'Mount View Hotel.' The slightly faded, dirty sign on the building's exterior read.
When compared to the more glamorous Grey-owned Rhodes Parlour House that stood further down the road, Mount View Hotel certainly had seen better days. However, along with the other structures that stood beside the rundown establishment – the general store to its left, and the Sheriff's office right, it had its own unique charm.
John slowed Old Boy down, and the horse made its final stop by the hitching post in front of the building. He dismounted first before helping you down, his hands supporting your waist.
You shifted your attention from John who was now heading up the stairs that led to the hotel's porch, where a group of patrons dressed appropriately for the weather hung idly about, to the nearby shops and houses along the street.
It was your first time in Rhodes. It was quaint, and dust permeated the air. The locals leisurely strolled under the heat of the sun, and music from a banjo accompanied by the Jew's harp was playing in the distance. With the absence of the lingering smell of livestock and manure, gloomy weather, and perpetually muddy ground that mired your boots, you concluded you liked Rhodes a whole lot better than Valentine.
"Come on, [Y/N]." you heard John's voice from the porch, bringing your attention from your sightseeing back to your companion. You walked briskly to catch up with him, and the pair of you head inside.
"Hey there. What can I get you?" The hotel owner behind the reception desk greeted you in his chipper southern accent, his eyes scanning the pair of you from head to toe. It might have been the obvious look on your face that said, 'you weren't from around these parts,' that caught his attention or the days old, dried up blood splatter on your clothes. It wasn't yours, though. It was most probably from Cornwall's men you recalled.
"A bath for the lady, please," John requested, approaching the hotel owner's desk.
"Sure. I got someone warming it up for you already. Just head down the corridor there." The hotel owner gestured, and you made your way there as he directed. Before you could go any further, John said he'll be about while he waits for you. You gave him a nod, and you disappeared behind the door with a sign that said bath.
You locked the door behind you, then impulsively checked it again to know for certain it was locked. This was a public space, and this wasn't your house. The last thing you wanted was strangers barging in and you in such a vulnerable position. You stripped, arranging your clothes into a neat pile, and submerged yourself into the warm soapy water.
'This is nice.' You sighed with relief. You begin to work on your hair, arms, and then legs, stripping them of dirt and grime with the soapy water. Your mind contemplated on the tumultuous past few days it had been for you, as steam fogged the room.
You might have dozed off, as the next thing you felt was your face half-submerged in water and that you were about to run out of air. You shot up, unaware of the time that passed since you fell asleep in the bath. You instantly grew worried about John, who did say he was going to wait for you. You scurried to dry yourself and slipped into your clothes before heading out to look for him.
"Oh, your friend got a room. Said he was gonna get some shuteye. The room's up the stairs, 2B." the hotel owner said when he saw you came out. You thanked him and made your way up the stairs.
When you found the room, the door was slightly ajar. You knocked lightly on the door, and when you heard no response, you peeked inside. You let yourself in quietly and found John on the bed fast asleep, his broad chest rose and fell as he let out soft and steady snores.
You walked to the other side of the bed, slowly and carefully so as not to disturb him in his sleep, only realising now that his last night's sleep didn't help him much because he offered you take his bedroll for the night instead.
Feeling unsure what to do next now that your ride home is asleep, you took a seat on the edge of the bed, opposite to him. Your eyes wandered on the man who was lying next to, feeling guilty as if you weren't really supposed to. Living together in the same camp, obviously, you have seen him a couple of times asleep, but not as close as this – not this intimate.
"Hey there, beautiful." He muttered. He stirred and squinted his eyes as they adjusted to the light.
You turned your head the other way at the sound of his voice, suddenly feeling ashamed that he might have just caught you admiring his well-developed, hardened physique, as he slept.
"Hey, John." You greeted him as he adjusted himself into a sitting position. "Sorry, I kept you waiting. I might have passed out and lost track of time."
"It's fine. Didn't mind getting some nap either." He reassured you, shooting you a smile - one of those smiles that never failed to elicit a blush on your face. "How're ya feeling?"
"I'm good. The bath helped. Thank you… Ugh, should we head back?" you asked, however, a tiny part of you didn't want to yet. It was the same tiny part that wished you could stay here a little longer with him, against your better judgement. You knew all too well staying longer in this room, just the two of you was a dangerous business.
"I know, but I don't want to," he admitted. You fell silent, not willing to admit just yet that you felt the same.
"Hey, [Y/N]." he brushed your arm with his calloused hand. "I am glad to see you back."
"I am glad to be back… and alive. I have to thank you and the guys for that."
"That last time in Valentine. We was gonna talk, and we never got to." he bitterly recalled. "I hope that moment ain't passed you yet but what I was gonna say is," he took a deep breath before continuing, "I like you, [Y/N] – a lot. For a while now, mighta been since Dutch brought you in."
Confused and caught off guard at the suddenness of his confession. This was John Marston - the man has been giving you the most undecipherable signals since day one. He'd be friendly with you on some days, and on some, he'd casually flirt with you like his girlfriend and son didn't exist. Mostly, you swore John couldn't care less about you, and then again he'd worry about you so much he'd go after you when you rode out alone to get Reverend Swanson, and when you were kidnapped, he'd ride for days in search for you, and kill every O'Driscoll who took you. Your head spun as you tried to process what you were hearing from him.
"It just drives me hella angry when I see you with Javier and a whole lot more that I couldn't do anything about it, and just watch you getting swept off your feet by that… that –"
"I… But Abigail and Jack. What about them, John?"
"I know. I'm sorry. My situation with Abigail is complicated. The only reason why I said what I said last time was I had to stay away from you. I am sorry if I hurt you back then. The last thing I want to do is drag you into this mess and… and end up hurting you. I just don't…"
"What do you want then?" you shot him a curious look, anxiously waiting for his answer.
He gave you this intense look when you asked him. "I want you [Y/N]. And if it means getting shot at or bushwhacked by O'Driscolls, or… or Cornwall's men. I wouldn't mind it, as long as I have you to take care of me."
John let out a nervous laugh. You sensed some relief in him that he finally got to say what he's been wanting to say to you for the longest time.
"Wow. First, that bullet in Blackwater, then you get your face half-eaten by wolves. You must really love me." You giggled, playfully going along with him before continuing, trying your best to pretend your heart wasn't just about to explode out of your rib cage. "I want you too, John, but as you said, it's complicated."
"Then, let's un-complicate things."
"I wish things were that simple."
"Look. Abigail and me, we happened, but that was a long time ago. Jack ain't mine – I ain't sure if he's mine. But me and her, it's a different story now. If I did love her. I don't love her now. All I want is you, [Y/N]." He said with much conviction, pulling you closer and closer to him, bringing your face in front of his, and your lips willingly landed on his. Closing the gap between you, he began nibbling on your lips, drawing sensations throughout your body and your core, just as he did to you back in Horseshoe Overlook.
"John, this isn't how you un-complicate things." You reminded, pulling your head a few inches away from him to catch your breath.
"I know." He answered, his voice husky and slightly lower than his usual, but your reminder didn't do much as it didn't stop him from planting playful kisses on your lips.
When your futile protests were replaced with you kissing him back as intently and passionate, a sense of urgency starting to build up in John as if he were consuming something so precious, so rare and fearing that it could vanish into thin air any minute.
His fingers pushed your damp hair out of your face, tucking it behind your ear, before cupping your cheek with his hand. "Losing you that day in Valentine… I just don't want to lose you again, [Y/N]."
His eyes bore into yours before proceeding to kiss you again. You wrapped your arms around his neck to get even closer to him. That was your signal to him – if John wanted you right here right now, you were his to keep. God knows you've been dreaming about this moment for many nights, never thinking it would happen.
You decidedly shut off any internal voice screaming at you to stop before you do something you'll regret later. Your mind demanded you turn around now, but your heart and your body were not hearing any of it. You gave easily in to John's lust-driven touches and caresses. It made you weak - he made you weak.
Without breaking from the kiss, he held you by your waist, positioning you, so you lied underneath him, then planting his hands on either side of your head.
Your clothes and his became a discarded pile of mess on the floor. John paused for a second in admiration, savouring the view underneath him.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered. He gave himself a few strokes, and you instinctively open your legs for him.
"Oh god, John!" you gasped, as he penetrated you, filling you up completely.
John's thrusts were slow and gentle at first, and they grew forceful as he felt your wetness embrace him. Pleasured moans escaped your mouth, which did nothing but drove him over to the edge. He quickened his pace, sinking his teeth on the skin of your collarbone; it didn't take long before you came undone and whimpering beneath him. Seeing what he had just done to you, he soon followed, shuddering as he came inside of you.
He pulled out and landed his body next to yours, burying his face against the crook of your neck. Your skin was hot and covered by a thin layer of perspiration, your sweat mixed with John's, and both of you breathing heavily. Your heart was yet to calm down.
He hummed as the two of you lied there in each other's arms and sweet bliss.