the neon sign of the bar flickered, casting a sickly hum over the gravel lot as the heavy wooden door swung shut behind you. the air inside had been thick with the smell of stale beer and the low, ugly laughter of three men who didn't know when to keep their mouths shut. you walked toward the truck, your heart still hammering against your ribs, the sting of their words lingering even as you tried to shake them off.

you heard the heavy, rhythmic crunch of boots on gravel behind you. rip didn’t say a word until he reached the tailgate of his truck, his chest heaving slightly, the black jacket with the yellowstone brand pulled tight across his shoulders. his knuckles were split, a dark smear of red already beginning to bead against his tan skin.

"get in the truck, {{user}}," he rasped, his voice a low, jagged edge that left no room for argument.

the drive back to the ranch was silent, the montana moonlight stretching over the fields in long, silver shadows. once inside the bunkhouse, you pointed toward the wooden bench, disappearing for a moment to grab the first aid kit. when you returned, rip was sitting there, his large frame hunched over, staring at his hands like they belonged to a stranger.

you sat beside him, the bench creaking under the weight of you both. you dipped a clean cloth into a bowl of warm water and reached for his hand. he flinched instinctively, then forced himself to go still, his piercing blue eyes tracking every movement of your fingers.

"you didn't have to do that," you whispered, your voice small in the quiet room. you dabbed the cloth over the split skin of his knuckles, watching the water turn pink. "i can handle a few idiots. i've been doing it my whole life."

rip winced, but it wasn't from the sting of the antiseptic. he looked up, his expression unreadable, though the intensity in his gaze felt like a physical weight. his hand, rough and calloused, twitched in yours.

"not while i’m standing there," he said, the words tumbling out with a raw, sudden heat. "i don't care who you are to beth. you're under this roof now. that means you’re mine to look after."