Disclaimer : I own nothing of the MySims franchise, all I have right of is Colin.
Rusty sat in front of his campfire, letting the warmth generated by the flames wash all over him. His red bandanna stayed put around his neck, no longer covering his mouth, but old habits die hard.
He took off his black cowboy hat and set it inside his tent, he was glad to have left his life of a bandit, with help of a certain trio. Stealing was never a good thing, even if for survival, but Rusty was never one to be social, friends or even acquaintances weren't his specialty.
Staring into the fire he let his mind clear, letting himself relax for once, without the worry of getting caught by Sheriff Ginny. The wild redhead was clueless at times, but she could be clever if she wanted to be.
Rusty listened to the soft wind of the desert-like island, it wasn't too cold tonight with the help of the fire.
The blonde nearly jumped as someone plopped themselves next to him by the pit.
"Hey," they said, the clear voice piercing right through the quiet breeze.
Rusty looked up from the fire, blinking as he got used to the dark lighting. It was Colin, the Wandolier, promoted by Merlin the Warlock of the Capitol himself. The one person who had him change his ways, his savior to be blunt.
"Hey," Rusty said. He had so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn't seem to find the right words, fearing he'd make a fool out of himself for stuttering and stammering.
Neither did Colin seem to try and speak up, so the two were silent for a few minutes, just letting their ears hear the crackling the fire. It was perfect for roasting marshmallows for s'mores.
Colin spoke first, breaking the silence.
"You alright? Gino was a genius to throw a small pizza party for everyone. It got all of you guys on the island together," Colin said, criss-crossing his legs, mirroring Rusty's position.
Rusty looked at him and saw how serene the brunette was. "Yeah, it helped us all get along, for once," he said, turning back to the fire.
Colin nodded loosely, biting his lower lip for a brief moment, a tiny little action Rusty didn't see. He glad of it.
"I lived a while, as a bandit," Rusty started, and he combed a hand through his unruly head of darkish blonde hair. "Stealing from Gino, Ole' Gabby, Ginny… and even sweet Roxy."
Rusty looked at the Wandolier and Colin nodded once more, nonverbally telling him he could go on.
"I was never proud of it, who would be? I even had to scrape enough food for me to not starve by taking, I am… I'm…"
Rusty couldn't find the right word, once more mentally cursing himself for not getting an education. He was as helpful as a spoon for Gino's pizza.
"Ashamed?" Colin suggested, a sad expression on his delicate features as Rusty nodded at his use of vocabulary.
The two were quiet again, their attention both on the fire as they were swimming in their ocean of thoughts. Rusty let out a shaky breath he never knew he was holding and closed his eyes for just a minute, to try and hold back the tears that would help no one.
He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and he tensed, the hand squeezed gently.
Rusty opened his eyes and his gaze locked with Colin's, his incredible light gray eyes were giving him a look that said he shouldn't be thinking that about himself.
"I've been told this from Marlon, countless times, and I believe it applies to you as well," Colin said, his hand never leaving Rusty's shoulder.
"The history of the universe, has brought us here to this second," he said, and Colin swallowed, hard. "It means that all that's in the past, is what made today. If you were never a bandit, who knows if Cowboy Junction would be this way now?"
Rusty thought hard for minute, and he relaxed under Colin's touch.
"Nobody knows, because I was always the bandit," Rusty said, and a small smile appeared on his lips. "And Cowboy Junction wouldn't be the same."
Colin grinned, and patted his back, "That's right, and don't forget it. You may not have liked the way you lived before I stepped foot here, but it's what made you your own person."
Rusty blushed very lightly, relieved that Colin wouldn't see that in the dim lighting.
"And I probably wouldn't have met you if I didn't cause the whole stolen axle scenario," Rusty chuckled, throwing a rock by his feet into the fire.
Colin smiled at him, "No, you probably wouldn't have."
The two had a habit of becoming silent after a short conversation, so a third time wasn't surprising. Colin leaned back with his hands behind him, keeping him up as he whistled a small festive tune with his eyes shut.
Rusty kept throwing little pebbles into the flames, one or two kindling at his vicinity to keep the fire going as well.
"I'm glad to have met you, Rusty. You can be powerfully stubborn, but also warm and sweet," Colin said, opening a single eye to meet Rusty's shocked yellow gold ones.
"Warm and sweet is not my style, Colin," Rusty said, unsure if he should call the Wandolier by his name. "I'm a former bandit, I'm not warm, or sweet. That's for sweet-toothed Roxy Road."
Colin snickered and dodged a small stone thrown at him by the blonde. "Oh but you are sweet, delightful, and charming, Rusty the bandit," he teased, nudging the other lightly with an elbow.
"You just don't want to admit it," Colin said faintly, and Rusty barely caught it.
Rusty smiled inwardly, turning his head so Colin couldn't see his cheek-torturing grin. He composed himself and breathed deeply to maintain his neutral expression.
"Thanks, for everything really."
Colin looked back at him with sincere eyes and the corners of his mouth curved upwards, hitting Rusty with a imaginary baseball to the head as he thought his smile was… was… beautiful.
Butterflies fluttered around in his stomach, as the brunette's angelic smile stayed put on his cherry blossom pink lips. How was he just noticing these now?
"I'm glad to have done everything," Colin said, and he stood up from sitting position, walking a small distance to Rusty before kneeling beside him.
"Honestly."
Colin pecked Rusty's cheek turning him into stone as he didn't expect that at all. But he did secretly wish for it…
"See ya later bandit!" Colin said, and he strolled away, and if Rusty saw it right, with a little more bounce in his steps.
"Later…" he mumbled, and he raised a hand to feel his right cheek.
"…Colin."
A/N : Hey guys. I wrote this out of the blue, while thinking back to the very first game I got for the Wii. MySims: Kingdom. Then I started to collect all the games for the series. Gotta get 'em all. And I did. Woohoo.
R&R would be very much appreciated. Yes.