#swissalps' sundown

[noahl-art]

Listen @hypnoneghoul you can't just drop a wonderful and heartwarming Swiss Cowboy being so smitten by transfem barmaid Mountain fic without expecting something from me!!!!! 🤠🫠

It's only a 5 minutes sketch there is more coming you better prepare!! 😤

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 14

WC: 2,7K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain, Transfeminine Mountain, Fluff, Wedding!!!

Swiss’ hands shake as he slides the ring down Mounty’s finger, but it’s okay; so do hers. They giggle quietly at each other when it takes a small eternity for Swiss’ ring to end up on his finger, but soon enough it’s done.

Playlist here. / Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 14 under the cut or on AO3.

When Mounty’s leg is healed and Swiss’ stitches are out—a few weeks after the scariest day of them all—the real countdown begins; it’s all pure chaos and days blurring together.

One day, though, Swiss and Mounty wake up in the morning tangled together and realize it’s the day.

They kiss about it and giggle into each other’s mouths, so happy and yet still unable to fully grasp what really is going to happen in a few hours.

After a little while Mounty goes down to the bar to prepare some light breakfast and Swiss packs his stuff, planning on going to Rain, Dewdrop, and Phantom’s place later to get ready there, leaving their space for Mounty.

He can’t find his bolo tie, though—of course—so he jumps down the stairs and calls out to his girl, “Momo, have you seen my…”

Swiss doesn’t finish his question, getting distracted by the presence of the tallest man he’s ever seen in his entire life. He’s just there, standing by the bar and talking with Mounty. They both turn, hearing Swiss’ voice.

“Good morning,” he says with reservation, even though Mounty is completely at ease; obviously comfortable with the man.

“Good morning,” the stranger replies, “I'm Earth, Mountain’s father.”

Swiss’ jaw drops.

“Oh, you–her…her father, I–uhm, good–good morning…sir,” he stammers out.

“You said that already,” Earth chuckles and Mounty hides her smile with a hand. “Indeed it is.”

Swiss now understands where his girl got her height and sense of humor from. He completely forgot Mounty had talked about him and mentioned inviting him to their wedding.

He jumps off the last step he’s been lingering on and makes his way to the bar, albeit keeping a safe distance from the huge man.

“I think you scared him, dad,” Mounty gets on her tiptoes to whisper into her father’s ear over the counter, but it’s still loud enough so Swiss can hear it.

“No, no, hah, I–” The cowboy blushes. “Nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure is all mine,” Earth nods with a gentle—but still a bit scary—smile and turns a chair for Swiss to sit on. He obliges, of course. And buttons up his shirt. “I've heard you saved my so–daughter's life.”

Mounty doesn’t seem bothered by the tiny slip up, so Swiss ignores it. He can see Earth is supportive and loving, and that it was an honest mistake, probably an effect of all the years he did indeed see Mounty as his son. Swiss learned that little errors like this don’t matter when someone really cares for the other person.

 “Me? I–I guess you could say so…sir, but–”

The cowboy yelps in surprise when Earth suddenly throws his arms around him and hugs him tightly. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Mounty holding herself back from bursting out laughing.

“Thank you.” Her dad finally pulls away. “Mountain didn’t tell me much, but I’m grateful you were here to protect her when I couldn’t.”

Swiss looks down on his feet, a wave of guilt washing over him; Mounty wouldn’t be in danger in the first place if it weren’t for him, after all, but the next thing Earth says snaps him out of it and fills him with something that almost feels like pride.

“I can see in both your eyes how much you love each other. I have no doubt you will make her happy, son.”

If Swiss tears up a little, nobody mentions it. He swallows through the lump in his throat and nods with a smile, finally looking Earth in the eye properly. “Thank you.”

Mounty decides it’s time for a distraction, so she brings out food for the three of them.

“So…have you seen my tie?” Swiss asks again as he takes the plates from her and Mounty smirks, taking it out from under the counter. The cowboy furrows his brows, confused as to what it’s doing there but then he remembers last week—when he was trying his suit on—and blushes bright red. He silently begs any god that will listen that his soon-to-be father in law doesn’t connect the dots. “Thanks, sweetheart…”

After the incredibly awkward breakfast, Mounty’s dad decides to go for a walk to kill some time before the wedding and Aurora comes knocking on Mounty’s door with two boxes of beauty products under her arms just when Swiss is about to leave. He helps her with the cargo and then gets shooed out of the saloon and waved goodbye by the two giggling women.

He doesn’t go straight to his groomsmen’s house, though, as planned. He goes to the stables, to Monty, first.

The mare is happy to see him—as always—and Swiss thinks she can sense his happiness and excitement as she seems to mirror it. He leans against her and talks to her quietly; an old habit they have been cultivating since Monty was a foal.

“What are you doing in here?” Swiss gets interrupted at some point, hearing Dewdrop behind him. “Not planning on leaving Mounty at the altar, are you?”

“Oh, I ain’t going anywhere, don’t ya worry,” he chuckles. “Just thinking. Trying to…comprehend it all.”

Dewdrop nods, understanding.

“And talking to this ol’ chick. She’s the one who’s been with me through it all.”

The other man hums in acknowledgement and gives Monty a pat.

“This reminds me of something from a few months ago,” he says after a moment of silence. He’s right, Swiss doesn’t miss the parallel. “Look how far you’ve come.”

“I wouldn’t be here if not for you, you know that?” Swiss finally looks at Dewdrop. His eyes are glassy, but there’s a smile on his face and the other can see genuine gratitude in his expression. “I would be long gone if you hadn’t stopped me that day and I would be convinced I was doing you all a favor. Especially Mounty.” 

“I hope you can see now how wrong you were.”

“I do. And I ain't ever again gonna even think about leaving her.”

“Atta boy.” Dewdrop mirrors his smile and claps a hand over his shoulder. “Now come on, let’s make you presentable for your girl.”

Swiss laughs, pats his mare’s neck and lets Dewdrop lead him to his house.

In the meantime, the girls are having the time of their life in the saloon. By the time Cumulus arrives with Mounty’s wedding dress two hours later, Aurora has already done her makeup and hair.

Weeks ago, when the tailoress had asked Mounty what she wanted from her wedding dress, she only said two words.

“Just…me.”

The tailoress didn't have much time so they decided to make it rather simple, but special and very Mounty nonetheless. Now when she is putting it on, Mounty realizes she could not have dreamed up a better dress for her wedding than what Cumulus came up with.

Also because of how little time there was, Mounty told her bridesmaids to just wear something green instead of dooming Cumulus to sleepless nights spent working on matching dresses for them all. Swiss said the same to his groomsmen and for himself decided to get Cumulus to tailor a suit that's been waiting in her workshop rather than to make something entirely new. It's not about clothes, after all, especially not for Swiss. All he wants is his girl to be happy and he never doubted Cumulus’ ability to make Mounty the happiest bride with her work.

“How are you feeling?” the tailoress asks as she finishes tying the corset of the dress up.

“Lussy, this is–I’ve no words, it’s so beautiful,” Mounty mutters, looking herself over in the mirror. She can barely recognize herself; in a good way. For the first time in what feels like forever the barmaid sees a beautiful woman in the mirror and there’s no nagging voice in the back of her head telling her otherwise.

“I’m so happy you like it, my dear,” Cumulus chuckles, “but how are you feeling, really? About all of this? There must be a lot of emotion, let it out.”

Mounty sighs. There is a lot of emotion, indeed, but it’s not so easy to put it into words. She tries her best, “I never thought I’d find someone who…who’d take me seriously. I didn’t ever expect anyone to see me as a real woman and love me as one, too. This is more than a dream come true and Swiss is…he’s a lot of things and he might not be perfect but he’s perfect for me. Makes me feel whole, you know?”

“I know,” the tailoress—and Mounty’s maid of honor—agrees. “I’m very happy for you, Mounty.”

The bride grins and can’t help but throw her arms around the other woman and hug her tightly; as a thanks for everything.

“Careful now,” Cumulus laughs, “let’s not crease your dress before Swiss can get his hands on you. Though I must admit I’m a little scared for it, because he will want to rip it right off you when he sees you, my dear.”

Mounty pulls away and can’t help but giggle. It’s contagious so they end up laughing so hard they can’t breathe as they joke about Swiss and how the bride has him wrapped right around her little finger.

Cumulus was chosen by Mounty to be her maid of honor with Aurora, Cirrus and Mist—Mounty’s cousin that traveled with Earth—as the remaining bridesmaids, while Rain, Dewdrop and Phantom are Swiss’ groomsmen. He and Mounty gave Phantom a choice whether they wanted to be one of Mounty’s bridesmaids or Swiss’ groomsmen and they chose the latter, wanting to make the number on both sides even.

Albeit, to most guests it still won’t seem even.

They decided to get married in the groove. Mounty has always loved that place, it’s where Swiss proposed—or rather tried, the first time—and it’s simply beautiful. It was clear to both of them it had to be there. And considering it’s August, the weather would be perfect for an afternoon wedding out in the open.

Setting it all up took some time; they put tons of chairs around the trees and a carpet for Mounty to walk on down to the altar made of a few short steps and a platform with a floral archway. A similar passage was put at the entrance—this one with a curtain so Mounty could be unseen before its time for her to walk through it. Behind it all, on the edge of the groove there’s a tent for the reception party with a wooden floor that took the longest to make. They also built little stables with hay and water for people that wanted to come on their horses; many indeed did.

When the clock in Sundown strikes three, it all begins.

Dewdrop, Rain, and Phantom go first, standing in a neat line on the left side of the officiant already waiting there, but one step down. Then come the bridesmaids—Cumulus, Cirrus, Aurora, and Mist—and line up on the right. Swiss takes a few more deep breaths and walks out after them to wait for his girl at the top. It feels both like a second and an hour as the space is filled out with overlapping murmurs of the guests.

But then it all goes quiet.

Everyone stands up and Swiss feels his heart in his throat.

His knees nearly give out when Mounty walks out from behind the trees with Earth by her side and a pretty bouquet in her hands. They begin to make their way to the altar and Swiss’ eyes sting; he tips his hat downwards to hide the wet shine in them.

“Dude, are you crying already?” Phantom teases quietly. Indeed, he is. Already.

“Yeah, just…just look at her,” Swiss chuckles. Phantom does look over and they can’t deny Mounty looks absolutely divine. Her dress is long and puffy with layers upon layers of tulle; the top part of it a simple off-shoulder corset with a sweetheart neckline—how on point. It’s all pure white, just as the veil that’s cascading down over the bride's let down amber hair down to the very ground, but there are green applications scattered all over it. As Mounty gets closer everyone sees they are patches of leaves with tiny red flowers amongst them.

“She’s a goddess,” Swiss whispers wetly and no one would dare disagree with that.

Mounty smiles brightly as she and her father cross the remaining distance to where her future is waiting; she hugs Earth before he goes to take his spot in one of the front chairs and turns to Swiss. She takes that last step but her foot catches on the edge of the platform through her dress and she sways; falling right into Swiss’ arms.

“Careful, sweetheart,” he chuckles, looking deep into her fresh-grass-green eyes. Mounty blushes, regaining her footing, and stands proudly in her spot. Cumulus runs up to her quickly to smooth down her veil and the back of her dress and when she nods at the officiant it all begins.

They made it.

Neither Swiss nor Mounty will remember the next twenty minutes—they’re not even listening to the officiant, staring at each other and smiling like two teenagers in love instead. Only when it’s time for them to speak—for their vows—do they snap out of it. Well, not fully, of course.

“Mounty, love of my life,” Swiss begins. “You know I ain’t much good with words, so I’ll just say what…comes to mind. We haven’t known each other that long, but you already know me better than anyone else ever had; better than I know myself. You looked at me once and your kindness and beauty captivated me and I can’t imagine my life without you now. I was lost and you found me and I can never repay you for that, for all you’ve done for me. But I’ll try, I’ll do my damn best to give you a better life than you’ve dreamed of. If you’ll let me.”

Mounty chuckles, nodding with a grin and glistening eyes.

“Swiss, my darling, you gave me something I doubted I could ever have. You made me feel loved and important and now I wake up every day with the knowledge that I’m someone’s. That I’m yours and I couldn’t imagine it being different, now. You filled the empty spaces in my heart and soul I didn’t even know were there. I look forward to waking up next to you and facing the world for the next tens of years and more. You also gave me something to worry about and I do think you may have to work on that aspect.”

This time all the guests laugh with them.

Swiss tries to be discreet when he wipes the tears from his eyes, but he’s not doing a very good job of it. Neither is Mounty, even though she’s more graceful when she pats them away with a corner of a napkin.

The bride looks back at Cirrus as it’s time for them to exchange rings and she brings them out; just two simple golden bands. They decided they needed nothing but a symbol; their love alone already made them richer than any jewelry could ever be a proof of. 

Swiss’ hands shake as he slides the ring down Mounty’s finger, but it’s okay; so do hers. They giggle quietly at each other when it takes a small eternity for Swiss’ ring to end up on his finger, but soon enough it’s done.

They made it.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the officiant announces and the world goes quiet.

Swiss grins as he throws his hat away before wrapping his arms all around Mounty and dipping her so low the ends of her hair touch the ground. The guests cheer loudly, but neither the cowboy nor his wife pay them any mind as they kiss; it’s just them despite the crowd, just like the first time.

And the sun that shines upon them through the treetops is the missing best woman.

look at the beautiful art by @arkeusruin!!!

[arkeusruin]

cowboy swisss inspired by @hypnoneghoul 's fic sundown

[moldycantaloupe]

Stress Relief

rating; Explicit

words; 1.7k

relationship; Mountain/Swiss

tags; Masturbation in Shower, Shower Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Finger fucking, Transmasculine Swiss (Ghost Sweden Band), Transmasculine Mountain (Ghost Sweden Band), Polyamorous Ghouls (Ghost Sweden Band), Masturbation, Trans Male Character

“There you are.” Swiss nearly purred, tilting his head to get a better look. “Would you like some help, sweetness?” Or, Mountain masturbates in the shower, Swiss barges in and eats him out.

notes; For you SwissAlps enjoyers out there, and happy near end of Mountain March! Both Mountain and Swiss use clit and cunt, Mountain also has a tdick

Read here or on Ao3 if you so desire!

Mountain lets out a deep sigh when he steps into his shower, the hot water giving him the much needed relief after a tedious day. He rubs at his neck and groans, letting his head loll down and his eyes close.

He’d woken up well before sunrise to get an early start on their spring cleaning in the greenhouse, and only got back to the den just after sundown. He’d left a note for Swiss before he took off, the ghoul happily snoring away, letting him know his plans. The multi ghoul had gone to visit a couple times during the day, mainly to bring food and company for Mountain, before running off to do his own chores.

Mountain now stood under the hot spray, letting the dirt and stress wash down the drain. He ran a hand from his neck to his waist, slowing down to let his hand linger near his lower belly.

Aether made sure everyone knew about good health. He was the head of the infirmary, it made sense. He always made a point to tell Mountain to “jerk one out” when the giant went to vent to him about a long day. Something about it being a stress reliever.

Mountain wasn’t a prude. He had many partners to attest to the fact. Or a Swiss who couldn’t go a week without telling someone how good Mountain was in bed, or how he got Mountain to get on his knees the few times it happened. But it was rare for him to find pleasure by himself. He was preoccupied either with chores, his pack, or someone else to please. Always an afterthought.

He shrugged; might as well. Swiss was going to be out with Aether all evening for practice so he had time. If anything, it’d help him sleep. His lingering hand made its slow descent down to his cunt, running his fingers through the coarse hair. If it weren’t for Swiss who absolutely praised him for his hair, he would trim it a little, but he didn’t want to see his multi ghoul pout over it, so he kept it long.

A finger dipped between his folds, finding his clit already pulsing. He let out a sigh as he began to slowly circle it, already feeling the heat pool in his belly. It didn’t take long for him to add another finger, stroking from clit to dick. He took a couple steps to lean his back against the wall and gasped. The angle was just right for the water to hit him where he needed it.

His fingers sped up only slightly, his clit quick to plump up with blood, the pulse becoming stronger. He groaned and rolled his hips to meet the friction, suddenly desperate for more. For more stimulation. 

Mountain brought his second hand behind him, giving his ass a quick squeeze before dipping into his, what he presumes, wet cunt. He lets his finger tease around his hole, the way Swiss would, clenching around nothing. He’s not as cruel to himself as Swiss would be though, with the way he’d tease his fingers all around Mountain except for where he needed them the most, running them along the outline of his hole. And he’s not patient enough right now to pretend. His teasing finger plunged in with a noise that’s drowned out by the shower, immediately thrusting it in time with his other hand. He let out a raunchy moan, his head tilting to lean against the shower wall.

He could imagine what he looked like right now; pinched eyebrows, lidded eyes, body moving on its own accord and bucking into his hand. Debauched, even if only slightly. 

Everything came to a halt when there was a quiet knock on the door, a pattern he immediately recognized. He felt his cheeks bloom red and stood to his full height, his cunt protesting all stimulants disappearing.

“Swiss?” He called out. 

“Yeah, baby,” there was a teasing lilt in his tone, “having fun?”

“I thought you were with Aether.” Mountain frowned, only slightly annoyed.

“Had to cancel.” Swiss offered as an explanation. “Can I come in?”

Mountain nodded, only to realize that it couldn’t be heard. “Yes.”

He opened the curtain to the shower just slightly, using the bottom half to cover himself up in some form of decency. Swiss opened the door and gave Mountain that toothy grin, only clad in sweatpants. Mountain tried to not linger too long on his exposed chest, eyes flashing up to meet the multi ghouls.

“Come on, baby, I’ve seen you a million times,” Swiss closed the door with his foot, looking Mountain up and down as if he were prey, “you don’t have to hide from me.”

Mountain pursed his lips inward and turned his head, letting the curtain fall, fully revealing himself. He knew Swiss could see how stiff he was, clit puffy and pulsing. He himself could see just how red his dick was, the need still running rampant.

“There you are.” Swiss nearly purred, tilting his head to get a better look. “Would you like some help, sweetness?”

He couldn’t help the whine that escaped his lips and slapped a hand around his mouth. His breathing picked up and arousal flooded his system, the thought of having Swiss on him delightful.

“Yes,” he nodded, voice slightly muffled behind his hand. 

Swiss was quick to strip his pants and boxers off, joining in with Mountain. His eyes turned soft and he picked at the hand that covered his mouth, forcing it off with his own.

“C’mon, wanna hear you. No one else but me here.” He murmured. “I even locked both doors.”

Mountain nodded, words becoming harder by the minute, brain turning into fog in his mate’s presence. “I need you on me, please,” his hands flexed at his side, “mouth.”

“You got it, baby.” Swiss was on his knees in an instant, hands flying to kneed at his ass and mouthing along his thighs. He coerced Mountain back against the wall, giving silent praises as he went.

Finally, after what felt like eons, he licked a flat strip against his folds. Mountain keened at the sensation, hips bucking into his mouth. Swiss’ grip tightened on his cheeks, his blunt nails leaving imprints on the heated skin. He kissed and sucked religiously at Mountain’s clit, eating up all the slick as if he were starved for it. Mountain’s hand found its way to his horn, forcing his face into his dripping cunt, nose rubbing against the thick hair. Swiss groaned, the vibrations sending a shock through his system.

“More, fuck , Swiss,” Mountain moaned, eyes heavy as he watched Swiss eat him out. Swiss looked up and fluttered his eyes, teasing the tip of his tongue against his dick. 

“Fingers,” Mountain gasped, “in me, I need you in me.” 

Swiss happily obliged, giving a cheek one last squeeze before winding his hand down to his pretty hole, circling it with two fingers just like Mountain knew he would.

“Darling, please don’t tease-” Mountain said frantically with a buck of his hips, “I can’t do that-”

“No teasing,” Swiss’ words were muffled, tongue still working him. As quickly as those words came through, he dipped both fingers in, Mountain already loose enough to take it. Mountain nearly wailed, head thrown back against the wall when Swiss thrusts were timed with the laps his tongue was doing. His free hand found its way to Swiss’ other horn, needing the extra stability as his knees threatened to give in.

Mountain’s brain began oozing as the heat in his belly began to grow again, this stimulation much better than his own. He groaned when Swiss began to buck into the air, looking for any sort of stimulation of his own.

“Swiss, darling, I’m so close,” he warned. Swiss hummed in acknowledgement, his rhythm speeding up just barely but enough to drive Mountain mad. 

With one, two, three final sucks to his clit, Mountain was done for. He came with a silent scream, his shaky legs buckling under him. Swiss was quick to help him slide down the tub with ease, rubbing his thighs as he came down from his high.

Mountain sat up slightly when his vision was no longer blocky, breathless when he saw Swiss breathing hard and still kneeling, legs wide apart and clit shiny and red.

“Let me,” Mountain brought his hand down to hover over Swiss, eyes flicking up for permission. 

“Yeah,” Swiss moaned, “please.”

Mountain palmed the top of Swiss’ cunt and brought two fingers to his clit, circling it with practiced ease. Swiss let out another breathy moan and clung to his shoulders as if they were his lifeline. He grinded down to meet his fingers, needing the added pressure to help him through.

“Close,” he grunted.

“Sing for me, then.” Mountain almost growled.

Swiss’ hips worked faster as his orgasm crashed through him, ripping a beautiful yell out from him. His movements slowed down until he fully stopped, letting himself sit in Mountain’s palm as they both caught their breaths.

Mountain was the first to break the silence, “Why were you in my room, darling?” He slowly removed his hand from Swiss. 

“Left my charger in here from last night.” Swiss leaned into Mountain and nosed at his neck, taking in the earthy scent.

“And why did you guys cancel?” Mountain questioned, the horny haze dissipating as his mind started to reel over the intrusion.

“Oh, we didn't,” Swiss laughed. “I was just gonna go to the shed and smoke with Dew.”

Mountain rolled his eyes and began to extract himself from Swiss, the multi ghoul whining in protest. “I would’ve kicked you out if I knew that.”

“I know.” He grinned and stood, helping Mountain to his own feet. “But where’s the fun in that?”

“You basically just ghosted two of our packmates.” Mountain frowned.

“This was so much better, though," Swiss moaned obscenely, making Mountain groan, "besides, they'll forgive me."

Mountain shrugged; he highly doubted it. The two of them spent the rest of the shower cleaning each other off, a kiss offered intermittently until they were clean and the water was turned off. They dried off but didn’t bother with clothes, immediately heading straight for the giant’s bed. Mountain rolled his eyes and rolled around when Swiss insisted he be the big spoon, to let him live his dreams. Swiss hipped in celebration, legs and arms quickly becoming tangled in his own. They kicked up a hearty purr together and soon he felt his heavy lids drop, sleep coming to him easy. He should thank Aether later for the good advice.

[swisstravelinggirl]

How was your August? 🤗🤞🙋🏼‍♀️

#sunsetlovers #sunsetlover #goldenhour #sundown #swissalps #mountainlovers #mountainstories #trending #august #travelguide #travelawesome #visitswitzerland #inlovewithswitzerland #myswitzerland #discoverearth #earthfocus #europe

[chauletb]

Luzern #oldtown #luzern #lucern #switzerland #swiss #schweiz #town #belveder #weloveluzern #lucerne #swissalps #Lucern #lucerne_switzerland #switzerland🇨🇭 #switzerland_destinations #luzerne #visitswitzerland #citylights #urbanshots #cityatnight #sunset #nature #landscape #photooftheday #beautiful #travelphotography #picoftheday #sun #sonnenuntergang #sundown (à Luzern, Switzerland) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_SwHuvgLKm/?igshid=1oucxk6dhv7m9

[hofrat]

Vorarlberg drive-by. #dawning #traveling #highwayshot #sunset #alps #swissalps #vorarlberg #clouds #cloudporn #nightshot #evening #sundown #pinkblue (at Dornbirn, Áustria)

[noahl-art]

Mushy May - Day 5 : You are blushing

Heya @hypnoneghoul I'm back for more! Sorry not sorry but the prompt was just perfect for them! 🥹❤️

Based on the amazing fic Sundown, that I will never stop recommending 🤠 (read it here or on AO3)

And as always thanks @forlorn-crows for putting Mushy May together, I'm having a blast!! ✨

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 6

WC: 1,1K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain,Transfeminine Mountain, Angst, Lies, Identity Reveal, Heartbreak, Hurt no Comfort (in this chapter)

“No,” Mounty gasps, finally realizing. He scared her. “Swiss, no, that’s not–it can’t be–”

Read chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 6 under the cut or on AO3.

It took five months for Swiss’ past to catch up to him.

He knew it would—sooner rather than later, knowing his luck—but he really thought he would have more time to…come up with a plan. Anything, he would do anything to avoid more heartbreak, he had promised himself. And yet he failed at a simple task of being honest.

Life just never seems to have any mercy in store for him, so why would he even have hope?

It’s a busy evening in Mounty’s bar; it’s warm—the most important reason—but the word cozy also comes to mind. Even despite the spiderwebs, broken furniture and a distant smell of rotten wood. There are flowers, though, all year long, so very clearly Mounty’s touch. It’s her home and she loves it as it is—which makes Swiss love it, too—and such an atmosphere is inviting.

The cowboy is, as usual, hanging out by the bar, watching his girl work. She’s happy, he’s happy and it’s all good, until he hears a name he has been praying for months not to hear ever again.

“He ain’t so scary anymore!” a man from the other side of the bar laughs, and the people surrounding him follow. “He was a cunt, no idea where he got all that reputation from. The mighty Shadow nearly pissed himself!”

Another wave of booming laughter sounds and it hurts Swiss’ eardrums. He tenses, hands going clammy around the glass he’s holding, and listens in, despite his better judgment.

“He’s been hiding like a coward for months after that one failed heist, from what I’ve heard,” the man continues. “Snatched a chance when he peaked his ugly head out and now the bitch is done!”

Swiss’ blood boils and freezes in his veins at the same time. Mounty doesn’t notice; she’s too busy, and the man is grateful. The stranger in the corner keeps laughing with his companions as he insults the infamous Shadow and gloats about something he most definitely didn’t do.

Of course he didn’t.

Swiss doesn’t know what makes him snap. He only notices that he stood up when he feels the pulse of a man he’s holding against the wall by his neck under his hand.

“Swiss!” he hears Mounty call from behind the bar. The whole place is so quiet all of a sudden. “Let him go!”

The cowboy chokes the stranger slowly for a bit longer, staring into his terrified eyes. If he…if he actually were to finish off the Shadow, he would be the one to piss himself. He is about to prove it.

“You’re the cunt here,” he mutters before letting go.

Swiss storms off without sparing a glance in anyone’s direction again, not even Mounty. He all but runs out of the saloon and behind it, into the cold and dark where he sits on the wet ground and hangs his head. His eyes sting and he wants to just cry, but he can’t. He ran out of tears a long time ago.

He hears the squeak of the saloon’s batwing door and the shuffle of its additional covering that they have put on for the cold nights and he prays to anyone who’s willing to listen that it’s not–

“Swiss, darling,” Mounty whispers and the tone of it the–the fear in it breaks the man’s heart in half. He scared her. 

He scared her.

He doesn’t reply, he can’t speak; it’s like there’s something lodged in his throat. Shame, most likely.

Despite her visible apprehension, the barmaid comes closer. She crouches by Swiss and just…waits. She waits for whatever may happen and she looks determined to do so for however long it may take.

He scared her.

Swiss simply breathes for a while before he dares to open his mouth again, “The–the Shadow. What do you know about…him?”

“Just the rumors,” Mounty shrugs, doing her very best to seem unbothered; casual about the whole ordeal, “but I don’t think I’d like to meet him. That won’t be a problem, though, ‘cause apparently he’s dead. Nobody’s seen him or heard of him for months and that man that you just…”

“He’s not dead,” Swiss interrupts—too sharp, too loud. He immediately hates himself for it, even more than he already did. 

He scared her.

“How do you know?” she asks, much quieter.

The man swallows audibly against that mysterious something that’s suffocating him, “How many months do you think it’s been since…since he was last seen?”

“Hm…” The barmaid thinks for a moment, counting silently. “Something like five, probably. 

Swiss chuckles sadly, locking his eyes on Mounty’s. He doesn’t speak—doesn’t explain—but he doesn’t need to. She’s a smart girl, and the sorrow, regret and shame in Swiss’ eyes are speaking louder and clearer than he ever could.

“No,” Mounty gasps, finally realizing.

He scared her.

“Swiss, no, that’s not–it can’t be–”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” is all he can say. He should have so much more to say, beg for forgiveness, but he can’t. He knows he doesn’t deserve it, that this is simply too big.

He gives up.

Mounty’s thoughts are racing, her breathing picks up, and her eyes widen. She’s an image of pure horror as she connects more and more dots. Swiss feels like throwing up.

“I’ve been…for months I’ve been dating–I’ve been sleeping with the world’s most famous criminal, I’ve–I’ve been…” she rambles, more to herself than the man. His whole body hurts. “I’m–I’m in love with the world’s most famous murderer.”

He scared her.

“Sweetheart, please, just–just hear me out, gimme a chance to explain before…” before he leaves, he wanted to say, because there is nothing else that can be done. He has to get the fuck out and away from her, from the most precious creature on the entire planet. One that he stained with his touch, with his lies. No hands that have so much blood on them should ever be allowed to touch something as pure as Mounty.

Thankfully, she doesn’t let him finish, “Explain what? That you lied to me and put on a whole ass fake personality to just…to just what, exactly?”

“It’s not like that, I just–” Swiss tires, but he’s not sure what it is that he’s trying to do. “I was running away! The Shadow…me, I–it’s not me, Mounty, please, let me–”

He scared her.

“Maybe I will,” she spits. “But certainly not now.”

“Momo, please,” the man falters and he’s about to fall to his knees and grab onto the barmaid’s feet and beg when she moves away. “Please, don’t be scared of me.”

“Too late, Shadow.” Mounty leaves him there, out in the cold darkness.

And Swiss finally cries.

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 7

WC: 3,1K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain,Transfeminine Mountain, Angst, Crying, Alcohol, Makeup, Backstory, Grief

He can blame his father for that, but not for his choices later on. That’s all on him, hurting Mounty is all on him.

Notes: I’m not very happy with how this chapter turned out, but the idea was good lmao hope you enjoy :3 Divider by the lovely @ghuleh-recs <3 Also happy Pride Month everyone!!!

Playlist here. / Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 7 under the cut or on AO3.

Swiss slept in the stables with Monty. Curled up and shaking through the cold night on a falling-apart cube of hay.

As fragile as he is, if not less.

He thinks about the irony, looks back at his life and wonders where the fuck he went wrong. He’s well aware, of course, but when he looks far back, ultimately he didn’t put himself on that road on his own. Albeit, he can blame his father for that, but not for his choices later on.

That’s all on him, hurting Mounty is all on him.

It doesn’t matter now, anyway, he already fucked up the best thing that has ever happened to him.

The man gets up, only imagining how pitifully he looks—though there’s no pity he deserves—and turns for Monty’s tack. He’s getting the hell out of there as soon as his chick is ready. Mere minutes later she is and Swiss walks her out of the stable.

“Once again it’s gonna be just the two of us, girlie,” he sighs, rubbing Monty’s nose as she nudges it into his chest. She understands.

Swiss’ jaw is clenched tight and his eyes still sting and he’s about to hop on and walk away from the best few months of his life like it was nothing when he hears footsteps on the soft ground behind him, followed by a familiar voice.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Swiss flinches, not turning to the other.

“Dew, you don’t unders–”

“I do,” Dewdrop interrupts him. “I know everything, Mounty spent the night at our place.”

Swiss looks over his shoulder despite his voice wavering and hot tears threatening to fall already. “You should be chasing me out of here with a pitchfork,” he jokes, but there’s no real humor in it.

“And yet I asked what the fuck do you think you’re doing,” the other man repeats, coming closer. He puts a hand on Monty’s neck to pet her; she leans into it and it’s as if both Dewdrop and the mare want to show the cowboy he should stay.

“What else can I do?” He shrugs, still not looking Dewdrop in the eye. “I messed up.”

“Yeah, you did. Big time,” he points out, “but the Shadow never sounded like a coward.”

Silence falls for a moment. Swiss takes a shaky breath and when he speaks again it’s barely audible, “I ain’t him, Dew. A coward is all I am.”

The other shakes his head. “You can’t leave her. She loves you.”

“And I love her, more than life itself,” Swiss claims and both of them know he’s not exaggerating. He’s never loved anything or anyone as much as he loves Mounty. She’s everything he’s not, she’s the best thing that ever happened to humanity, she erases all of it’s faults. She’s perfect and he’s…far from that. “I’m doing all of you a favor, I can’t–I don’t deserve her.”

“It’s not your decision.” Dewdrop argues. Swiss is surprised by his persistence, even though he knows the man is stubborn and more sharp-witted and wiser than he lets on. “She’ll forgive you, it’s how she is, you just have to be patient. Don’t run away, it’ll hurt her even more.”

“She’s scared of me.”

“Yeah, because you murdered more people than this town even has!” he bites back, nearly laughing, and Swiss hurts. Although he deserves it, he supposes. “I’m scared of you, too.”

Swiss’ breath hitches and he lets it back out with a dry sob, “Then why the hell are you trying to stop me?”

Dewdrop throws his arms up, nearly spooking Monty. “Because none of that matters! You said that the Shadow is not the true you and you’ve been here for long enough for me to believe that. Get rid of him once and for all and everything will be alright. Mounty will forgive you and forget about the fear.”

There’s nothing else Swiss can say. He wants to believe Dewdrop’s right, he needs him to be right if he is to stay, but he knows he’ll fuck it up all over again if he does. That’s just what he does.

Heartbreak and grief follow him wherever he goes, why would Sundown be any different?

“Come on, let’s get you a drink,” Dewdrop sighs, taking Swiss’ arm. His eyes widen, he’s not ready to see Mounty just yet, it’s too– “Relax, she ain't there now.”

He doesn’t say anything, but he lets the other walk him to the saloon, leaving tacked-up Monty behind. She looks rather pleased with the outcome, going back to her hay right away.

Dewdrop lets Swiss and himself in from the back and goes to make him a drink, leaving the cowboy in the storage. His head is throbbing and he really does need a drink, but he doubts whatever Dewdrop is pouring is going to be enough.

Before he realizes what he's doing he grabs an unopened bottle of whiskey off a shelf and shoves it under his shirt.

Just then Dewdrop comes back and hands him a glass that Swiss downs in two gulps. It burns his throat and belly but it's not enough.

Still, he thanks the other, “I'm gonna go now, I'll…I'll try to bring myself to talk to Mounty tomorrow.”

“You better.” With that Dewdrop leaves and Swiss heads back to the stable. Maybe he'll be warmer later, when the night comes, thanks to the alcohol. He takes the tack off Monty and settles himself on that same cube of hay that he slept on.

He sighs at how pathetic he is as he opens the bottle and glues his lips to it, reveling in the bitter taste and the acidic burn going down his throat.

A few hours later he notices he's moved. Or was moved.

Where? He doesn't really know but it's harder under his ass than the hay. He hums an off-key tune under his breath, rolling his head from one side to the other against a piece of wood. Is it a wall?

He zones out with an empty mind and he giggles at the foggy void taking over his brain. He has no idea how long he's been there and even where he is or what he's doing. It's dark but it might just be that his eyes are closed.

“Swiss? What the hell are you doing?” someone asks. The man tries to blink but his eyes are closed so he just squeezes them tighter for a moment before he manages to actually open them. His face feels numb as he tries to smile.

Swiss wonders how that beautiful girl knows his name.

“I’m–nevermind, but I do know your name.” Did he say that out loud? “Do you know my name?”

“Hmpf…” he huffs, trying to open his mouth and actually say what he wants to, ”you're ver’pretty bu–but I can't.”

“Can't what?” the girl asks, standing over him with her hands on her hips.

Mounty doubts Swiss can register the emotions on her face if he can't even recognize her, but she tries to mask them anyway. She's worried, she didn't expect to see Swiss tonight, much less in such a state. She hasn't made peace with all of what happened yet, but she still loves him and cares about him.

“There’s a girl, I–” Swiss hiccups, “I don't think she likes me anymore but–but I'm in love with her, y’know? So I…I can't do anything w’you.”

“That's fine.” Mounty crouches down, smiling, despite everything, at Swiss' ramble. He's drunk out of his mind and doesn’t realize it's her before him, but he is still loyal. “I just wanted to make sure you're okay over here, kind sir.”

“I ain’t a sir,” he giggles. “‘m a mess.”

“Respectfully, you have a point,” the barmaid agrees. She comes closer and reaches out to grab Swiss’ hand, trying to not shudder at the feeling of his skin on hers again, even though it's been barely twenty four hours since everything went down. “Which is why you can't stay here, come on, let's get you up.”

“No, I can't go w’you, my–my girl’s gonna be angry,” Swiss slurs in protest, shaking his head clumsily.

“Yeah?” Mounty can't help but giggle now, too. “I think your girl is gonna be more angry if you freeze to death out here.”

“Hmmm…but–but you can't touch me, ‘cause ‘m hers, o–okay?”

“Okay, I promise to not touch you anywhere weird,” Mounty grabs his other hand and tries to haul him up. It works as well as it can with Swiss in such a state, with him stumbling into her arms once he's up, “but I think I have to help you walk up the stairs, don't I?”

“Uh…p–pos–billy,” he hiccups again, but nods, grinning up at the girl. His breath stinks, but Mounty doesn't really mind. She is a barmaid after all, it's not the first drunk man she's dealing with. It is her man, though, this time.

She all but hangs him over her shoulder and walks into the saloon. The stairs are a challenge, but neither of them falls down, so Mounty considers it a success when she drops Swiss onto a bed in one of the guest rooms. She’s not ready to put him back in hers, not before they have a proper talk about everything. She knows she is going to forgive him, especially after what Dewdrop told her earlier, but they have to talk first.

Still, there’s a little voice in the back of Mounty’s head telling her to milk more out of Swiss. “Tell me about your girl, won't ya?”

“Oh, oh, she's…she's s’pretty, y’know? No offense t’you, but she’s the prettiest girl ever,” the man rambles, gesturing wildly. His eyes are wide and glassy—not only because of alcohol—and his grin is as wide and bright as ever. “She's an angel! She’s kind and–and lovely…and a–also she has nice…very nice boobies.”

“Huh.” Mounty puts a hand over her mouth so as not to snort. Of course he had to mention her tits. “She sounds amazing.”

“She is…” Swiss sighs dreamily, freezing with a goofy smile as he—most likely—gets lost in memories from not so long ago.

“Anyway, it’s way past bedtime for you, kind sir,” she snaps him out of it when she notices his eyes start to close on their own. “I think your girl would agree.”

“Mhmmm,” he hums in acknowledgement. “She’s always tellin’ me to go to bed when I don't wanna.”

“Sounds like she’s smart, too.” Mounty pushes him on the shoulder and he falls back like a ragdoll, flat on the bed.

“Mmm, the smartest,” Swiss mumbles, wiggling on the bed in something that looks like a rather poor attempt at getting comfortable. The barmaid shakes her head and throws a blanket over him.

And resists the urge to bend down and kiss him.

Swiss blinks and suddenly it’s morning.

His head is pounding and someone knocks on the door again and it doesn’t help it—even though it’s rather quiet. He realizes that the knocking is what woke him up. He tries to roll over and maybe get up to get the door but a wave of dizziness washes over him so he resolves to calling out, “Come in.”

His heart skips a beat when he sees Mounty in the door. Only now he realizes that he’s in one of the saloon rooms, but how he ended up there is a mystery. Though he supposes it might have something to with that bottle of whiskey he snatched yesterday.

Fuck.

“Good morning,” Mounty says, leaning against the doorframe. Swiss’ stomach turns and it’s not his hangover’ fault. “How are you feeling?”

“I’ve had way too much,” he mumbles. “Who brought me in here?”

“I did.” The barmaid shrugs and the corner of her mouth twitches upwards at Swiss’ grimace. “Found you half-conscious on my doorstep last night. Don’t remember much, do you?”

“Not really,” the cowboy admits. He sits up to lean against the wall and watches as Mounty walks inside and shuts the door behind her. She has a little basket hanging off of her arm and Swiss notices there’s faint steam coming from it.

“I can imagine. Here,” she hands him the basket, “from Rain.”

The man groans as the smell finally reaches him; freshly fried sausage with a slice of buttered bread and a glass of water.

“Thank you. Not only for this, for…everything.” Swiss takes a sip of water first, and even though he is not a fan of such a simple drink, his dehydration makes it taste heavenly. “Can we talk?”

Mounty doesn’t reply, but she nods before sitting on the edge of an empty bed across the bed. The man takes a bite out of his breakfast and it is delicious—as anything made by Rain—but there’s a certain bitterness to it at the distance that the other has put between them. He couldn’t expect anything less, but it aches nonetheless.

“Let’s start with apologies. I shouldn’t have hid who I was. We wouldn’t have gotten where we did if I had been honest, but I should’ve been, you didn’t deserve getting lied to. All I wanted was to get out of that life once and for all. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. You have no idea how much I regret everything.”

Mounty remains silent, but her eyes are on Swiss. Her presence alone is more than he could’ve wished for after everything. He swallows a few more bites of the food she brought and washes it down with more water before he dares to continue.

“Can I…will you let me explain everything?” he asks once the breakfast is gone. Swiss pulls his knees up and curls up as much as he can under a scratchy blanket; he tries not to think about how Mounty must’ve pulled it over him yesterday. “Can I tell you my story? I don’t want it to be an excuse, nothing can excuse what I did, but I just…I need you to know. Will you let me tell you?”

The barmaid still doesn’t speak, but her gaze is soft and somewhat curious, as if she’s trying to be angry with him—mad, even—but can’t bring herself to hate him and is looking for a reason to forgive him, whether it’s there or not.

Swiss doesn’t deserve her in the slightest.

The problem, though, is that his lie—or rather avoiding the truth—is, after all, the least serious of his crimes. He's a murderer and even if Mounty can forgive his dishonesty, he can't imagine she'd be willing to look past all of his sins.

“I have…had a sister. Our dad was famous for getting into all kinds of trouble and one day he got himself killed and my sister—Sunny—kidnapped,” he pauses to take a deep, shuddering breath. He hasn’t uttered her name since the day he buried her. He wipes a tear from the corner of his eye, threatening to fall, before he continues. “I had nothing, there was nothing I could’ve done to get her back, but I went there and begged, offered my life in exchange for hers. They…those men decided that they’ll let her go when I pay off our father’s debt by doing all their dirty work for a while. That’s how the Shadow came to be.”

“How did…what happened to her?” Swiss flinches at Mounty’s voice. She sounds like Sunshine did, a bit; something he has noticed that first night down by the bar and tried so hard to ignore all these months.

“I did all they wanted, all their bidding, everything. I became a monster, a soulless–” he says, barely above a whisper. “I should’ve known it seemed too easy, that they weren’t men of their word.” 

He drops his head against his knees, still not fully able to say…it out loud. Saying something, letting it sound, makes things real and Swiss is far away from accepting the reality in which she’s not with him.

It’s barely audible when he does say it, “They killed her the moment they didn’t need me anymore.”

“Swiss, baby, I’m–” Mounty gasps. “I’m so, so sorry. Nobody should have to go through anything like that.”

“I killed all of them that night,” the man chuckles pitifully, sniffling wetly as he rubs his eyes against the blanket. “That’s why nobody heard of me after that, because there was no Shadow anymore, he died with his masters. I should’ve done that earlier, I should’ve fought and saved her, I–I failed her, Momo.”

The barmaid is speechless. She…Swiss shouldn’t have lied to her, but she understands—though not really, she’s never gone through something as awful as the man before her, but she can understand how all he wanted was…out. 

“I don’t–I don’t want you to forgive me and take me back with open arms,” the cowboy cries quietly, “it's just that…what I need is for you to–to understand. Please, sweetheart, just tell me you understand why I did what I did.”

“I do, darling,” Mounty states, loud and clear, and Swiss sobs with relief, choking on air. “But I will–I am taking you back with open arms. You're mine and I'm yours, Swiss.”

She gets up and walks over to the other bed—with her arms open, indeed. She’s not much bigger than the cowboy, but in that moment he’s tiny, as fragile as a man can be. Mounty wraps her arms around him and pulls him close, lets him sob into her chest.

“Seeing her body…seeing her, my baby sister, and having to bury her, I–I don’t… Believe me, sweetheart, I have paid for all I’ve done t–tenfold.”

“C’mere, lay down,” Mounty whispers as she strokes Swiss’ arm with all the gentleness in the world, not knowing any words that could fill the gaping hole in his heart. He keeps quiet, but obeys, resting his head on the barmaid’s shoulder. She brings them both down and tightens her arms around him, trying to comfort that broken, broken man as much as she can. She doesn’t feel like it’s enough and Swiss doesn’t have words to tell her that it’s more than enough and way more than he deserves.

What he can tell her, though, is words that he’s never going to be too overwhelmed, exhausted or hungover to say.

“I love you, girl.”

Swiss is afraid that he’s not going to hear it back ever again, but Mounty smiles and mutters, “I love you, too, cowboy.”

Somehow, hope fills him. Hope that they’re going to be okay.

He’s surprised to find himself believing it.

[noahl-art]

pspsps just letting you know the next chapter of sundown is gonna have spiceee heheheh but also I'm so very happy you like it and you totally murdered me /pos with that swiss sketch <3

AAAAAAH I'M GONNA GO ABSOLUTELY BONKERS vjsrhgizerh

Also perfect timing because... here is Mounty 🥰✨ (again sorry it's only 5 minutes sketches) She deserves the whole world 🥹

please read the fic!!!!!! On AO3 or here

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 13

WC: 1,7K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain, Transfeminine Mountain, Blood, Injury, Flashbacks/Retrospection, Near Death Experience, Hurt/Comfort, Healing, Fluff

“Funny! I doubt anyone would wanna put up with the little ol' me.” “You're not so bad,” Sunshine admits and pulls another chuckle out of Swiss with it. “Why, that is high praise indeed, dear sister!”

Playlist here. / Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 13 under the cut or on AO3.

“Swiss!” Mounty yells, throwing herself on her knees next to him, patting his cheeks and begging him to wake up. Rain and Dewdrop look at them with confusion and worry as Phantom jumps into action. “Swiss, stay with me, please, wake up!”

The medic is silent as they check his vitals. Mounty can’t take that, “Tommy, what’s wrong with him!?”

“Dunno yet,” they mumble. He’s breathing and his heart is still beating, but it’s weak. “It’s not his head, that’s just a scratch. Help me undress him.”

Mounty obliges, all but tearing Swiss’ bloodied clothes off of him. Now that she thinks about it, there was no way of knowing if at least some of all that blood was his own or not. Tears well up in her eyes, she can’t breathe; if she thought she was scared before, she’s paralyzed with fear now.

Phantom peels Swiss’ wet shirt away to reveal a deep laceration, nearly a stab wound, through half of his stomach. Mounty gasps and puts a hand against her mouth, now sobbing in earnest and shaking.

“Shit,” the medic mutters and similar expressions can be heard from Dewdrop and Rain, the latter turning to hide against the other’s neck as he holds him.

“Can you fix him?” Dewdrop asks, whispering. Mounty hears it anyway and looks up at Phantom with pleading eyes, needing to hear the answer; needing it to be a confident yes.

“That’s a lot of blood and it’s so deep, I don’t…I don't know,” they admit instead.

“Swiss! Don't be mean,” Sunshine pouts, but it’s obvious she can barely hold back her laugh.

“Sorry, sis, it's just a little silly to me!” Swiss, on the other hand, doesn’t even try to get rid of the bright grin on his face. “Why would you be planning it all now, you've never even had a boyfriend.”

“Because when it's time I want it to be perfect!” she exclaims. Her brother found her with a small journal, sketching something that turned out to be Sunshine’s dream wedding venue.

“You do realize any guy would have to pass my super secret and scary are-you-worthy-of-my-little-sister test first, right?” Swiss teases, though both of them know it’s not entirely a joke. He’ll be the last to ever let his little sister’s heart be broken by a man.

“Shut up!” the girl finally laughs fully. “You ain't gonna scare my future boyfriends, I want to have a husband before I'm eighty!”

“I absolutely will scare your future boyfriends and you might get a husband before you're eighty. If you pick the right guys, that is.”

“Idiot,” Sunshine grumbles under her breath, huffing and glancing back down at her notebook. “Don't you ever think about how you want your wedding to look like?”

“Eh, I don't know, Sunny,” Swiss sighs and sits down next to her with his legs crossed. “I don't think I'm a marriage kinda dude.”

His sister hums, “You'll change your mind when you find the right one.”

“Funny! I doubt anyone would wanna put up with the little ol' me.”

“You're not so bad,” Sunshine admits and pulls another chuckle out of Swiss with it. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and brings her closer. She squirms but giggles as he ruffles her already unruly hair.

“Why, that is high praise indeed, dear sister!” the man laughs. They’re quiet for a bit, when it dies down, both enjoying their little moment.

“But you would invite me,” Sunshine interrupts it after a while, “right?”

“What?”

“To your wedding?” she clarifies.

“I could consider it.”

“Swiss!” his sister wriggles out of his hold and playfully punches him in the chest.

“Oh, fine! Yes, I would invite you, and knowing you you'd somehow end up a bridesmaid.”

“Or a best…woman. I could be your best woman!” Sunshine cheers, clapping at her cleverness.

Swiss shakes his head but there’s so much fondness in it. “Sure, sure.” 

“‘Tis settled.” The girl nods with a face of a fancy businessman that has just made a billion dollar deal.

Swiss furrows his brows in somewhat of a challenging expression. “Only if you bring every man you wanna date for an interrogation with me beforehand.”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

First thing that Swiss notices is how dry his mouth is. He breathes heavily through his nose and feels pain radiating from his middle as his chest rises. He’s slow to come to full realization of himself, each sense waking up and tuning in to his surroundings separately.

Finally, Swiss opens his eyes. They’re sticky and his vision is blurry, but he can see.

He can see his girl.

He clears his throat before rasping with his voice gravelly from unuse, “Hi, Momo.”

The vague shape of Mounty raises a hand and suddenly it’s on his cheek, slapping him across the face with all the barmaid’s might. The additional pain that blooms because of it makes him sober up in a second.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again!” Mounty scolds him; well deserved.

He's not dead, then.

“Not planning to,” he admits and lets out a chuckle that hurts him all over. “Ow…”

The next thing he knows it’s the barmaid’s lips on his own chapped ones as Mounty kisses the breath out of him. She doesn’t pull away for what feels like a small eternity and he couldn’t be more grateful. He can’t really grasp—and he doesn’t want to, anyway—the events of the previous day, but the relief of being there safe with his girl could still just about make him cry.

It indeed is a while before they really part and it’s only because they’re interrupted by Phantom accompanied by a man that looks familiar, but Swiss is sure is a stranger.

“I'm Aether, Phantom's brother,” he introduces himself and the feeling of familiarity suddenly makes sense. “The two of us patched you up. Literally, you’ve got a bunch of stitches in ya, so no moving around for now.”

“Ah, heard a lot about you,” Swiss grunts with a nod, indeed feeling the sore skin around his wound being pulled by the stitches, “And a simple thank you ain’t enough for saving me, but…well, thank you.”

“No worries,” Aether smiles kindly. He’s got the same cunning, yet kind, glint in his eyes that Phantom does and the cowboy thinks he’d like getting to know him. “I’m just glad I was here to help, you got Phantom scared shitless.”

“Yeah, you’re a fucking madman, you know that?” Phantom throws their arms up. They do look rather agitated, even though they had time to calm down since the initial incident. Apparently it’s been nearly twenty-four hours. “I have no idea how you’re alive right now, do you understand me, Swiss?”

“Sorry…” Swiss grumbles. He really does feel guilty, he was behaving like a feral animal and scared them all more than it was necessary. Not that he could’ve really helped it when Mounty was in danger, though.

“Okay, now, kid, give him a break,” Aether pats his sibling’s shoulder, “he’s got his punishment for scaring you all.”

Swiss nods and  Aether insists on leaving him and Mounty alone (after informing that the former should heal nicely provided he rests properly, and that the latter’s sprained ankle should be forgotten about in less than a week) and Phantom ultimately obliges, but not before cursing the cowboy’s madness once more. Everyone agrees that they do have a point.

Rain and Dewdrop pop in for a moment after them, bearing gifts in form of warm dinner and booze—apparently approved by Aether the doctor. They also curse Swiss’ madness before leaving, naturally.

Once they’re really alone again, Mounty heaves out a tired sigh and lays down with her head on Swiss’ chest. Neither of them falls asleep nor closes their eyes, but the minutes—or hours—they spend like that are the most restful either of them had in what feels like ages.

Mounty is the first to move again, of course. Swiss won’t admit it out loud—at least not seriously—but he’s in a lot of pain; his biggest wound isn’t the only one. She leans over him and pressed their lips together again—and the kiss gets more heated with every second; they both need the closeness.

The barmaid is gentle when she throws a leg over his lap and raises on her knees to straddle him. She descends slowly and carefully so as not to jostle the wounded man too much as she sits on the top of his thighs.

Swiss instinctively raises his arms to touch her but pauses, hanging his hands in the air between the two of them.

“In the barn, did you–” he mutters, but can’t bring himself to spit the question out fully as he stares at his hands. They're clean now, but the cowboy can't wipe the image of them all bloodied from his mind.

So much blood on his hands and yet the barmaid places her own delicate ones over his and brings them to her hips.

“I ain't seen nothing, cowboy,” Mounty tells him; calmly, softly—knowing what is going through his head, “all I know is that you saved me. You saved me, Swiss. Alright?”

He wishes it were so easy to overlook what he’s done, but for the time being it’s fine. He’s fine and so he nods and gives himself up to his girl in entirety once again.

Mounty takes her hands off of Swiss’ and reaches for his hat that’s resting on the windowsill. She puts it on her own head and the cowboy knows exactly what she’s trying to say. She brings her elegant fingers to the buttons of her shirt and starts popping them open. Swiss can't tear his eyes away from the growing bit of exposed skin as his cock begins to chub up in his pants.

“I'm gonna ride you tonight, cowboy,” Mounty whispers and finally opens her shirt to reveal her gorgeous tits, “and you're going to just lie still and take it like a champ. We don't want to pop your stitches, do we?”

“Boobies…” he sighs as he lets go of the barmaid’s hips to make grabby hands at Mounty’s chest, his mind cleared of everything but her tits now.

“Yeah, you're gonna watch ‘em bounce and forget about everything else, darling, aren't you?”

Swiss drools a little as he nods.

.

.

.

.

.

edit: about the cowboy hat thing

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 12

WC: 3K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain, Transfeminine Mountain, Ambush, Guns, Kidnapping, Blood, Rescue Mission, Revenge, Violence, Murder, Dissociation, Injury, Proposal

For the last time, the Shadow lifts his head.

Playlist here. / Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 12 under the cut or on AO3.

Dewdrop freezes in the middle of taking a step on their porch, making Rain trip and walk straight into him, “Ow, Dew, wh–”

“Did you hear that?” the smaller man doesn’t let him finish, muttering as he turns around with his eyebrows furrowed in worry.

Now that Dewdrop pointed it out, Rain did certainly hear it. “Shots?”

No one has fired a gun in Sundown in what felt—and probably was—years. They both know it can not mean anything good, especially considering that Swiss and Mounty have just left for the grove by the outskirts.

“Must be, did Swiss take his gun?” Dewdrop asks, thinking that maybe the cowboy is celebrating a successful proposal with shots, teaching his girl how to aim or simply showing off. His throat is tight, though, already having a really bad feeling about it.

“No,” Rain says, his eyes widening with somewhat of a realization, too, “and he told me where he was leaving it. He didn’t take it, Dew.”

“Fuck,” he swears under his breath and is already turning on his heel and jumping off the porch to take off towards the stables, “let's go, Rain, now.”

He’s right behind him and it feels like mere seconds pass as they get to their horses, throw just some halters on them and race bareback down the road to where they knew Swiss took Mounty. They should’ve taken Phantom with them, Dewdrop realizes as they gallop through the town, but there was no time to waste, no time to think clearly as their friends most likely were in terrible danger.

The spot isn’t far away—it would explain how loudly they heard the shots—and both their guts twist as they get between the trees. There they see Swiss’ horse standing over him and whining panicky and another one—Mounty’s mare—laying on the ground a few feet away.

There’s no barmaid in sight.

Dewdrop and Rain make their horses halt roughly and they jump off, running in the direction of the passed out man and the terrified horses.

“Swiss!? Shit, Rain, see if he’s fucking alive,” Dewdrop calls out and turns to Taika to assess the damage. The other man all but throws himself onto his knees next to the hurt cowboy. There’s a puddle of blood under his head and some more by his arm where it looks like he got cut. Or grazed with a bullet.

“Swiss? Swiss, man, wake the fuck up!” Rain panics, shaking him by his shoulders before his brain clears enough for him to think to check his pulse. He sighs in relief once he finds it, but it barely makes the situation better. He yells to Dewdrop, “He’s alive!”

The other nods, working on calming Taika down. She got shot in the gaskin but with his help she should recover easily, the wound isn’t too deep; she’s more scared than hurt. Rain hears a grunt below him and when he looks back down Swiss starts moving.

“Hey, hey, careful cowboy, slowly. They knocked you down pretty good.”

“Wh–Rain?” the man slurs, squeezing his eyes repeatedly against the brightness of the day as he sits up. He reaches back to touch his head and swears under his breath when he feels the wetness of blood and the pain radiating from the wound. Suddenly a flash of realization crosses his face and he looks around frantically, “M–Mounty? Where–were the fuck is she, what’s–where–she–”

“Hey, Swiss, calm down, please,” Rain tries, but it’s to no avail, he grows completely agitated. He scrambles to stand up and all the other man can do it to help keep him steady on his feet. Dewdrop runs over to them once he notices Rain’s helpless look.

“What happened?” he asks sternly, grabbing Swiss by his shoulders and forcing him to look down at him. He digs his fingers into his muscles when he doesn’t get an answer, the cowboy still clearly trying to process the last few minutes. “Swiss, what happened!?”

“I–I was down on one knee, I was about to–I was asking her and…” the man starts, shaking with what seems like thousand emotions at once. “Shots started flying out of nowhere, I don’t…horses panicked, I couldn’t do anything and…Mounty fell down. I t–tried to get to her, but then I don’t…I don’t r–remember.”

“It’s okay, that’s okay,” Dewdrop tries to calm him down, even though they are all well aware it is very much not okay. Mounty is not there, it’s far from okay. “If you were ambushed then…someone must’ve taken her.”

“No…no, no, no, not again, I–I can’t do it, I can’t go through it again, no, no–” Swiss starts babbling, crying and hyperventilating as he completely falls apart and neither Rain nor Dewdrop can come up with a way to help. His state makes both of them want to cry, too, and they’re terrified for Mounty. Hell only knows where she is and what’s happening to her as they stand there.

Rain hangs his head and only now does he notice a neatly folded piece of clean paper by Swiss’ boots. He points at it and it’s Dewdrop who bends down to pick it up and unfold it with shaky hands. Swiss is frozen now; eyes wide and shiny with tears as he’s completely paralyzed with fear.

“What does it say?” Rain asks, barely above a whisper. Dewdrop swallows thickly—clearly terrified himself—before reading it.

“Are you going to fail her just like you failed Sunshine, Shadow?”

The silence stretching over the next few moments is deafening.

“There’s an address, too,” Dewdrop mumbles, handing the note to Swiss as he reaches out for it with a shaky hand. The look in his eyes makes a shiver go down both Rain and Dewdrop’s spines; so much fear and anger it borders on a look of pure insanity. They suppose he’s not far from that.

“It's revenge,” the man spits after a quick glance at the address, clearly knowing who it is that’s behind taking Mounty. “The only person I spared that day, a fucking child, I–I shoul’ve killed them all.”

He drops the paper with a curse on his lips and jumps back on Monty without a care for his injuries and immediately gathers her to run. The mare seems ready, as if she knows very well how high the stakes are; as if she is as angry as her rider. The only thing Swiss cares about now is finding his girl, getting her to safety and slaughtering everyone that had even thought of laying a finger on her.

“It’s a trap if they gave you the fucking address, Swiss!” Rain calls after him as Dewdrop goes back to tending to Taika. “Wait! You have to think before you just jump in there!”

“I don’t care. I’m going to get her right now.”

The other man throws his arms up in defeat as worry eats at him. None of this feels real.

“Go after him,” Dewdrop tells him. “I’ll be fine here and I’ll come find you with Phantom as soon as possible. You go now and make sure at least one of them makes it out alive!”

He’s right. Rain doesn’t waste any more time.

He climbs onto his horse and runs after the cowboy who’s already barely visible in the distance. He’s heading for the town and Rain hopes that means he’s at least got enough brains in him to get weapons.

It turns out he was right, the next he sees Swiss he’s running into Mounty’s saloon, but before Rain even gets there he’s already running out and hopping back into the saddle.

“Swiss!” he calls out, but gets no response. He swears under his breath and turns his own horse to follow him as he takes off once again.

“Rain? What the fuck’s going on?” the aforementioned hears and turns around to see his other partner standing confused on their porch.

“No time to explain, Dew’s in the grove with Taika, get your horse and go to them,” Rain yells, already running after Swiss again. “Now, Phantom!”

He can’t see if they obliged, but they’re not stupid.

The next half an hour is a blur of frantic galloping with nothing but the sound of wind and thundering of hooves pounding in Rain’s ears. Both he and his horse are exhausted by the time Swiss and Monty slow to a halt. Those two don’t even seem out of breath, somehow. The thought of their shared past scares Rain.

“Swiss, please, they’re going to kill you both,” Rain begs quietly—in fear of Swiss’ enemies being near—once he catches up to him. “Let's come up with a plan, get more people.”

“Only Mounty matters and I’m going in to get her,” he repeats like a mantra.

“Do you think she’ll be happy to be saved if it means you die?” the other man whisper-shouts, unable to find any more arguments in himself.

“Here,” the cowboy hands him the gun, not even acknowledging the other’s question, “if anyone but me or Mounty gets out, shoot right away. If it gets bad just get the hell out of here.”

Rain shakes his head, but he knows he’s lost. He didn’t have any chance of convincing him to begin with.

“No one touches my girl and lives,” Swiss growls, jumping off of his horse. The other man sighs and takes the reins handed to him into one hand as he clutches the gun close to himself with the other.

Swiss is about to walk away, but he freezes. He shoves a hand into his pocket, pulls out a tiny box and fiddles with it for a second before shaking his head and turning back to the other man.

“Keep it safe for me, would ya? Whatever happens, I want Mounty to have it.”

Rain can only nod as he wraps his fingers around it.

The cowboy walks towards the barn, but pauses again to straighten up and stretch before he gets too close. Rain watches him curiously as he pulls out two long daggers from his belt and grips them tightly by his sides. He drops his chin to his chest and Rain can see him taking a deep breath.

What he can’t see, though, is what’s in his eyes.

Nothing.

There is nothing.

For the last time ever, the Shadow lifts his head.

Mounty tried keeping track of time for a bit, ultimately giving up in favor of doodling in the sand below her bench. It might have been minutes, it might have been hours, but for the barmaid it already feels like days.

She can’t stop thinking about Swiss. What he was about to do—what he was about to ask her—but most importantly, Mounty is thinking about him lying unconscious on the ground as she was being taken.

She’s terrified despite knowing he’ll come to save her, but…but he can’t come if he’s dead.

Mounty stares at the ground for another while when suddenly she hears a blood curdling scream. She sits up and her eyes widen as she can only hear some kind of chaos being unleashed right on the other side of the door to her cell. It doesn’t even cross her mind that it might be her savior.

“It’s him!” someone yells, but they don’t even get the chance to finish as they’re the next to be made screaming in agony.

“Shoot him!” The barmaid gasps, hearing someone shoot indeed. What on earth is happening out there–

“Get the girl! Kill her!” someone else commands, and Mounty’s blood freezes. If they come for her right then she’ll be dead in seconds, there’s nothing she could protect herself with, it’s–

She hears heavy footsteps running towards her and she cowers against the wall—shaking in fear—but her would-be killer never makes it to the cell. Mounty can hear them scream right outside and it’s as if they were pinned to the door itself.

What demon must be slaughtering them?

Is she going to be next?

The barmaid hears more men pleading for their life, screaming in pain, begging for mercy. Nothing of sorts comes and their voices go quiet one by one until the barn is silent.

The door to her cell swings open and Mounty gasps in fear.

“Oh, Swiss…” she sighs as she looks at her man, relief already washing over her. He’s covered in blood from head to toe and his eyes look lifeless, but he’s there, alive. He came to save her and she wants to be happy that he’s safe and that she is now, too, but all the blood and the cowboy’s empty gaze leave her unsettled and frightened still.

She sits up. Swiss doesn’t speak as he comes over and kneels next to her; all he does is place a surprisingly gentle hand over her propped up swollen ankle and looks up at her questioningly.

“It’s nothing, just twisted it when I fell,” the barmaid explains, worried grimace pulling at her own lips. “They didn’t hurt me.”

The man nods and stands. Mounty yelps when she’s suddenly being picked up bridal style, but settles with her arms around Swiss’ neck. She knows, despite all, that she’s perfectly safe with him. He’d never hurt her or let her get hurt.

What worries her as Swiss heads towards the door is the dullness of his eyes, the lack of emotion in them. The barmaid knows what it is, she’s seen it happen to him before, but he’s never wandered quite this far away.

Swiss stops before really leaving the cell, clearing his throat.

“Don’t look,” he mutters. A shiver goes down Mounty’s spine at the coldness of his voice and it makes her believe that his advice is a good one; she’s thankful she never was a nosy woman. She tucks her head under his chin and closes her eyes.

Swiss walks on. He carries Mounty through the barn with its walls painted in blood and its ground covered in corpses in various states of dismemberment. Not many would believe it was done by one man upon seeing the scene.

That is why no one will see.

Once they’re out of the barn and Mounty feels the fresh air on her skin, she opens her eyes. Swiss puts her down, but still keeps a solid arm around her so she doesn’t put too much weight on her injured leg. The man pulls out a lighter from one of his pockets, snaps the flame to life and throws it into the barn without so much as a last glimpse. With all the ballots of straw and hay inside, the wooden structure will go up in flames and consume the dead in no time.

Mounty and Swiss can see their friends standing by their horses in the distance, anxiously awaiting them. The barmaid notices the moment when they realize she and Swiss made it, their sighs of relief. Phantom runs up to them seeing Mounty limping and ducks under her free arm to support her from the other side. The cowboy remains silent until they reach Dewdrop and Rain.

“Are they–” the latter starts quietly.

“All dead,” Swiss says, leaving no room for interpretation. The tension around them could be sliced with a dull knife, it’s no easy thing to overlook one’s friend having just murdered dozens—even if villains. Especially when he’s still covered in their blood.

Phantom looks Mounty’s leg over and moves away to give her and her man space once they deem it not too dangerous of an injury.

The barmaid looks into Swiss’ eyes. They are still so empty and lifeless it makes Mounty’s stomach turn unpleasantly. She hates seeing him like this; right before her and yet so far away. The worst is that he seems to have wandered so much further away than any time before and the barmaid desperately tries to think of a way to bring him back to her; afraid that she might not have that power.

She squeezes his bloodied hands and runs her fingers over his knuckles and suddenly it hits her.

“Swiss,” she starts, “ask me again.”

He lifts his head, but that’s about it. He’s looking at her but he’s not seeing her.

“Ask me again,” Mounty repeats. “You were trying to ask me something when we got separated. Ask me again.”

Swiss blinks. He blinks and it’s a small step, but it’s one closer to the cowboy fully returning to her. It’s a few long seconds before he opens his mouth—then closes it again to clear his throat—but finally, he speaks.

“Will you…Mounty, will you marry me?”

The barmaid smiles widely and the cowboy’s eyes glint. Another step.

“Yes, Swiss. Yes, I will,” Mounty replies and leans in to kiss him. Just before she closes her eyes, she sees life returning to his own as her lips on his fully snap him out of it.

Dewdrop, Rain and Phantom—that the barmaid has forgotten are even there—start to cheer as the cowboy finally moves like a living thing; wrapping his arms around Mounty again and pulling her in to deepen the kiss.

They part only for a few short breaths and despite all the blood and trauma of the last few hours, there’s nothing but contagious joy and love on both their faces.

Rain grins as he watches them before suddenly remembering what’s safely tucked away in his pocket. He walks over to the cowboy and shoves the box into his hand. Swiss turns to him with a grateful nod and gets down on one knee once again.

He doesn’t ask this time, just gently grabs Mounty’s hand and slides the beautiful ring on her finger. The barmaid moves to cup his cheek as she gestures for him to stand back up.

Swiss gets the bent leg under himself and goes to get up but he can’t seem to steady himself. Mounty doesn’t notice the pained crease between his brows and how pale he is until he sways in her arms. “Swiss? What’s wrong?”

“‘m sorry, girl…” he mumbles before his legs give out under him and he falls to the ground.

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 9

WC: 1K

Relationship: SwissAlps & RainTomDrop

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain, Transfeminine Mountain, Non-Binary Phantom, Transmasculine Dewdrop, Domestic Fluff

“You should get new pants before everyone gets to see that pretty bubble butt,” Rain hears from behind them, Dewdrop clearly having returned. Phantom snorts at his remark; he’s not very wrong.

Notes: Thought I should write a chapter about the "background" characters so here it is!

Playlist here. / Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 9 under the cut or on AO3.

Rain wakes up to a skinny forearm thrown right across his face, squishing his nose and making it a little hard to breathe. He groans as he opens his eyes, squinting in the bright light of the morning.

Phantom is snoring next to him, absolutely careless about the position of any of their appendages. Were Dewdrop with them, he’d call them a stick bug. Speaking of Dewdrop, he must’ve left earlier to let the horses out into the fields before the sun was fully up.

Rain opens his mouth to yawn and Phantom’s arm rolls down from his nose into the newly created space. Rain tickles them with his tongue before biting down, making the other wake up with a yelp.

“Ow, Rainy, what the fuck!?” they slur, pouting as they now stare at Rain with big puppy eyes.

“Sorry,” he giggles. He is not sorry. “For my defense, it was you trying to suffocate me in my sleep.”

Phantom only grumbles under their breath—still so sleepy—and wiggles under their covers. They curl up against Rain’s bare chest and nuzzle their face under his chin.

“Not awake ye–OW!” it’s Rain’s time to yelp as the other closes their mouth around his neck and bites him there. “Menace.”

Phantom giggles sleepily and snuggles in even closer. Rain can do nothing but sigh with a smile and wrap an arm around them to hold them close. They have time.

And it is, indeed, a while before they finally roll out of bed to go down to Rain’s pub for some breakfast. They find a note from Dewdrop there, saying that he grabbed a snack before leaving, but wanted to eat real breakfast with them. Of course he does, the sap.

Phantom all but falls back asleep in a worn-down but comfortable armchair in the corner as Rain cooks for them—some bacon, bread and scrambled eggs.

“Can you set water for tea?” he calls out. No reply comes, but soon enough a sleepy Phantom does appear by his side to oblige.

“Your hair is a mess again, batsy,” Rain notes, setting a pan down to run a hand through it, “you should see Aurora before you start whining it’s itchy on your neck.”

“And you should see Cumulus before everyone gets to see that pretty bubble butt,” they hear from behind them, Dewdrop clearly having returned. Phantom snorts at his remark; he’s not very wrong, the pair Rain currently has on is hanging on by approximately three threads. Nor is he wrong about his ass, it is both pretty and bubbly.

“Good morning, droplet,” Rain sighs with feigned exasperation, even despite the smirk on his face, which Dewdrop can’t see just yet. “I’ll get new work pants when these die, you know I love them.”

“More than me?” Dewdrop murmurs, coming up to wrap himself around the taller man from behind. 

“Of course not,” he chuckles as he puts a hand on the other’s where they are locked around his waist. “I love you and our stick bug more than anything.”

“Love you, too,” Phantom throws in, also gluing themself to Rain. Dewdrop hums, proud of himself and insanely in love with both of them.

“Should we invite Swiss and Mounty for breakfast?” the youngest suggests, looking over Rain’s shoulder. “You made a lot.”

“Yeah, the bacon needed to be done today,” Rain explains, moving it on the pan to cover it in some more fat. “You can go see if they’re up.”

“On it,” Phantom says through a yawn and leaves to fetch them. Not before pressing two little kisses to both Rain and Dewdrop’s cheeks.

It’s quiet for a little while—with Dewdrop still hanging off of Rain’s back—only the two pans and the kettle sizzling over the stove. It starts whistling soon enough, though, and Dewdrop has to peel himself away and take care of the tea. It’s not much work considering Phantom has already got everything ready, just water left.

Once the kettle is put away and the tea is brewing, Dewdrop stretches with his arms high above his head, back popping. Rain chuckles, looking over at him and not being able to fight the thought that he looks like a cat—as usual.

“How was your morning?” he asks, finally taking everything off of the stove.

“Hm, it was okay,” Dewdrop replies as he goes for the plates and cutlery. “No incidents.”

“Glad to hear you didn’t get literally run over by a bunch of horses,” Rain laughs. “Again.”

“Wish I could say it was one time,” the other mumbles under his breath, as if Rain doesn’t know exactly how many times things like that have happened to him. “And somehow it’s your pants ripping every few weeks.”

“That may be because of one or two very eager little menaces that always squeeze and pull at the poor fabric trying to get to my ass.”

Dewdrop smirked and was clearly about to say something more, presumably filthy, when the door opened again and Phantom—with Mounty and Swiss in tow, now—walked in. “Got ‘em.”

“G’morning,” Swiss rumbled. Mounty just waved in greeting, yawning.

“Phantom, did you wake them up?” Rain asked with furrowed brows as he took in the pair’s state.

“Well, that wasn’t the plan,” Phantom giggles. “But how was I supposed to see if they were up without…knocking?”

“You barged in announcing Rain made breakfast for us all,” Mounty laughs, not sounding too upset about that. It’s Swiss who doesn’t look very awake.

“Close enough,” Phantom shrugs—the image of innocence—and everyone bursts out laughing. Even Swiss, albeit a little slow and interrupted by a yawn or two.

“Okay, well,” Rain says after a bit, “I did make breakfast for us all, so take a seat.”

It quiets down only once they are all sat at a table with full plates and mugs of hot tea in front of them. Rain looks around for a moment, realizing how warm it feels, how he enjoys having people over and cooking for them; especially people he’s proud to be calling friends. Dewdrop notices he got a little lost in thought and squeezes his thigh.

“What about we invite them and the girls over for dinner, hm?” he offers. “You could show off all you want.”

Rain smiles. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“But you’re wearing different pants,” Dewdrop teases, running his hand down to give his ass a firm squeeze. “That ass is mine.”

“And mine!” Phantom perks up, just a little too loud and a little too enthusiastic.

Everyone bursts out laughing once again.

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 11

WC: 1,2K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain, Transfeminine Mountain, Fluff, Date Gone Wrong, Shooting

Their conversations as they ride are light—as always—and every second spent just being with Mounty makes Swiss even more sure that what he’s planning on doing is right.

Notes: You might hate me for the next few chapters...

Playlist here. / Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 11 under the cut or on AO3.

It still feels like it was only yesterday that Swiss had stumbled into Mounty’s saloon, exhausted after a long journey and in desperate need for a drink. At the same time, though, it feels as if they’ve known each other for decades.

In reality, it has been a year. 

Nearly a year. Three hundred and sixty four days.

The anniversary is tomorrow and Swiss has things planned for them. He’s been an anxious mess about it for a few weeks now, getting support and encouragement from Dewdrop, Rain and Phantom. He just hopes Mounty hasn't figured his plan out considering it’s not their anniversary; that’s a few weeks later. He feels like he’s going to pass out from stress anyway.

They wake up as usual, limbs tangled together under a fluffy blanket, with Swiss’ head resting on Mounty’s chest. Right over her heart; he’s already memorized its rhythm. It’s his favorite music.

The barmaid is still sound asleep, blissfully unaware, and Swiss shifts with all the gentleness in the world so as not to wake her. He rolls over onto his side and rests his head on a bent arm, wanting to stare at her peaceful face for just a little longer. He could stare at her for hours on end, really, and not get bored. He’ll never get bored of her.

Mounty’s chest is bare, rising and falling steadily as she breathes, the blanket covering her from a belly button down; excluding a long leg thrown carelessly over the heap. There’s a perfectly twisted lock of auburn hair on her face, moving slightly with each breath she takes. It must tickle her a little bit, Swiss notes as he watches her nose twitch and scrunch up against the offending strand. He smiles and reaches to gently push it away so it can join the rest of her beautiful hair; spread all over the pillows like a bronze halo around her head.

Swiss watches her until she starts to shift, waking slowly. He leans down, then, and slots his lips against hers. He wants to pull back again to meet her eyes when she opens them, but instead he finds himself being pulled down by his shoulders.

“Mmm…g’morning, cowboy.”

Swiss laughs as he flops back down. This time he kisses Mounty with more purpose and she reciprocates.

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

It’s a solid hour before they emerge from their room, having gotten dressed and ready for the day. They go downstairs, but not without stealing some more kisses on the way.

Once they’re down there, too, of course.

Swiss readies both horses himself when the barmaid is taking care of preparing tea down in the saloon. Then he jumps over to Rain’s pub to grab their breakfast having planned it with the other man in advance.

“Here you go,” Rain smiles at him, handing him a basket full of gloriously smelling steaming food. “Good luck, cowboy.”

“Why, thank you,” he chuckles, though it’s hard to conceal his nervousness. “By the way, my gun’s gonna stay upstairs.”

Rain’s not sure why it’s important for him to know that, but he nods in acknowledgment anyway, before waving the man goodbye. Back in the saloon, Mounty finishes brewing their tea. “Brought some goodies, sweetheart.”

The barmaid hums in approval at the delicious smell and grabs a few plates. Swiss tries not to think about his plan as they eat, but it’s incredibly hard when Mounty looks at him with nothing but love in her eyes. What on earth did he do to deserve her?

It feels like a mere blink of an eye between them waking up and hopping up onto Monty and Taika. Swiss leads them down the main road and out of Sundown; it’s easy for Mounty to guess where it is that they’re going with there not being many spots worth spending time at around. One of them is a rather small, but exceptionally beautiful and peaceful grove just on the outskirts of the little town. It’s an amazing place full of big old trees, hundreds of flowers and singing birds.

Their conversations as they ride are light—as always—and every second spent just being with Mounty makes Swiss even more sure that what he’s planning on doing is right.

If Swiss can be sure of one thing in the world, it’s that they’ve been made for each other.

They hop back down once the ground below their horses’ hooves turns from dry sand to a soft forest ground covered in leaves, bark, flowers and branches. The cowboy takes Taika from his girl and loosens both horses’ girths so they can graze on some grass here and there. When he turns back to Mounty he can’t help but gasp.

She looks like a goddess surrounded by the rich greens of a forest in full bloom. With her hair down and her dress flowing around her equally gracefully as she walks and looks around the breathtaking place.

She is breathtaking.

Swiss can’t wait a second more.

He shoves one of his clammy hands into his pocket, squeezing a little box waiting in there. Mounty doesn’t seem to notice, focused on taking in the landscape.

The cowboy pulls his hand and the box out and gets down on one knee.

He clears his throat and Mounty turns to him with confusion in her eyes. “Swiss, what are you–”

“Sweetheart, you are everything I ever wanted in life and more. You gave me back purpose, made me a better man and showed me that even though the night can be dark and scary, the sun is always going to rise again and chase the evil away. I’m eternally grateful for all you are and all you do.”

Swiss opens the little box to reveal a beautiful ornate ring.

“Mounty, love of my life,” he says and it’s just now that what he’s about to do really hits the barmaid. She gasps and presses a hand against her mouth as tears well up in her eyes. “Will you do me the honor of–”

He doesn’t get to finish the question as chaos is unleashed.

What was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of their life becomes a blur of terrified screams, agitated horses and the ground shaking.

Shots start flying out of nowhere, Swiss feels pain slashing across his arm and he falls back before he can jump in to protect his girl. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Mounty’s mare rear and buck before falling down as she gets shot. There’s no time for the man to process what’s happening before Taika knocks the barmaid down in her panic, too, and Mounty cries out in pain when her legs give out under her on the uneven ground.

Swiss scrambles to get up and run for her, tripping over roots. Too blinded by fear for her safety, he doesn’t notice the barmaid shaking her head and gesturing for him to turn around.

“Swiss, behind you!” she yells in warning with a hurt voice, but it’s too late. Sharp pain blooms from the back of the cowboy’s head and everything goes dark.

[thehypnone]

Sundown: Chapter 10

WC: 1K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain, Transfeminine Mountain, Implied Dissociation, Hurt/Comfort, Grief

“She was the brightest person I’ve ever known. It’s like…she lit up every room she walked into.”

Playlist here. / Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 10 under the cut or on AO3.

Swiss has never expected to have to think about a day such as this one. He has never expected he would have to go about his day with the knowledge that on this exact day, just a year prior, his baby sister was being murdered to be left for him to find mauled in a puddle of her own blood.

Alas, here he is. Here it is, the first anniversary of Sunshine’s death.

He told Mounty a few weeks ago so she would understand that him distancing himself has nothing to do with her. She understands, but she’s not one to let her lover drown in misery while she watches from a distance. She’ll give him all the space he needs, but the moment she sees he needs her, she’ll be there.

The barmaid wakes up first to Swiss’ head resting on her chest and his arms tight around her waist. She looks down at him as much as possible, and wishes he could always be as peaceful as he is in that moment. Still, he soon wakes up.

Mounty sees in his eyes and expression as he comes to and realizes the date. The hurt flashing across his face jabs her straight into her own heart and she squeezes the man’s arm reassuringly. He doesn’t speak—none of their usual morning sappy giggles ensue—but he looks up at his girl and simply blinks and it’s more than enough for Mounty to know what he means. It’s a ‘thank you’ and an ‘I love you’ and an ‘I need you’ and so much more.

The barmaid nods, whispering as to not disturb the reverent silence too much, “I love you, too.”

Swiss lays his head back on her chest and sighs. It’s not going to be an easy day and it feels like hours before Mounty feels the man shift again.

“Do you want to talk about it? About her?” Mounty proposes, approaching the topic very carefully. “I’d love to hear something, if you’d like to tell me.”

“Yeah, I–I think I do,” Swiss rumbles after thinking about it for a little while, with his voice gravelly from unuse.

Mounty’s soft kiss on his forehead is more than enough of an encouragement, but Swiss realizes he really does want to talk about Sunshine. He never did, after her death, and now it’s been a year. She deserves to be talked about, though, she can’t be forgotten, the memory of her can’t simply fade. The cowboy owes it to her and maybe, just maybe, it’ll help him, too.

He sits up and turns to lean against the wall by the window, so she can look at his girl as he tells her the story.

“Her name was Sunshine,” he starts after clearing his throat, “Sunny for short. And it fit, she was the brightest person I’ve ever known. It’s like…she lit up every room she walked into, ya know?”

Mounty nods, smiling softly.

“She was six years younger than me and she was a…huh, a surprise let’s say. I don’t know about my parents, I doubt my mother wanted to have more children with my failure of a father, but I was over the moon. I wasn’t as happy when no one could sleep for months once she was born, but once she got quieter I was her biggest fan.

Then, uh…our parents sucked so I was mostly taking care of us both. Mom died when Sunny was around five. We were good, but you already know how my father fucked us over and how it all ended.

She was very creative. She liked to sing and always came up with new funny songs and new ways to make noise. Everything was her instrument, even the wind and rustling trees themselves. She was a…a true gem, ya know? There’s not enough people like her in the world.”

Swiss’ breath hitches and he outstretches his hands, desperately needing Mounty’s touch. She puts her own in them and laces their fingers together, silently saying that she’s with him and not going anywhere.

“I never told you that your voice–” his own cracks, “you sound very similar to how she did. You laugh the same.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, sorry. Should’ve told you sooner.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Mounty finally speaks again, “there was no reason for you to tell me, I don’t mind.”

“Mhm,” Swiss hums in acknowledgement.

It’s quiet for a few minutes before the barmaid admits in a quiet voice, “I wish I could’ve met her.” 

“I wish you could’ve,” Swiss agrees, even quieter, and Mounty doesn’t like the far away look in his eyes. Silence falls again as she tries to think of an appropriate thing to say.

“You wanna know what I’m thinking?” she speaks after a moment, squeezing Swiss’ hands in an attempt to ground him.

“Hm?” the man hums, barely there anymore. There’s tears in his eyes waiting to fall, but his stare is blank. The barmaid hates seeing him floating away further and further away with each passing second. She’s afraid that there’s not much she can do to hold him back.

“Look at the weather,” Mounty points out regardless, having to try. Swiss is slow to oblige, but he does, eventually peeling the curtain away to look out of the window. He doesn’t notice anything particularly special, though. Mounty clarifies, “it’s nearly summer and yet it’s been all gloomy for weeks.”

Swiss furrows his eyebrows. She’s right, but he still can’t grasp the point she’s trying to make.

“It’s sunny today. She’s here, Swiss. She’s here to remind you that no matter how gloomy the world is, there’s always going to be more sunny days. I bet she’d like you to think that every sunny day is her doing, her trying her best to make your day brighter. Dare I say you getting sunburned it’s her teasing you? She didn’t really go anywhere, my darling, she’s still with you. She always will be.”

Life returns to Swiss’ eyes when his tears fall.

Thankfully Mounty is there to wipe them all away.