In which Cowboy!Soap is seized by the fatal American need to have a pretty good time. Or, Soap is really pretty and the nuns remember they haven't taken any vows against looking.
"County executioner, you book 'em we cook 'em." You sound so bored when you say it, Soap can't help the way he laughs, big and boisterous. You frown at your cell and hang up, setting it to the side as you stare at the numbers for the month. A half second later it rings again. You sigh and pick it up, "Big Bill's Car-B-Q, you road kill it, we road grill it."
"How many of those you got, bonnie?" He sounds like he's smiling, just barely tamping the laughter down. You glance at the unknown number on your screen.
"Who is this?"
"John MacTavish, Goose gave me yer number."
"How can I help you Johnny?" Oh, he loves the way you say his name. You could call him whatever you wanted and he'd come running.
"I hear you've got fireworks." You hum, and he wonders if that was the wrong way to ask.
“What are you looking for?” You ask finally.
“Biggest you got.”
“I’ve got some flour and gas, you want that?” He can’t tell if your inflection is flat because of the conversation or if that’s just how you talk. You’re clearly not interested in him, which means you’re smart. Which really makes him want you all the more.
“Why’d I want that?”
“Redneck C- Y’know what nevermind.” He can hear you tapping at something through the phone, both of you silent as you think. “Why don’t you come down to the house,” You tell him.
“The nunnery?”
“If you want to call it that.” You smile a little despite yourself, his accent is cute. “Lemme text you the directions, come by any time.”
A smart and reasonable man would wait a few minutes after receiving directions to leave. Soap grabs his keys as soon as you hang up. He doesn’t even wait to see if you text him before he’s in the truck.
-
You blink up at the man in your doorway as he smiles down at you. You weren’t expecting him so soon, it’s not even noon yet doesn’t he have anything better to do?
“You must really want fireworks,” You say, because you truly can’t think of anything but the way his eyes sparkle.
“Something like that,” he says, "can I come in?" You nod and stand to the side to let him shoulder past you, inhaling deeply as he does. He smells good, not that you… notice(clean linen and something cinnamon you think) and fills the whole doorway even as you press back against the jam to let him in.
"So what are you in the market for?" You ask, leading him through the house, "We've got a little bit of everything."
"Anythin' big, loud, and sparkly," Soap says, sliding up to walk next to you. You nod, thinking through your current inventory of less than legal goods. You glance up at your guest, he's got his head on a swivel, peaking in the various rooms of the old farmhouse. He glances down at you and you look away, conscious you've been staring too long.
"Um, they're out back. Can't keep them in the house or-" you mumble, trying to think of anything but his fucking pretty this guy is.
"Never seen a nun's hair before," he cuts you off, fingers petting over your head. You smack your hand against his touch, and he pulls it away quickly. You forgot your habit. You're not even a real nun pointing it out should make you duck your gaze away from him and blush.
"Goose called you Soap," you change the topic with the grace of a tap dancing elephant.
"Ach, she's nae but haverin'." He shakes his head, you aren't going to try and parse that. "It's a nickname." That you understand.
"I'm guessing you clean up nice?" You unlatch the back door, swinging the screen open.
"Something like that," he hums, reaching past you to hold the door open as you walk through. "You can call me Johnny."
You sort of like the way he says that, like it's a name just for you. Though you're sure he must have plenty of people calling him that. Much more reasonable than "Soap."
Soap isn't really sure what he's expecting when you unlatch a little white storage shed behind the house. You open it with such little fanfare that he would think it was just a tool shed except for the neat shelves of colorful explosives. He gives a low whistle, looking around. He hasn’t seen this much fire power since he left special forces. The fact that half of these things are proudly boasting names like “the mother in law” and “alligator rodeo” only adds to the absolute absurdity of nuns selling this stuff.
You lean against the doorway watching Johnny pick up cakes and mortars like a kid in a candy store. His distraction is your gain. You let your eyes roam over his back as he reaches for the bombette on the top shelf, almost envious of the explosives he’s holding to his chest. He’s got a good walk. You rest your head against the door, arms crossed to keep from getting fidgety. Yeah, that’s what it is, his walk. Confident, assured, military you think. It would explain the hair.
You snap your eyes from his thighs to his face in time for him to turn to you with an expensive amount of firecrackers. You’re probably going to have to limit his purchase. Goose’ll come after you if his fireworks catch on something.
You pull the fold-away table down from the door for him to set his goodies on. Tallying everything mentally as he pats his pockets for his wallet. He groans loudly.
“Left ma cash at the farm,” Johnny drags a hand down his face, glancing past you before starting to walk, “I’ll be back.” You grab his arm, and try not to marvel at- wow actually how much can this guy lift, that is one firm bicep.
“We could use some help in the garden,” You say quickly, “if you can spare some time, I’d trade you.”
-
It is hot as the devil out, and he is sweating like a sinner in church.
When you'd said garden Soap had thought you meant flowers, maybe some weeding, maybe a few little veggies. This is a whole farm. You're not even helping.
There are a few other nuns out in the "garden" collecting fruits and vegetables from the neatly laid crop rows. He's gotta admit, they all seem a little young to be nuns, far flung from the mean old women he'd expect. Also he's pretty sure he's caught all of them staring more often than is proper for a woman of faith. There was even the loud snap of a phone camera lens when he stripped his shirt off. If that's not an ego boost he doesn't know what is.
You stop at the edge of the vegetable patch, and join the obvious stares the rest of your roommates are fixing on John MacTavish. He is absolutely glowing with sweat, and you are transfixed by the way his muscles move as he works. You're not the pious woman you pretend to be by any stretch of the imagination, but he almost makes you believe in God. Hell if he was in church every sunday you might find yourself on your knees. You notice your tray slipping before everything falls to the ground and try to get your head on enough to tell him it's break time.
Johnny notices you first, his smile as bright as the sun as he sits back on his heels. He scrubs his face with his discarded shirt and loops it over his shoulders as he stands. Does he have to look at you like that? Like he's just so pleased to see you. It's almost pornographic, you think he might be doing it on purpose.
"What's this?" He asks, leaning to inspect your tray. You're sure he's just asking for something to say. You're… not really in a position to say anything right now, your tongue feels like it's stuck in place trying to make sure you're not drooling over him.
"Tea," you say dumbly, he raises a brow at you, "And I've got lunch inside, if you're hungry, but hydrate first."
Soap shrugs, his fingers wrapping around the tall iced glass. There's dirt under his nails, clinging to the sweat on his hands, you think he's more than paid for the fireworks by now. You're not sure the rest of your roommates are willing to give up their eye candy just yet.
He tips his head back for a drink and you try to focus on something boring like this month's budget, or taxes. Anything but the way his throat moves when he swallows, or the way he tips his head to the side to press the cool glass against his neck. You turn back to the house quickly and stalk towards the door just as fast as you can without looking like you're rushing. You cannot be around this man anymore.
You can already tell he is going to be very, very, bad for business.
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