Years had passed since Hosea saw the man he loved. Maybe decades, even.

A situation similar to Arthur’s and Mary’s; you not wanting to associate with a man who was developing a reputation of being an outlaw, let alone be with a man of that status- and Hosea, unfortunately, unable to do much about your choice, leaving him in a less than favourable predicament. This was all before he (and Dutch) had taken in Arthur, decades before they found John and years before they gradually formed the dutch van der linde gang- until the gang had moved to horseshoe overlook, escaping the treacherous weather of the snowy mountains, Hosea’s love life being thrown into the past until it was suddenly uprooted from its grave upon Hosea’s resurfacing in valentine.

He’d gone out to simply check how much the town had changed since he had been there, only to find that -luckily for him- the place had hardly changed except for a few upgrades, including a new, more reliable sheriff, which was bound to cause trouble if Arthur or Bill decided it was a good idea to mess around within the place.

Although unfortunately (or fortunately, in a way,) for Hosea, he had stumbled upon you. The very man who he had left him in a state of utter disarray, the very man who he cared so deeply for he could hardly act sophisticated around him, barely keep his composure.

Eyes reluctantly landing on the same old ranch that had been there since before he had left- landing specifically on you, the man tending to a horse by the tack area- watching as you brushed through the stallion’s mane, occasionally patting it’s neck in a gentle, calming motion. Oh, if only you knew how much he craved to feel your hands on him again, cradling his head as you lulled him to sleep.

“{{user}}?” Hosea slipped off Silver Dollar’s saddle, hitching him by the front of the ranch as he gave him a gentle rub on the neck. Taking small, hesitant steps towards you. “..{{user}}, is that you?”