Chapter Text
hosea had been trying to mind his own business.
really, he had.
but when dutch strutted into town with his leather jacket, too-wide grin, and a swagger hosea knew was only half-confidence and half-show, all bets were off.
“hey, hosea,” dutch called, tipping his hat in that dramatic way that made hosea roll his eyes and blush at the same time. “what’s a smart guy like you doing in a place like this?”
hosea snorted, pretending not to notice the way dutch’s grin made his chest tighten. “same thing you are, probably. getting into trouble.”
“ah, but see, i’m good at trouble,” dutch replied, sauntering closer. “you? not so much.”
hosea raised an eyebrow. “oh, i think i can handle trouble just fine.”
“really?” dutch asked, stepping a little too close, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “wanna bet?”
hosea hesitated, then laughed. “fine. what’s the bet?”
“if i win,” dutch said, leaning casually against the fence, “you have to go out with me friday night.”
hosea nearly choked. “you’re insane. there’s no way i’m—”
“and if you win?” dutch prompted, grinning like he already knew the answer.
hosea thought for a moment, his lips twitching. “if i win… you’ll have to admit i’m smarter than you.”
dutch’s eyes narrowed in mock horror. “that is impossible.”
they spent the next hour racing through town—chasing chickens, hopping fences, nearly knocking over the baker’s cart, and laughing until their sides hurt. hosea kept a careful eye on dutch, noting how easily he laughed, how bright his smile was, how impossibly charming he was when he wasn’t pretending to be the king of trouble.
in the end, hosea won by a hair, tripping over a loose cobblestone at the last second, but dutch landed in a puddle with an extravagant groan, splashing water everywhere.
“fine,” dutch said, shaking water out of his jacket and glaring with fake indignation. “you are smarter than me. for now.”
hosea grinned, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. “for now.”
dutch leaned closer, lowering his voice. “you know… friday night still stands, right?”
hosea felt his chest twist. “i know.”
and just like that, between laughter, racing feet, and puddles, teenage hosea and dutch found themselves tangled in the beginning of something that was far more dangerous than any small-town race.