"You shouldn't be wandering around town at a time like this, you know?" With his hands stuffed in his pockets and the rim of his cowboy hat lowered over his eyes, he looked like a particularly good reason why she shouldn't. It was late at night and besides them, there wasn't a single person to be seen. Nearly all the lights on in the neightbourhood had been switched off. Only logical, because any normal person should be asleep at such time.
"And why shouldn't I?" she questioned slightly irritated, narrowing her eyes. Who did he think he was, telling her what to do? He eyed her quickly, looking down on her. Although that was more a matter of height than respect.
"Because you're a girl."
"Brilliantly perceived," she retorted, "And who is this bright genius I have the pleasure of speaking with?" He slid one of his hands of his pocket and adjusted his hat so his eyes would be visible.
"Vaughn. Vaughn Aston Vaults." She snorted.
"Well, sir Vaults, if you would excuse me, I was just heading home." She turned around on her heels and walked back in the direction she came from. When she was about 30 feet away, he called for her.
"Miss! I believe you are heading in the wrong direction. The ranch is that way," he grinned, before lowering his hat again and retreating to the animal shop, leaving an exceptionally peeved rancher behind. It didn't even occur to her why he knew where she lived.
On the early morning, the bell chimed happily when she entered the shop. She looked around, but there was no one to be seen behind the counter or else where in the room. Although she never visited the animal shop on Tuesdays, she had been quite certain it was open today. Confused, she took a seat on the wooden bench that stood against the wall. She leaned back, closed her eyes and decided to wait a quarter before going back home and finish her chores. She had been about to leave when when Mirabelle came in. Mirabelle was quite the sizable woman and had a warm, cheerful and genuine nature. She almost considered the local rancher a member of her family.
"Oh, dear! I hope I haven't let you waiting for too long." The brunette jumped off her seat.
"No, no, I just came in." The older woman smiled.
"So what is you need, hun?"
"A few bags of pet food to get around the week. I'm almost running out, you see," she explained. Mirabelle nodded, before disappearing in the storage room. The brunette decided to sit back down again. She folded her hands on her lap and looked around the room curiously. The small bundle of flowers on the counter seemed different from the one she saw last time she visited. They probaby withered. Poor flowers.
"Did you manage to get back home safely, last night?" Startled she jumped up and soon laid eyes on a certain person she had met the night before. She took note of the missing cowboy hat and noticed for the first time the silvery hair it had hidden. The striking violet eyes were something new to her as well.
"As a matter of fact, I did." He nodded approvingly.
"Good. I was worried you would get lost." If her left eye hadn't already been twitching, it surely was now.
"You'd better worry about your own safety, next time you go out when it's dark," she replied and pursed her lips. Good thing Mirabelle just returned from the storage room. Out of breath, the woman dumped the bags with pet food on the counter.
"That would be 70 G, please," she managed to bring out. The brunette paid and eyed the pile of pet food for a moment, before picking up the first one. But before she could pick up a second one, Mirabelle had already opened her mouth.
"Oh, Vaughn. Good thing you're here. Would you mind helping Chelsea here out?" She smiled kindly.
"I don't need his help," Chelsea grumbled.
"But Vaughn doesn't mind. Right, Vaughn?" Mirabelle beamed and before the brunette could protest much more, five out of six bags and been picked up and carried out of the shop. Chelsea quickly picked up the remaining bag and chased after the cowboy.
"I don't need your help, you know," she breathed when she'd caught up with him.
"Of course you don't," he replied in a 'as a matter of fact' manner. She decided against responding and they remained silent until they reached her stable. It was quite small and didn't hold much animals. The only residents were Chelsea's cat and dog. The floor was covered with a clean thin layer of straw.
"So where do you want them?" the cowboy inquired.
"The feeding bin." He nodded and was about to deposit the bags when a black hairy creature, armed with razor sharp claws pounced his leg. He let out a surprised yelp and bit his lower lip while narrowing his eyes.
"Would you mind removing your cat's claws from my leg?" he questioned. She looked at her cat, who held onto the cowboy's leg tightly, its claws securely anchored in his flesh. The cat purred contently.
"Did you know cats tend to take over their owner's behavior towards others?" He reported, his tone slightly accusing. She pretended not to hear it.
"Oh, really?" she asked quasi surprised while removing the evil hairy creature from Vaughn's leg. She cradled it in her arms and stroked it.
"Aren't you a good girl?" she cooed, the cat still purring loudly, while Vaughn dumped the heavy bags with pet food in the food bin. When he was done, he left the stable without another word.
"I think she likes you!" the brunette called after him. He grinned to himself and slid his hands back in his pockets.
And secretly, the cat isn't the only one...
(I realise Vaughn is a little out of character in this one-shot, but I like the kind of mean Vaughn.)