#we're bullet proof until we bleed out western au

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"You tried to kill me!" -Brisco

The bounty hunter looked at the other man with an almost amused look on his face, "No, I was aiming for the man behind you, and considering he is missing an eye and has a hole in his head; I did kill him, ja?"

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"I haven't heard your name yet friend." -from the Lone Ranger!

The turned and was unsure if he should be concerned, laugh, or some form of both. Was this man wearing a mask? Did this mean he was being robbed? For the stranger's sake, he hoped not.

Ras craned the brow over his good eye, still taking the man in. A visible scar around Ras' neck acting as proof even the noose failed to take him to his gods. The scar over his right eye offered that it was the cause for it being milky, but the why when taking all of the giant in, was clear: this man lived a hard life.

He was in a weird legal limbo, the huge bounty he had incurred in his years was being paid off by his service to the law. Or they were using him as a free bullet sponge to bring in others from his former gang. If the promise of his freedom after is kept was anyone's guess. But Ras wasn't holding his breath. However, there were many who sought him out for vengeance. He had grown a reputation among other outlaws for being brutal to his own, and to those, he saw as dishonorable or against his idea of a code. Many seemed to struggle with what that code was.

"I did not know you needed it, ja?" he replied simply. His accent was odd, a mixture of something clearly Germanic and something else, and a hint of the American accent normally heard from those up North.

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‘ ‘morbid curiosity’ is a wonderful way to describe how i feel about you. ’

"That should probably scare me more than it should. I have come to learn your curiosity is a dangerous thing for all parties involved, and your attention is a double-edged sword at best. Yet, here I am in this run-down saloon with more eyes on us than there are people in the room, ja?"

The giant took a drink of whiskey before him and frowned, "And the drink is worse than normal. But I have to ask, what exactly about me has your curiosity?"

[amorgansgal]

Oh Ras, you little cutie patootie!

📔

**This entry would be written in Icelandic**

I am not a wise man, or a particularly smart one, so maybe my surprise at how quick one can come to realize something is only tied to me. When I met her, I felt nothing, but I felt such a way about everyone. They thought I was friendly because I treated them like people, and gave them the civility all people deserve until proven otherwise.

But at some point, it changed with her, and now as I write this and look over at her rubbing her belly that is heavy and full of our first child, I cannot help but feel I should be holding her right now and not writing this. But where and when did this love become that? Love.

Some say it was obvious in her softness towards me, but I always thought she was just happy someone respected her intelligence and skills. So I think she fell first. But as I write that I think of the times I would seek a spot next to her when I did not eat with just my ancestors. How I smiled when I saw her walking towards me.

I love her, that I know now. And I love seeing her next to me, the heavy with the family we are starting, it upsets me that I can not find words in my this tongue or English to explain how beautiful I think she is and how much I love her. What mountains I would shatter for her. That I would tear the heavens asunder and raise all of hel, to keep her and our family safe.

On an unrelated note, she looks very cute when she waddles and when she makes her pouty face when she wants something but does not wish to ask me.

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My love of Big Valley is because one it’s beautiful in game, but also exactly where Ras would want to settle. Man needs his mountain air or he feels like he’s choking. 

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The Völva

// @cajunspoons

It was late, the lamps outside had long been burning, and the drunks of the saloon had long been shoved out. The bar closing and the only patrons left were those with rooms.

The old woman shambled in, her eyes mostly milky, marking her blind or nearly there, but she moved with confidence. A large black dog at her side. When one someone tried to speak up, the barkeep let the animal stay. It was late and clearly it was there to help the woman so no harm done. If it had been peak hours he might have said something.

faded ink decorated her hands and a familiar hammer hung around her neck. She takes a seat and smiles in Segolene’s direction, like she knows something. Like she knew she needed to be there at this exact moment. 

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//Look at him! He’s judging someone. I love this so much!

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// @cajunspoons

It was still early in the morning so the saloon was slow, and Ras was passing through to visit before heading back out. Government had their leash tightened around him as of late. 

He was sitting in a corner soaking in the morning sun lazily watching the saloon girls get ready for a long day. One had to bring her little one to work. Ras’ heart broke at that, though he respected her dedication to provide her her child. 

However, the small babe had some pipes on it, as the little thing wailed in the saloon. No matter what the mother did the little girl would not be silenced. It had been so long since cries like that filled his ears. So very long, it felt like a lifetime ago, and in some ways it was. 

The bounty hunter stood and strode over, “May I?” 

Naturally the young mother was hesitant but she knew he was Segolene’s man and could give him some level of trust. So she handed the babe over to him.

Oh how much smaller she looked in his arms. Her wailing continued, but Ras simply smiled. Unaffected by them.

“Why are we crying? Hm? Lítil stelpa? Why are we sad?” he asked the babe gently, his deep resonating voice, lower and softer than normal, but still reverberating in chests near by. 

The baby girl halted her wails for a moment and looked at him with wonder. she had not noticed he’d picked her up. She whimpered as Ras spoke to her in his native tongues flowing between German and Icelandic. He craned an eyebrow as something occurred to him. He placed a large hand over the babe’s tummy and gave it a rub, sure enough it was what he thought.

“Ah, I see. No worries Lítil stelpa, we will fix this.” he cooed moving behind the bar to grab a rag. 

He tossed it on one of his shoulder and gently placed the baby there. He rubbed the babe’s back before gently patting it. There was a loud burping noise from the baby followed by coos of relief. 

“She might have a bit of colic too. Nothing a warm cloth and a rub can’t fix.” he replied.

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Did you see them? The men that rode into town? It was like looking at a starved wolf, and an irritated grizzly. They’re a bad omen I tell you. Men with eyes like theirs don’t go about quietly. 

@cicero-the-assassin

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Sarah "nodding off... " probably with a medical textbook in her hands.

// Setting this a bit in the future from where we are in the thread.

They were all cozy in bed. Bjorn had fallen asleep as Ras told him a riveting story of magic and heroes. Even if the toddler barely understood what was said if at all. He was just happy to hear his father's voice. Now he was curled up on Ras' broad chest.

Sarah, was next to them in bed, well trying to sit next to them. She finally had found a position that didn't make her back hurt. All it took was four pillows. He was tempted to tease her that she should be so lucky her husband was doing so well they could afford so many pillows! But he didn't want to get hit by an angry pregnant woman.

She had been reading up on what was available to the medical world on women delivering twins. Helgi's daughter was here and also gave Sarah her mother's notes on twins. A less academic and formal read, Ras was sure, but possibly offered insight a man could not.

It was her soft moans that gave her away. It was not uncommon for her to rest her head against him while she read. He looked over and sure enough, her book was resting on her bump and she was fading into sleep.

Now was the fun part. Carefully Ras maneuvered his family. Gently moving Sarah onto her side and helping her groggily slip further down onto the bed. All while keeping a sleeping Bjorn on him. Sarah started to mumble about something but Ras just kissed her forehead, "Sleep Mausebär, I got you, ja?"

As they lay there in bed he looked up at the ceiling, stroking Bjorn's back while Sarah's bump rested on him for weight relief he couldn't move if he wanted to, but he didn't.

"Thank you," he said quietly to the empty room, "Thank you for giving them to me. Please, look over her, ja? She is strong. She has to be, married to me, but please Freyja, keep your gaze on her. Do this and I will rest in your hall when I go, for what that might be worth."

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(づ￣ ³￣)づ <3 <3 <3

Ras was sitting down by the camp's fire when he felt Lucio's arms around him. The giant didn't react at first, then he sighed and slumped a bit.

"What did you do and how long before someone comes looking?"

Not that Lucio wasn't physical with Ras outside of him doing something he knew was going to annoy the giant. But such was the nature of their relationship. If Lucio was being affectionate, it was because fire was about to be rained down on them.

"Do I have time to smoke before?"

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🐻

Normally when people think of bear hugs, they think of something loving, but in this exact moment that wasn't the case. Ras had the thinner man wrapped tightly in his arms, while he writhed, hissing that those behind them.

"Lucio stop," he whispered in his ear, "We will get them tonight."

Sometimes hugs were more to make sure your friend doesn't miss the chance for better revenge and not get arrested.

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i just like whatever’s expensive. (A material gorl)

The bounty hunter laughed, "Well that doesn't explain your shit taste in beer."

Ras shook his head and called the bartender over and ordered the best bourbon the bar had. Saint Denis was a place Ras would rather avoid, but the nicer saloons had an okay choice of drink; for it being American at least. He missed the mead house back in Wisconsin. Or the beer garden in the German community that was near the community he grew up in. The horrors that lingered there it was a cursed place to him, but some things weren't so dark.

"Only the best for the only friend I have in this shit whole of a country. Too stubborn to die, and too poor to leave." he was only half joking.

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@cajunspoons continued from here

He watched as her frown deepened with each card. He looked at the pictures for any indicator of why, some looked...bad, but he wasn’t sure if that meant anything, as he knew little of tarots, but with runes and bones most things were often more symbolic rather than to be taken at face value. 

“Why not? What do they say? If it’s me getting shot, that comes with the job Love. But I promise I will come back, I always do.” 

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// @mistermxrgan continued from here

The giant had found himself in a rather annoying state of limbo these days. Sure the government had made a bargain with him. A shit deal that put him on barrowed time until they grew tired of him, and decided he was worth the bullet in the head. Gods knew they were terrified to try and hang him, since the first two times didn’t work.

However, despite being “clear” of his past, they did nothing to stop hired killers from more affluent people who had a grudge against him. Or as in this case, people from the family of dead outlaws he’d killed. 

When one takes off into the woods, one assumes the only thing they might run into are animals. So the former outlaw was very surprised to see a man out in the woods he was trying to get lost in. Angry men firing behind him. 

Raserei had no choice but get behind a large tree. It looked like man he shouted at had made to cover. Good. 

A few more shots.

“I thought you didn’t back down from a fight!” one of the three men chasing the giant shouted before sending a bullet at the tree Raserei had taken refuge behind.  “Ja, well forgive, but even I know there is no fighting in a gun fight unarmed.” Raserei called back.

He wasn’t completely unarmed, had some throwing knives on him, but he needed a better advantage and idea where his enemies were; can’t just throw them into a general direction and hope. And they had fired from the bushes while he was in the middle of dressing. 

“Like when you gutted our brother?!” 

Raserei shrugged despite no one could see, “I have gutted many men, that means little, ja?” 

More gunfire at his tree, “You hung him by his guts!”

“Oh! If I did that then your brother earned his fate!” 

And with the last shot, Ras grinned; they needed to reload now. Ras quickly appeared from behind the tree and flung one of the knives hitting one of the brothers in his throat. The force of the throw caused the knife to almost to in to the hilt. 

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[quiet jealousy] - Your muse becomes jealous over my muse for whatever reason, and expresses it non-verbally, lingering closer to my muse than usual, touching them casually, etc.

// since we decided Lucio being an angry cat is funnier

This job had sent the giant to the ass end of the country if you asked him. How anyone lived in this heat he couldn't understand. Granted people could say the same about his father's people living in a land that is always described as 'where ice and fire meet'. But nonetheless, the bounty hunter had stripped down to his union suit and had the sleeves pulled up and most of the buttons undone. His lower half was still fully clothed. He had dunked his head into some water when some of the girls from the Saloon there in Tumbleweed came sauntering out.

He didn't think anything of it, how they pressed hands to his chest or cooed over his arms. He just thought they were working or needed something handled. Why else would they give him attention?

However, there was suddenly weight on his back and hissing could be heard from one of his ears. The girls grew wide-eyed and quickly ducked back into the Saloon.

"They were just doing their job, ja?" Ras sighed to Lucio who was still glued to his back, "And it is too hot to stay there, get off!"