WANTED // Sapnap X Reader

21

You settled Nick down onto his bed, staying close to his side. He was still tense, even after his outburst had ended and he'd all but buried his face in your shoulder, and kept a tight grip on your wrist, as if daring you to leave. Even if you had been able to, you wouldn't have. Both because you were concerned for Nick's emotional state, and concern that he would try and run away.

The room was silent, but your mind churned nervously. What could you do now? Everything was out in the open, but there were still no solutions to be found. Turning Nick in to the sheriff was out of the question - but letting him stay here was no safe guarantee either.

You were praying that Anne or Perkins had thought of something.

Nick tensed beside you, his grip on your wrist tightening slightly, breaking you out of your train of thought. Beyond the door, you could hear two sets of footsteps coming up the stairs. No doubt Anne and Perkins, coming to have the conversation about what happened now.

"Here, let me get that Pa..."

Anne pushed the door open for her father, letting him walk into the room first. Perkins eyes immediately darted to Nick, giving him the once over - his gaze lingering on the way he was holding onto your wrist like an anchor. Nick seemed to shrink under his gaze for a moment, but then Perkins smiled, and the tension in the room dissolved.

"You must be Sapnap." Perkins said in his deep rumbly voice. "We haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, but I've heard a lot about you." He leaned forward, sticking out a hand to shake.

Nick took it hesitantly, shaking. "Thank you for letting me stay here, sir." He said.

Perkins nodded, going to sit down on the edge of your bed, across from Nick. "Well, I was told that your ankle was in dire condition - and Lord knows I'm trying to be a better Samaritan."

Anne closed the door as she stepped into the room, sealing you off from the outside world. Leaning against the wall next to it, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well?" The question wasn't addressed at anyone in particular, but her eyes were on you.

"We can't kick him out." You said. "We can't."

For a moment, the room was silent - your words hung in the air. Anne said nothing, looking to her father instead. Perkins ran a hand through his beard, a pensive sort of look on his face as he contemplated. For a second, you were worried that he would say no, that he would send Nick on his way and pretend none of it had ever happened.

"No, you're right." Perkins said finally. "It wouldn't be very polite to get rid of him now, not when we've already spent so much time caring for him."

Next to you, Nick relaxed somewhat.

"What do we do then?" Anne asked. "We can't keep him here indefinitely - some one will find out eventually, and then we're all in deep shit."

"As soon as I'm fully healed, I'll go." Nick chimed in quietly. "Y'all have been too kind to me, and I don't want you getting into any trouble for it." His eyes flicked over to you for a moment, before looking back at the ground. "I'll get out of your hair as soon as I'm able."

He sounded so somber as he said it - something akin to what you, yourself were feeling, thinking about how things would be without Nick around anymore. It was a little strange, to hear your own apprehension of his leaving reflected in Nick himself - but then again, having someone tend to your needs for weeks was enough to create a strong bond.

"That's not really the question though." Anne said. "I think we should be more concerned about right now - what if someone finds out?"

Perkins glanced between you and his daughter. "Have either of you said anything to anyone outside this room?"

Anne shook her head. "Didn't seem important - and I was more concerned with working most of the time anyway." Her eyes slipped to you.

"No." You said, thinking back to the conversations with patrons you had been having the past few weeks. They had all been centered around other things (usually things that the patrons wanted to talk about). Nick didn't seem relevant to mention.

"I don't see what we're so worried about then." Perkins said. "As long as no one finds out, he might as well not be here at all. And since we've decided he's staying at least until that ankle heals, lets keep it that way."

Whatever you had been expecting from Perkins, that had not been it. Something felt considerably less heavy in your chest, knowing that you would still be able to keep an eye on Nick for a while at least. It wasn't the best, of course (there was still a chance that everything would crumble to pieces after all), but you were happy with this, for now. Until a better solution came along, that is.

"Thank you sir." Nick said. "You don't know what it means to me."

"I have an idea." Perkins said, putting his hands on his knees to propel himself up onto his feet with a grunt. "Now that that's settled though, we have a saloon to open up, hm?"

"Right." Anne said, kicking off the wall and opening the door again. "Pa?"

Perkins cast one more glance at Nick before walking through the door and starting down the stairs, Anne one step behind him. As soon as they both had left the room, Nick released your wrist, almost like he had forgotten he was even holding it.

You rose from your seat beside him. "I'll be back up around lunch, alright?"

Nick smiled thinly. "Yeah, alright." He said, sounding much better than he had before. "Play something exciting for me, won't you?"

"Of course." You said, pausing in the doorframe to smile once more at him before you were heading down the stairs.