WANTED // Sapnap X Reader

28

Dust kicked up from the edges of the train track as the train pulled away from Blooming Rose, leaving the sheriff, the saloon and everything you had ever known in the dirty clouds behind you. You couldn't even see the sheriff anymore through the thick clouds, though you were sure he was still stood at the edge of the track, watching his prize - prizes now - roll away from him unscathed.

There would be a message sent to every other town in the vicinity by nightfall, you were sure.

As the adrenaline from the action drained though, you were less worried about the fact that there would definitely be someone checking the train whenever it stopped next, and more worried about the fact that Nick had most certainly been standing on his bad ankle when he had lifted you into the train.

He was still laying on his stomach near the door of the train car, wind whipping through his hair. You shifted over to him, placing a palm on his back to let him know that you were there. At your touch, he groaned rolling over onto his back with a loud thump. You were expecting some kind of pained grimace on his face, but no, Nick was grinning like a fool up at you.

"That was pretty amazing, yeah?" He asked, eyes glinting with excitement. "It's a shame no one else got to see it."

Even though your heart still beat like a drum inside your chest, you couldn't help but crack a grin as well, a laugh bubbling up to your lips. "Yeah." You said, a little breathless. "It was like something out of a tall tale."

"I betcha we'll be the talk of the town." Nick said, propping himself up on his elbows to look at you better. "Dinner rush tonight'll just be people talking about how the piano player was hiding a wanted man upstairs, right under everyone's noses."

"Too bad they'll never know how you pulled one over the sheriff and got away." You said. "Speaking of..." Your hand drifted down to his ankle.

At the touch, Nick winced slightly. "Not my smartest move, I'll admit."

Sliding his boot off, you rolled his foot over as gently as you could, removing the bandages and checking for any kind of new swelling or odd angles. It was a little red - no doubt from the strain he had been putting on it during your daring escape - but nothing looked too bad. With a little rest and some herb salve, you were sure it wouldn't be too much of a setback in the healing process.

"I think Anne packed some medical supplies." You said, grabbing the bag from where Nick had stashed it and popping it open. Inside, a variety of essentials looked back up at you - blankets, food, extra shoes, a knife, various other tools, and two water canteens. Anne had spared nothing, but you were most interested in the medical kit now.

Grabbing it from the bag, you laid it out on the floor of the train car and popped it open, rifling through the contents until you found the little jar of herbal cream. Unscrewing the cap, you dipped your fingers inside, scooping up some of the salve. Shifting back over to Nick, you spread the cream across the reddened skin as gently as you could.

Nick's leg twitched under your touch. "S'cold." He said.

"Sorry." You said, finishing and screwing the cap back onto the little jar and setting it back into the kit. "All done now."

"Thanks." Nick said. He leaned forward to wrap the bandages back up before carefully slipping his foot back into his boot with a bitten back wince.

You slid the medical kit back into the bag with the rest of the supplies, a sadness hitting you. You hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. You were sure that Anne would be able to take care of things without you, but just up and leaving like you had hadn't given you a chance for closure on that wonderful friendship. Not to mention the kindness Perkins had shown you either.

"What'cha thinking about?"

You turned to Nick. "Even though she's not here, Anne's still taking care of us." You said, a sad smile playing on your lips.

Nick hummed, eyes flicking up to your face. "Anne was good." He said. "But I looked forward to when you would come upstairs more."

You blinked at that. There was a strange sort of look on his face that you hadn't seen before, like he was waiting for you to catch on to something. You had no idea what though- until he was shifting forward, getting closer to you.

"Did you really think I didn't know?" Nick asked, his voice low as he grinned at you, a cheeky smile on his face.

And then suddenly it made sense. You thought you had been being subtle by not acting on the butterflies that hovered low in your stomach, but Nick was more in tune that you had though he had been. Though, really, how subtle could you have been when you were sharing the same space every day?

"Sort of, yeah." You breathed. Nick was close enough that the tip of his nose brushed yours now.

His eyes darted down to your lips. "You could have acted on it, you know. I was waiting for you to."

"Oh." You said, voice barely above a whisper. "Well, I-

"I'm tired of waiting." Nick said, cutting you off as he surged forward, closing the gap between you and sealing your lips together. You sighed at the connection, the soft scratch of his scruff of a beard against your cheek tickling your skin. The kiss was everything you had ever dreamed it would be - soft and sweet and when Nick pulled away your eyes were blown wide.

He stifled a laugh. "Alright there darlin'?"

You said nothing, only winding a hand into the fabric of his shirt to pull him back to you, ealing your lips together again.