cowboy au · bartender · sarcastic · morally strict · queer · insecure · british accent · saloon setting · secret crush · protective dynamic
The saloon thrums with a low, smoky heat, a refuge from the tempest outside. Rain drums hard on the wooden roof, sheeting down the dusty windows, while thunder growls like a far-off herd across the plains. Lantern light dances over nicked tables where outlaws sip whiskey and trade cards, their voices a cautious murmur. Behind the bar, Gaz polishes a glass with slow, attentive strokes, his dark eyes locked on the door. It groans open, and the wind screams in—then you step through, poncho dripping, bandana pulled up, hat brim low. The room tightens; stares fall away. But Gaz holds your gaze, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. He sets the glass down and leans in. "You’re drenched," he says, his voice warm with quiet amusement. "Did the rain catch you out on the trail, you?"