A/N: I have a NSFW version that I randomly wrote too, I'll post it on A03 cause I'm not deleting it
Jospeh looked at the address written in messy ink.
'I can't believe I'm doing this' he looked around at the inside of his carriage,the soft velvet was warm due to the sun peeking in from the dark curtains,'we are from two different classes, this will just crash and burn' but he was curious. What was it like? To live out here by ones self? Surrounded by nothing but nature? Those thoughts ate away at him for days. Joseph was at his wits end when the day finally came for him to move on but he just couldn't do it. So,he paied for another weeks stay and forced his coachman to simmer away in this little no named town.
"Oxford,I'll shan't be long," he stepped out and was hit with a powerful heat wave. Maybe he should have dressed lighter? Strutting up to the massive barn house he prepared himself mentally and knocked on the door. It was early in the afternoon and the cowboy hadn't given him a definite time,"I pray I'm not interpreting anything" it would be very rude of him.
"HAH!? IM COMING!!!"
Joseph almost jumped at how powerful the voice was. The door unlocked and he was almost hit by the screen door.
"Sorry I- Hey! It's you! Mr.fancy writing'n photoy man!" Kevin's face lit up in excitement. Nothing was better than having someone new to come over to chat with.
"Yes,I do hope I haven't come at a bad time?"
"More like the perfect time! Come on in"
He couldn't smell it before but once he entered the warm home his nose was filled with the scent of food cooking.
"Its a lil early to be cooking lunch'n all but I just had a gut feeling I'd be getting me some visitors'n sure enough yah came!" He slapped jospeh on the back.
"O-ow" he muttered,the shorter man had one hell of a swing!
"Take a seat! I just gotta go put it in the oven"
Joseph looked around the kitchen, there wasn't a consistent thing in here. The salt and pepper shakers where a black and white cat with the tailer intertwined and the sugar bowl was a gaint,glass peach. The curtains that hung in the window above the skin were old and worn, they probably belonged to a grandmother. And the table cloth was a deep burgundy with swirls etched onto its fibers.
"Yah like corn?"
"Corn? Yes I do enjoy some sweet cream corn,is that what you've created?" He was tempted to get up and check for himself but this wasn't his home and it would be rude to do so.
"Ever had it on the cob?"
While the fair did have some jospeh found it too messy to just eat as is,despite the fact he had wanted to try some.
"Well,I would like to say I did however I must confess that I have not"
Kevin glaced at him from over his shoulder,tossing a can of corn into a pile in a box,"for real? Shoot,If yah plan on staying a lil longer I could show yah where ta get some real fine ones! They put some butter and a bunch'o seasoning on it and oooohhh weee! That's lunch right there!"
"Really now? Is it that good?"
"Damn straight! In we go!" He leaned down to put a large glass dish in the oven and started a timer,that too was shaped like a mother hen,"outta be an hour'r so, yah like meat mans pie?"
"I can't say that I have"
"Yah like meat'n potatoes?"
Oh he loved potatoes! They were one of his favorites!
"My chefs say I eat too many, 'too much starch Sir, it's not good for you' I say not enough!"
Kevin laughed,"Thats the spirit! While this is cooking yah wanna watch me check on my ladies?"
"Ah? Ladies?" Jospeh didn't take Kevin to be such a womanizer.
"Oh yer gunna love Momo I- wait yah sure yah wanna come out wearing them fancy cloths?" He pointed at his shoes,"I got some spars if yah wanna wear'em"
Jospeh looked at his outfit, always finely pressed and not a single wrinkle,he hated it.
"If you don't mind"
"Lets see now" Kevin circled him,"yah kinda slim, I think I got something that'll fit yah, hope yah like big belts! Come on then!"
Following Him upstairs Jospeh noticed all the photos, some were in front of his house,others in different towns with people of all different backgrounds. There was one with him and a geshia, a doctor a musician and several others.
"You seem to travel often"
"Sure did! Got a bit tired of traveling so I decided to bunker down Fer a while"
"Would this be an old family house?" Jospeh questioned.
"Ehhhh more'r Less, close friend'o mine gave it too after he passed"
"Ah" he didn't know what to say.
"Aw don't start feel'en bad now,He lived a good life! Wanted me to keep this old place in good condition'n what not" Kevin opened the door to a spare room and started digging through an old trunk,"whelp I ain't too sure what yah dig so go on and grab yah self something nice,ima head on down stairs,shout if yah need me!"
He closed the door letting Jospeh sit and think about what he just roped himself into.
Here he was,in a man's house that wasn't even his own home! Changing into cloths that weren't his and doing things he had no business doing. His father would be utterly embarrassed! And his mother would probably lose it not to mention the nobles and barons,he'd be a laughing stalk!
'I can't stay long that would be rude!' After all he was noble man,he couldn't be seen frolicking around with a man he'd only met once! What was he thinking?! This was only a mear visit!
"I got some extra potatoes with extra cheese,yah want some?!" Kevin yelled from behind the door and Jospeh immediately opened it.
"How much is 'extra'?" There was a fine line between adding a pinch and a handful of cheese.
Kevin offered him the warm bowl and the potatoes were a dull yellow,there was bits of eggs and bacon and sausage in it too.
"How much would it take to hire you to become my personal chef?"
"Hah?"
"Pardon my rudness,Your cooking just smells delicious I couldn't help but ask" his blue eyes hadn't left the bowl.
"He-hehhehe well now it ain't nothing special, I'd be happy ta make yah some more whenever yah got time yah said some'n bout a cough man? Cooch man?"
"Coachman" Jospeh corrected,following Kevin down the stairs with a tight grip on the large bowl.
"Yeah that"
"....can...can I take this with me?"
"Be my guest! I can swing by yer place'n drop off the the rest if yah want!"
Oh he did indeed want that, if this tasted as good as it smelled he'd be coming over alot more often!
"Oh I couldn't possibly ask you to-"
"Aw lighten up fancy man! It ain't no big deal! I make run Fer people if the time! Yah just let me know when'n where!"
Jospeh still wasn't over just how friendly this man was! He just couldn't get his mind over it!
"Well then, I'll write it down for you"
Kevin handed him a slip of paper and a pencil,"oh uh could yah write normally? ain't too good at reading that fancy stuff"
"Of course," he hadn't written in print in a very long time,"Here You go, it was a pleasure,thank you again for the food" he couldn't wait to dig in,at the moment it was too hot to eat but by the time he got back to the carrige he was sure it would be safe for his tongue.
"It ain't no problem,next time yah free we can go riding! Or go to that there open market! I'll show yah where tah get the good stuff,ain't that right butters?" He scratched under her chin and her tail wagged,"say good bye lil lady! Say 'bye mister! Thanks for coming over!' " he gave butters a high pitch,girlish voice.
Jospeh withheld a laugh as Kevin walked him to the carrige,"I'll be sure to return this to you"
" 'N I'll be waiting for yah! Don't be a stranger,yah hear!?" He waved goodbye to the aristocratic as Jospeh gave a long Farwell wave.
Once he'd settled down inside Jospeh immediately started eating. The taste of warm,buttery potatoes with cheese spread across his tongue.
"So good" he hummed to himself.
"Did you say something sir?" The coach man asked.
"Nofthimg!" He yelled with a mouth full,how very out of character for him.
Yes,He would definitely be back later!
And that's how it started. A bowl of mashed potatoes and a promise of sight seeing together had brought together the two most unlikely people together!
A few hours had past since Jospeh had met Kevin and he was happily waiting for the cowboy to swing by. The hotel he was at was nothing fancy, it held just what a traveler needed. Cloths,his camera, his photos and his money. His coach man had his own room next door.
Knock knock
Speaking of door, when Jospeh went to open it he was met with a hat and feather of the very cowboy he was looking forward to seeing!
"Brough it just like I said!" He smiled,"ohhhh yah got a nice looking place!" Jospehs room was well kept and clean,unlike Kevin's, who had a bunch of stuff everywhere. He liked to call it organized chaos!
"I appreciate it, truly I do," the moment he was by himself he was going to tear into food he'd brought,"now you said something about street food?"
"Oh! Yeh here! Yah gunna want to wear some'thin a lil less....fancy, I brought yah the cloths from the house,I think these will fit yah," he looked at jospehs hips,"Then'again they might not"
"How so?" They seemed like they'd fit him, it was just a shirt and some blue jeans after all.
"Well look yah! Look at these hips!" He placed both hands on Jospehs hips,"Yah see how small they are? If I were any bigger I could wrap my whole hand'round yah!"
Jospeh shivered,it was odd having anyone touch him. The last time anyone had touched him was around some spring ball he had to attend.
"Shit sorry 'bout that,I be forgetting not everyone likes to be touched"
That was true but Jospeh found that he didn't mind. The other man's hands were warm fortunately.
"Think nothing of it,so where will we be heading?"
"This old market place down town,real lively round this time'o day" Kevin had turned his back so the other man could change,"Oh yeah never asked how yah were,was gunna offer to get some drinks"
"I'm 25," he said undoing his corest,"You?"
"I'm bout 35, hehehe yah just a spring chicken then huh? Lil baby man,I outta take yah hunting! Put some hair on yah chest" he laughed.
Jospeh gave an amused laugh as well.
"I'm just yanking yah chain, so where are yah from?" Kevin sat in a chair waiting for the aristocrat to finish changing.
"I'm originally from France but I was raised in England"
Kevin whistled,"Yah come'long way then! What brought yah here anyways?"
"I needed a change of pace,My twin brother Claud will be,so to speak, taking over so I decided to take a small break from it all before I go back to help him"
"You wanna them artists? Arissty?" He paused trying to think of the word
"Aristocrat?"
"Yeah! So yall got yer own land and all that?"
"That and much more,however I find it all boring" having to do this having to act a certain way. He could never truly do what he wanted in fear of bringing shame to his family name. He Could never make friends either.After all when it came to money, people could do the most under handed tactics if they believe it would get them closer to that goal. Jospeh remember going to funerals of family members who'd been poisoned or slayn for their title.
"Yeah?"
"Indeed, it's gets lonely at the top, I pray everyday and night that my none of my family will be given nightshade in their drinks" it was scary,knowing that the food you were eating could very well be poisoned.
"Can't imagine what that's like" If Kevin had to wake up knowing someone could be waiting to kill him just for his social statues he's probably go nuts.
"Apologies,I shouldn't have been ranting like this," he stood and placed a pair of more worn and traveled in shoes on,"Do I look alright?"
Kevin circled him,"yah look right as rain to me, gotta say it's strange seeing yah out of them fancy cloths yah got"
"Fancy..." thats right,no one here bothered dressing up. He glaced at the mirror one more time then pulled the yellow ribbon out of his head. It was odd feeling his hair on his back but change was what he'd came to the Americas to find. Maybe this was the first step to seeing that?
"Porcelain hair..."
"Hmm?" Jospeh grabbed a portable camera and placed it around his neck
"Yah look good an- oh! That's real?!" He was surprised when Jospeh grabbed a Saber sheath that was resting on the nightstand.
"Indeed it is, I brought with me when traversing new lands, that isn't to say I don't trust you-" He cut himself off.
"can yah actually use it?! Yah gotta show me how one day!" Kevin had never actually met a swords man before! Sure he'd met people who could hold it but never anyone who learned how to use one.
"I do, I took fencing growing up"
"Ain't that something, Yah know yer a mighty In'resting guy!" Kevin opened the door and jospeh locked it behind himself.
"Do you really think so?" He never told anyone this but Joeseph thought of himself as a blank slate. Nothing more than what he parents wanted him to be. He still didn't know if his hobbies came from the training and studies they made him do or if they stemmed from his own personality.
"Sure do! 'N I meet alot'o in'resting folks, yah can hold some moonshine'n liquor?"
"What is this moonshine?" He pocketed his keys and kept pace with the short man.
"Ehhhh...heheheh" he started chuckling,"well 's home made liquor,aint as good but gets the job done"
"Isn't it dangerous?"
They were in the center of town now. People were out and about,shopping, some playing music on street corners. The liveliness of it was comforting. He could smell food stalls and bars and restaurants attractive customers with the promise of good food. The large fairy lights that were strung up,connecting thr lamp posts together bounced slightly against the wind.
"Nah,well, only if yah don't know what yer do'in"
"I take it you do?"
"Well...most of the time" Kevin laughed at Joesphs playful banter. It was fun walking the streets of the town he'd lived in for so long,"Yah see that? That's where we had a run away groom" he pointed at a church that was full of devoted Christians spill its followers out,"the man who was supposed to marry this real work'o art bailed on her"
"Really?"
"Seen it with my own eyes! Oh! And here is where yah make sacrifices to the crows" he pointed down a long and narrow ally that had black feathers littered across the smooth concrete.
"Was that a joke?"
"I mean it! Some old lady tamed a bunch'o crows 'nd now they'll bring yah shit if yah feed'em"
He wanted to take a photo of that,"what things do they bring?"
"Anything from money to plastic toys"
Joseph blinked in amazement,"Have you ever offered anything?"
"All the time! Last time they up'n got me a hair clip"
"Do you still have it?"
" 'ts in mah junk drawer, you wanna give'em some'thin?" Kevin dug for a dime he had in his pocket.
"No that's alright....well perhaps later,I'm much more interested in these food stalls and restaurants" there were so many!
"Anywhere yah wanna go?" It was funny seeing such a once elegant man turn into what some would call a 'country bumpkin'.
"Let me see...ah well...oh there? Yes that's it!" He pointed to a cute little restaurant on a corner that had a red head juggling something in front of an audience.
"Good old Cocoa owns that place!" Kevin hadn't seen the redhead in a while,"Come on I'll let yah meet him" crossing the street the smell of fish frying made hit Jospehs nose.
The two sat neat the back and watched the red head throw knives,cut and chop the food on a large black skillet. A plume of fire shot up from the center warming everyone's face for a moment then disappeared. He flipped a piece of meat from spatula to spatula expertly and placed it on a child's plate. That sigled the end of this courses performance! The crowd clapped and eventually went on to finish eating.
"Pretty talented kid huh?" Kevin sighed proudly,"he's come a long way,Hey! Cocoa!!!"
The red haired man turned and a smile shot across his face.
"Kevin!" He just about tackled the man in a hug and Kevin spun him around.
Joseph watched with a smile as the red head hugged the cowboy tighter. He was a bit jealous,never in his life had he received a hug like that. A bone crushing hug that hurt in all the right ways. Sure he'd recieved hugs from family but it never lasted long, they were usually side hugs as well.
"This is Mr.Joseph De..desalination...ah ahem" Kevin glanced over at the Aristocrat for help and he couldn't help but smile.
"You still suck at pronouncing names?" Cocoa shook his head with a smile,"I'm cocoa, Sorry Kevin sucks with names" he held out his hand and Jospeh stood to shake it. That's when Cocoa pulled him into a firm yet loose hug. He smelled like spices,herbs and heat. It was nice. Jospeh arms twitched to life and he hugged back just as firmly.
"Its Joseph Desaulnier,pleased to meet you"
"Dawwww ain't that just cute as pie?" Kevin teased as the two let go.
"Aw can it old man,wha'yah all the over'ere for? Come ta steal my brownies again?"
"I ain't steal nothing! Now get this fine gentlemen some'thin good for his gut!"
"Oh yah must be new'round here" Cocoa thought for a moment,"yah look like you'd like ribs, that good for yah?"
"Ribs? Mmm yes could I get a side of mashed potatoes with that? Extra cheese?"
"Sure thing! What'bout you yah old coot?"
"Number 16, the whole bottle" Kevin pulled his wallet out and handed the owner a 50,"I got us covered"
"Oh I couldn't possibly-"
"Oh don't yah start with that 'I could never let you pay!' Bullshit, take the gift,shut up and enjoy the damn wine, a good lady friend o mine brewed it" cocoa wrote it down in his notepad pad and left the two.
"Is she as interesting as your friend here?"
"I think she is, the lil lady owns a bar with'er brother here'n shes just the prettiest spring flower yah ever did see!"
A small smike graced jojos lips,"Have crush do you?"
Kevin tried to casually look away,"Well I just admire her alot'n I just wanna see her and her brothers business grow!"
It was funny seeing such a friendly and bold man suddenly clam up and stumble over his words.
"I see"
"Anyways! What else yah do? I think I asked yah before but how long yah plan on staying' round here for?"
"Who knows,I was going to leave but something...came up" he didn't want to admit that the cowboy was the reason he decided to stay longer.it seemed a bit too intimate considering they hadn't known each other long.
"Here you go! Hot off the grill" Cocoa placed two large plates with ribs on then and BBQ sauce on them.
"Ain't this the first thing I showed yah how to make?" Kevin grinned ready to tease the young owner.
"Can it! Here! And yah better get home safely afterwards!" Cocoa flushed,he was clearly embarrassed about the old memories.
"Alright alright I'll stop bugging yah,it was nice seeing yah again"
"You too old man!" He turned to speak with a new group of customers.
"This smells delicious" Jospeh himself never had the pleasure of eating 'peasant' food.
"Go on and dig in then!"
Twenty minutes later they were full and drunk. Faces flushed with BBQ sauce still stuck to their faces and petting someone's dog.
"Who's a good boy? You are!" Kevin hiccuped as he patted the white dog. The dog was practically sitting on Joseph's lap,tail wagging. They were sitting on the ground, petting the dig as it licked the sauce off their fingers and tried to lick their faces.
"So soft...hehe no no,no lickinh my face,hegeg good boy...or are you a girl? Kevi, is it a boy or a girl?"
"Uhhhh"
"Well I think he's a girl,I shall name you Elizabeth!" Jospeh wrapped his arms around 'her',"No trying to lick my face"
"Shawn!? There you are Shawn! I knew you'd be over here!" A young dark skinned woman said, "I'm sorry,he got out again he didn't take yalls food did he?"
Kevin mearly hiccuped then laied down on the ground,"Nah he was sweet as pie"
"Oh thank goodness,Come on Shawn! Your in big trouble mr!"
Shawn whined and rested his head on jospehs shoulders.
"Kevi, We must kidnap this ladys dog"
"We ain't kidnapping no one's dog....and did yah just call me 'kevi'?"
"I usually take Him out for a walk at the park about 3,you can play with him then" she offered.
"Could I?"
She smiled and tried not to laugh,"Sure,come on shawn"
The dog whined again but followed his owner home.
"No more doggy" Jospeh made a sad face.
"Yeah" Kevin hiccuped again,"Come on then...Snow white"
"...like...the fairytale?"
"Yee"
"...pff....PFHAHAHA!" He busted out laughed. His head was tossed back and his entier being shook with laughter.
"Well shoot! It's only fair! 'Kevi' yah sound like a lil girl!"
"No! No I like it! Call me that from now on!" He was heeving and choking on his spit which led to laughter to violent coughing.
"PffJajajajaja" Kevin laughed as well.
"Its getting late, Pardon me! Mr.Cocoa!"
Cocoa turned to them,"Yeah?" He finished placing a family's check in front of them.
"That was the best....what were they Called again?"
"Ribs" Kevin said.
"Yes! Those ribs were amazing and I will definitely be coming back again!" He drunkenly patted Cocoa on the shoulder and pulled out a fifty,"Tha-thank you! For the good food"
"I uh I can't except this" He'd never gotten such a massive tip before,it felt wrong,especially come from a clearly drunk-out-of-his-mind man.
"Ah shaaad up'n take the man's money coco!" Kevin pushed his and Jospehs chairs in and stacked all their dishes up nice and neat,"I gotta get snow white home" he staggered to his feet and grabbed the bottle,"See ya coco!" He roughly ruffled the younger man's hair.
"Yes Farwell coco"
"Its cocoa! Not coco!" He blushed,yelling at the two drunks,"Geez those two are gunna be pain"
Walking down the street Kevin passed Jospeh the bottle.
"Hmm?"
"Yah wanna sip?"
"But you've drunken from it"
"And?" He offered the bottle again,shaking it a bit.
Hed never actually drunk after anyone else before but his brain was foggy do who really cared? Taking it he take a deep sip and handed it back to him.
By the time the two go back to Jospehs place
They were both stupid drunk,stumbling and bumping into each other.
" hehhe c-come on snow,we gotta get yah inside!" Kevin let the taller man flop over his back while he struggled to get the keys inside.
"We hic have to get more 'ts alllll goneeeee" Jospeh swung the bottle high in the air then bonked himself on the head,"owie"
" 'owie' he says" with the door unlocked Kevin helped his friend into the room and sat him down on the bed,"Come on then,take yer shoes off...atta boy" the boots came off and soon so did his shirt and pants,"scrawny thing" he really did live up to his nickname. Taking the bottle he set it down on the table next to drunk silver head.
"Must go...do often!" He has the happiest and dopiest smile on his face.
"Sure,yah swing by any time,yah hear?" Setting a trash can and cup of water on his night stand Kevin locked the bottom door and said goodnight to his new friend,"Night snow!"
"Night night" and he immediately passed out.
Maybe it was the abnormal amount of alcohol that was flooding his brain but he started to stir.
After that Joseph woke up confused and in pain. He rolled over on his back and squirmed feeling morning wood and his bladder demanding he get up.
"My head" he clutched his throwing head in pain, just his strong was that alcohol?
His family would be embarrassed by his actions last night! But they weren't here right now,he was alone with no one but his thoughts. He didn't have to keep up appearances,he could be himself.
Jospeh rested his head on the table and smiled,'Thats right,No one's here to judge me'
Once his head stopped hurting,he'd swing by the cowboys place again. There was alot of things he wanted to do!
And he would do it without the eyes of his family staring him down!