as long as I live.” Dutch smiled.

“Too drunk to appreciate good music then?” Dutch asked. “No, I’m right as rain.” Hosea said, feigning total sobriety. “Good, cause I’ve got no dance partner.” Dutch hinted, swaying over to Hosea. “That is if you can dance.” Hosea snarked. “Let me prove it to you then.” Dutch charmed. Normally Dutch’s charisma wouldn’t work on a fully sober Hosea, but Dutch seemed to have the upper hand on this one.

Dutch took Hosea’s right hand in his left, and held the small of his back. While Hosea followed suit holding him around to his upper back. “I didn’t know you were so lady like Hosea, why, I would’ve figured you’d gone to an all girl’s finishing school.” Dutch joked. Hosea shook his head. “Sleep with one eye open Mr. Van Der Linde, I’ll teach you proper knife etiquette.”

“Oh ho!” Dutch barked a laugh. “You don’t mean that.” “We’ll see.” Hosea replied. The music was soft, with a slow beginning, and they swayed rhythmically, save for their weakened knees from the slight drunkenness they shared. “I knew you weren’t quite too old for dancing.” Dutch spoke softly to the man in his arms. “I’m not sure what you mean, I’m in my prime.” Hosea mumbled, and Dutch chucked. “No doubt.” Dutch said smiling.

Hosea glanced up at Dutch’s eyes and Dutch returned the gesture. His eyes were round and youthful, and always seemed to catch every twinkle of light surrounding the coffee brown centers. Hosea thought his were getting duller with age, however, Dutch seemed to think otherwise. Dutch could always get lost in Hosea’s eyes, they were deep reddened russet, and seemed to have a ring of honey gold in the center, and they were Dutch’s most prized possessions.

They subconsciously maneuvered closer to each other as they continued to sway. The air between them was warm and smelled strongly of a shared whiskey bottle, and Dutch’s cigar from earlier. Hosea dragged his hand up Dutch’s shoulder and cupped the nape of his neck, his raven black curls sat between Hosea’s fingers. Returning the gesture, Dutch removed his hand from Hosea’s and cupped his cheek, to which Hosea gently planted his other hand on Dutch’s waist.

Hosea gently closed the gap between them, and met his lips to Dutch’s. Both of their eyes flicked closed. Their lips slipped apart and they closed the gap again and again, Dutch hummed in pleasure and readjusted himself to hold both sides of Hosea’s face, as they continued the motion. Hosea knew he shouldn’t be doing this, but he couldn’t help himself, he already accepted the he “wasn’t going to be let in the pearly gates, what’s another sin to add to the list?” He drunkenly reasoned. Besides it was just them, no one else had to know.

The song had ended and they broke apart blushing two innocent school girls. They starred at each other for a beat when Hosea placed his hand on Dutch’s shoulder, the vulnerability of it all sobered him up a notch. Hosea nervously darted his eyes at the ground around them. “I better get some sleep if we are to have any luck on finding a score.” Hosea started quietly. “Sure.” Dutch managed as they broke their embrace and Hosea walked to his tent. “Good night ‘Sea.” Dutch spoke up sheepishly. “Night, Dutch.” Hosea smiled back at him.