Snake Skin | John Marston

Born To Die

Y/N had successfully convinced Abigail to let her take little Jack to the nearest flower field. She had heard about how Arthur had taken him fishing, crafting a necklace of flowers for his mother. That sweet gesture sparked an idea in Y/N's mind. Yes, Jack was a boy, but there was no need to rush him into the world of hunting and killing at the tender age of four. There would always be time for that later.

So here they were—Y/N and Jack, surrounded by a sea of colorful blossoms, gathering the prettiest flowers. Jack busily collected blooms for his mother while Y/N focused on gathering herbs for later use. It felt a bit awkward for her; she had never spent much time around children so young. Interacting with them was a challenge—most of the time, they just cried and ran about like little tornadoes.

They had been out of camp for over an hour when Y/N straightened up from her spot, a handful of herbs in her grasp. She turned to find Jack watching her with a bright smile.

"Auntie Y/N!" he called out, his face lighting up with joy.

"Do you like it here, Jack?" Y/N asked, making her way over to him, her curiosity piqued.

He nodded enthusiastically, holding out the bouquet of flowers in his small hands.

"Ain't that a little too short for a necklace?" she teased, crouching beside him to inspect the delicate white and blue blooms.

"It's not a necklace!" he declared, his eyes bright with excitement. "It's a bracelet!"

"Oh! It's very pretty. Your ma is going to love it, I'm sure," she said with a warm smile.

"It's for you, Auntie!" he exclaimed suddenly, his face lighting up with pride. "Do you like it?"

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise. For her? Why would he want to give her something so special? They weren't related, and they had barely crossed paths a handful of times.

"That's great, son," came a familiar voice from behind them. Both Y/N and Jack turned in unison to see John approaching. Jack, filled with excitement, dashed over to his father.

"Pa! Look what I made for Auntie Y/N!" he shouted, holding up the bracelet proudly. "She said it's very pretty!"

Y/N stood up and watched the two, her heart swelling with warmth. She remembered being that small, filled with boundless love for her parents. In that moment, a realization washed over her: she couldn't dare to get too close to John, for he was a father. He had a family.

In the end, it would be Jack or her. If a man had to choose, he would always choose the woman. A child could be raised again, but a worthy partner was far more difficult to find.

Tears began to well in Y/N's eyes as she observed the tender bond between father and son. She sniffled softly and wiped her eyes with her delicate fingers, struggling to mask her emotions. John noticed her distress but chose to remain silent, as if he understood the turmoil brewing within her. Only God knew the complexities hidden behind those expressive eyes of hers.

"Dad? Why is Auntie Y/N crying?" Jack asked, his innocent gaze fixated on her tear-streaked face.

"Jack, I—"

"I'm just so happy, Jack. You made me a bracelet. It's the prettiest bracelet," Y/N said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. She watched as Jack hurried back to her, his small hand outstretched, offering the delicate creation.

After a moment of hesitation, she accepted the bracelet and slid it onto her slim wrist. It fit almost perfectly, a symbol of his innocent affection. She nodded at Jack, bending down to meet his gaze. "Thank you, boy. It means a lot to me."